Wednesday, August 9, 10am – 4pm

Violette de Mazia. A Necklace of Boats (detail), 1949. BF1195. Public Domain.
$170; members $153
(one-day workshop)
About the Class
The “long 19th century” describes the 125-year period between the onset of the French Revolution in 1789 and the outbreak of World War I in 1914. This was a time of significant change in European history, socially and politically, and one of profound metamorphoses for women in art.
This one-day workshop examines the role of women as artists, collectors, educators, models, and students in France and the United States during this period. How was this artistic era punctuated by civil acts like the 1804 Napoleonic Code, which gave husbands legal dominion over their wives, or the first educational reforms for women, beginning in the 1840s, which opened doors for women of all backgrounds to seek art training? How was art used in the fight to end slavery in both nations, and what role did art play in the first feminist wave in the 1850s and the women's suffrage movements that followed?
We’ll unpack the ways that the women who promoted, participated in, and produced art throughout this period made it possible for later generations of women to play an even greater role in modern and contemporary art.
Capacity: 100
Note: Proof of COVID-19 vaccination is required to attend this class; please check safety guidelines for current masking information.
Barnes classes will:
- Increase your understanding of art-related concepts.
- Increase the ways you think critically about art.
- Improve your ability to communicate about art.
- Deepen your appreciation for cultures and histories outside your own.
Instructor
Caterina Y. Pierre
Pierre is professor of art history at the City University of New York at Kingsborough Community College and visiting associate professor at the Pratt Institute, New York. She has taught about art and crime at CUNY Kingsborough, Pratt, and Sotheby’s Institute of Art, New York. She is working on books about cemetery sculpture as political art in the late 19th century, and about Ernest Durig, a forger of the sculptor Auguste Rodin.
Art in Context
Art in Context courses connect works of art to history: What was happening politically, socially, and culturally at the time a piece was made? How did these circumstances shape the artist’s formal choices?
Recent Barnes Class Testimonials
“[The] professor was highly engaging, facilitated excellent discussions, and [was] very knowledgeable. I learned a lot about teaching art history from watching her.” Course: Matisse and Picasso with Martha Lucy
“Every single second of the course was a productive, valuable, and interesting use of my time. The instructor's enthusiasm and reference to outside resources sparked a greater interest in me as a learner and resulted in me exploring even more on my own. I couldn't have enjoyed the experience more.” Course: Salvador Dalí: Surrealism and Beyond with Jonathan Wallis
“I am not an artist and prior to this course I had not thought about what an artist might be 'thinking,' as opposed to 'feeling.' I loved this course and plan to immerse myself in color theory.” Course: Visualizing Memory with Lucas Kelly
“This course is equal to or exceeds art history courses I have taken at several major universities in terms of syllabus and quality of instruction.” Course: The School of Paris with Joseph Tokumasu Field