Take a Class
Study art history at the Barnes, a leader in art education since 1925. Come learn in our galleries, or take classes online using our immersive, state-of-the-art platform that brings you closer to the work than ever before.
Classes are streamed live via our VXP (visual experience platform).
Chromophilia: Modern Art and the Reinvention of Color
Take a closer look at how artists like Manet and Matisse redefined color and its use in modern art. Instructor: Paul Galvez
Degas and Impressionism: 150 Years Later
An in-depth look at Degas’s contribution to the impressionism movement, taught by the curator of the exhibition currently on view at the Clark Art Institute. Instructor: Michelle Foa
Close-Looking Immersion: El Greco’s Apparition of the Virgin and Child to Saint Hyacinth
This new series of single-session immersions provides opportunities to study and discuss individual works. Instructor: Kaelin Jewell
The Elements of Art
Learn basic aesthetic principles and discover art’s communicative power by studying works in the Barnes collection. Instructor: Kaelin Jewell
Collection Concentration: Paul Cézanne
Study Cézanne’s influence on European modernism and trace the development of his visual language. Instructor: William Perthes
Painting and Poetry
This course looks at the connections between painting and poetry and how they communicate an artist’s philosophy, desires, or cultural orientation. Instructor: Laura J. Watts
Modern Painters Take the Stage: Set and Costume Design in 20th-Century Theater
Explore groundbreaking collaborations that brought important visual artists to the stage. Instructor: Caterina Y. Pierre
Close-Looking Immersion: Maurice Brazil Prendergast’s Marblehead Harbor
This new series of single-session immersions provides opportunities to study and discuss individual works. Instructor: William Perthes
Builders, Heroes, and Unicorns: Exploring the History and Treasures of the Met Cloisters
Join the curator-in-charge of the Cloisters for a deep dive into the museum’s history, architecture, and collections. Instructor: C. Griffith Mann
Zooming In on Van Gogh
Delve into the life and work of one of the greatest, and most mythologized, painters of the modern era. Instructor: Martha Lucy
Mickalene Thomas, Visual Pleasure and Arts Activism
Take a deeper dive into Thomas’s career and influence with the curator of All About Love. Instructor: Renée Mussai
Order and Invention
How does an idea become a finished work of art? This class explores some of the tools that aid artists in making images. Instructor: Michael Williamson
Size Does Matter: A History of Miniatures in Art
What makes miniatures so fascinating? And what compels artists to work on such a tiny scale? This course shines a spotlight on the art and history of miniatures. Instructor: Julie Steiner
Close-Looking Immersion: Picasso’s Woman Seated on Striped Floor
This new series of single-session immersions provides opportunities to study and discuss individual works. Instructor: Naina Saligram
Close-Looking Immersion: Gauguin’s Haere Pape
This new series of single-session immersions provides opportunities to study and discuss individual works. Instructor: Naina Saligram
Gift a Barnes Class
Give the gift of lifelong learning with art history classes taught by Barnes experts.