Wednesdays, February 4 – February 25, 1 – 3pm
Claude Monet. Boulevard des Capucines (detail), 1873–74. Purchase: The Kenneth A. and Helen F. Spencer Foundation Acquisition Fund, the Nelson-Atkins Museum of Art
$220; members $198
(4 classes)
About the Class
“Unfinished,” “cat scratchings,” and “made by lunatics” were just some of the insults hurled by critics when impressionist paintings were first shown in the 1870s. In this course, we revisit the rise of impressionism and the risks taken by this audacious group of French artists, including Monet, Renoir, Degas, and Morisot, when they rejected the Salon system and art establishment. Learn how this group eschewed tradition by capturing the world around them en plein air and in the streets, using vibrant colors and bold brushstrokes. Looking closely at individual works, we will consider themes such as artistic diversity, gender roles, and the rise of leisure culture.
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Barnes classes will:
- Sharpen your observational and critical thinking skills.
- Improve your ability to communicate about art.
- Deepen your appreciation for cultures and histories outside your own.
Instructor
Larissa Bailiff
Specializing in late 19th- and early 20th-century French art and culture, Bailiff is an art historian, educator, and writer who holds degrees from UC Berkeley and NYU’s Institute of Fine Arts. She has lectured throughout the region and offered dozens of in-gallery and online courses at the Museum of Modern Art, New York.
What Our Students Say
“The instructor is a gifted individual who is able to [engage] with all different kinds of learners and motivate us to want to learn more, see more, and experience more. I would highly recommend any course by this instructor.” —Collection Concentration: Medieval Modern with Kaelin Jewell
“Martha Lucy knows how to balance her lecture with fact, excellent painting selections, and inclusion of the students.” —The Art and Life of Toulouse-Lautrec with Martha Lucy
“The best class to understand the elements of art. The instructor’s expertise and warmth, along with the excellent discussions with my classmates, made it a truly wonderful experience.” —The Elements of Art with William Perthes
“This class offered rich insight into Picasso and his contemporaries—the gallery scene, turn-of-the-century politics, Catalan culture, along with Picasso’s approach to composition and contemporary European culture. It was so informative.” —Picasso in Focus: New Discoveries at the Barnes with Christine Romano and Naina Saligram
“Caterina loves the material she presents and infuses all her classes—of which I have taken many—with that infectious enthusiasm.” —Rendez-vous au Café: Café Culture in 19th-Century Art with Caterina Pierre
Go Further
Close-Looking Immersion: Cézanne’s Portrait of a Woman
Spend an hour with Cézanne’s haunting Portrait of a Woman. Instructor: William Perthes
Surrealism, Then and Now
Revisit the movement’s origin and global expansion and consider its legacy today. Instructor: Naina Saligram
Caravaggio: Revolutionary Painter of the Roman Baroque
Learn how Caravaggio rejected classical idealism for raw naturalism, fueling works with psychological intensity. Instructor: James Harper