The Art of Light
Ongoing
Paolo Veronese. Baptism of Christ (detail), mid-16th century. The Barnes Foundation, BF800
$100; members $90
(3 modules)
About the Class
Discover how light shapes meaning in art.
Light is one of the most powerful tools artists use to create mood, structure, and expression—and it’s central to the Barnes Method, our distinctive approach to looking at art. In this on-demand course, explore how light functions across works in the Barnes collection, from compositional design to symbolic meaning.
Through a series of guided videos focused on close looking, The Art of Light reveals how artists imagine and represent light in their work, helping you see more deeply and interpret what you observe with greater clarity.
About the Experience
- Learn at your own pace. Access course modules anytime, anywhere. Watch and rewatch as many times as you like.
- Engage through short, focused lessons. Each video distills key ideas into clear, engaging lessons.
- See every detail. The Barnes’s deep-zoom Visual Experience Platform (VXP) lets you explore paintings at an extraordinary level of precision.
- Practice the Barnes Method. Interactive prompts encourage you to pause, observe, and apply what you’re learning directly to the art you’re seeing.
Watch this brief introduction to the course and read more below.
Modules
Module 1
The Basics of Light (4 videos, 28 minutes total)
Build a foundation for seeing light in art. Explore works by El Greco, Pierre Puvis de Chavannes, and Giorgio de Chirico to learn how artists use light to create meaning—through its symbolic power, its relationship to color, and its ability to suggest depth and volume.
Module 2
Different Kinds of Light (4 videos, 29 minutes total)
See how light transforms a composition. From directional and reflective to flat and glowing, discover how artists harness different types of light to shape what we see and feel, with works by Pablo Picasso, Paolo Veronese, and others.
Module 3
Artistic Effects of Light (4 videos, 32 minutes total)
Experience the expressive power of light. Examine how intensity and filtration can shift mood, atmosphere, and perception through masterpieces by Henri Matisse, Pierre-Auguste Renoir, Georges Seurat, and more.
Instructor
Kaelin Jewell
Jewell is the Bernard C. Watson Director of Adult Education at the Barnes and has taught art history for over 15 years. She holds undergraduate and graduate degrees in photography and art history from the University of Louisville’s Hite Institute of Art and Design and has a PhD in ancient and medieval art history from Temple’s Tyler School of Art. Jewell is also a trained archaeologist and has worked on projects in the American Midwest and Sicily.
The Barnes Method
Barnes Method courses follow the teachings of Albert Barnes and Violette de Mazia. Classes focus on rigorous formal analysis and direct visual engagement with works of art. In this method, close looking at art helps build critical-thinking skills that can be carried beyond the gallery walls.
Go Further
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Using a meditative approach, this hour-long session offers an in-depth look at Demuth’s precise technique. Instructor: Kaelin Jewell
The Language of Painting
Discover how artists use color, light, line, and space in this one‑day, on‑site workshop. Instructor: Kaelin Jewell