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Art History Classes Online

Discover the fascinating world of art history with a wide range of online classes that explore various time periods, movements, and artists. Gain a deeper appreciation for art, expand your knowledge, and develop a critical eye through engaging and interactive courses.

3 classes have spots left

Cabaret Conversations

92nd Street Y @ Live Interactive Online Classroom

Immerse yourself in the vibrant world of cabaret as industry insiders and performers gather to discuss the rich history and current state of this unique art form. Join award-winning cabaret performer Michael Kirk Lane at 92nd Street Y for a series of insightful conversations that will leave you inspired and entertained.

(1060) All levels 18 and older

Certificate in Applied Color for Interiors

New York School of Interior Design

Learn the art of interior design with the Certificate in Applied Color for Interiors at the New York School of Interior Design. Master the skill of choosing paint colors, creating successful color schemes, and transforming existing spaces with color in this comprehensive online workshop series. Gain valuable insights and elevate your interior design expertise.

(176) All levels 18 and older
$500

3 sessions

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The Alchemic Union of Text and Image

Los Angeles Center of Photography @ *Virtual Classroom

Uncover the art of blending words and visuals seamlessly with a course that explores the synergy between text and images.

(41) All levels 18 and older
$615

6 sessions

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Explore Art Private Group Events

Explore private group events and team building activities ranging from cooking to art, escape rooms, trivia, and more

Explore Art Private Group Events
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A Queer History of Visual Art

92nd Street Y

Explore the groundbreaking contributions of LGBTQ+ individuals to the visual arts, from the Renaissance to the present day, in this thought-provoking seminar. Discover how LGBTQ+ identity has shaped aesthetic experiences through captivating image presentations, readings, and films. Please note that the course may include adult content.

(1060) All levels 18 and older
No upcoming schedules
$265

6 sessions

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Abstract Painting Studio and Critique (Intermediate/Advanced)

92nd Street Y @ Live Interactive Online Classroom

This course provides students with an opportunity to create works and a forum to show and discuss their works in process for technical and conceptual feedback. These critiques will be supplemented through presentations and discussions on historical artists’ images from Abstract Expressionism to Contemporary works. Get ready to present work for discussion, give feedback, and learn more about art history! Supply List Oil Paints: You should purchase...

(1060) Intermediate 18 and older
No upcoming schedules
$350

6 sessions

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Cabaret History and Great Performances

92nd Street Y

Discover the captivating world of cabaret with award-winning performer Michael Kirk Lane as he takes you on a journey through the art form's rich history and its exciting future. Immerse yourself in the influential performances of legendary artists, brought to life through engaging video and audio recordings in this exclusive lecture series.

(1060) All levels 18 and older
No upcoming schedules
$150

3 sessions

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Art Seminar: Knowing Art (Ages 16+)

Evanston Art Center

Use this time at home to clarify your understanding of art movements, themes, artists and art forms throughout history. Learn the chronology and the connection between art and the historical, cultural and political context in which it was made. Each week will be a different lecture covering a specific subject presented through a slide show and thematic exploration. Skill Level: Beginner/Intermediate Notes: This interactive online class is presented...

(83) Beginner 16 and older
No upcoming schedules
$490

12 sessions

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2D Drafting with AutoCAD (Level 1)

New York School of Interior Design

Take advantage of the functionality and productivity found in AutoCAD. Learn the fundamentals of AutoCAD in this hands-on course and discover how to efficiently prepare 2D digital drawings. Specifically designed for interior designers and using the Microsoft operating system, this course will cover the basics of AutoCAD drawing software.  Topics include drawing commands, drawing set-up and edit, layers, dimensioning, and text. Save, save-as,...

(176) Beginner 18 and older
No upcoming schedules
$690

8 sessions

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NCIDQ Exam Preparation

New York School of Interior Design

The NCIDQ exam is the qualifying exam for certification of Interior Designers. The exam consists of 3 sections to be completed following the approval of eligible educational requirements. The three sections are: IDFX: Interior Design Fundamentals Exam - A 125 question multiple choice exam encompassing the topics of: building systems and construction, programming and site analysis, human behavior and the designed environment, construction drawing...

(176) All levels 18 and older
No upcoming schedules
$445

2 sessions

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Social Justice X The Media

Los Angeles Center of Photography

This course examines how media arts has been used to portray and influence contemporary American social justice movements. Topics will include media from the Southern desegregation movement, civil rights marches, Black power movement, Vietnam war footage, photojournalism, anti-war protests, LGBTQ rights, Black Lives Matter and more. We will also discuss images and messages created during the Civil Rights era – the 2021 Capitol Building riot. ...

(41) All levels 18 and older
No upcoming schedules

Aesthetic Production in the Ancient World

Brooklyn Institute for Social Research @ Online Classroom

Art Before Art: Aesthetic Production in the Ancient World How can we think or speak about “art” in the ancient world—long before it was ever designated as such? Art history in the modern European tradition is deeply attached to the hand of the artist, to the mark of individual genius, to the authentication of provenance, and to a narrative of evolving styles, techniques, and forms. But, looking at the ancient world, how can we account for human...

(29) All levels 21 and older
No upcoming schedules
$315

4 sessions

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The Role of the Royal Mistress

Santa Monica College

The Role of the Royal Mistress in the Design of Great French Palaces (Remote Live) A taste for elegance and luxurious refinement created a world in which royal mistresses--with almost unlimited spending power--could tap the talents of their country's best painters and decorative artists to embellish their kings' palaces and residences.  Explore the lives of influential mistresses to the French kings--including Madame du Pompadour and Madame...

(513) All levels 18 and older
No upcoming schedules

Insider's Guide: Collecting Works on Paper

New York School of Interior Design

Why do we create museums and endeavor to have our own art collections? What are the historical precedents?  This course is one in a series of five that traces the emergence of each of the following art forms: Painting, Drawings + Works on Paper, Fine Art Prints, Sculpture, and Ceramics. Discussions include the emergence of the art collector with a particular emphasis on this history as it pertains to New York City. This course is designed...

(176) All levels 18 and older
No upcoming schedules

Treasures of Asian Decorative Arts

Santa Monica College

Explore the rich aesthetics of Asian design within the cultural histories in which they were created. Through lecture and slide illustrations, find out about the decorative arts of China, Japan, India, and Korea, and the richness and variety of materials and techniques utilized by the artists and craftspeople.  We’ll also examine how the beauty and refinement of these artistic traditions served as inspiration for European and American decorative...

(513) All levels 18 and older
No upcoming schedules

How to Choose Yourself as an Artist

Los Angeles Center of Photography @ *Virtual Classroom

In this webinar, you will learn and sharpen your skills to effectively get your work seen and discovered by your audience. Michael Foley will introduce you to less traditional and unorthodox approaches to present and sell your work. We will design a social media plan for effective communication, variety, and stickiness. Michael will teach you how to apply to competitions and what competitions to apply for, and other opportunities that are worth...

(41) All levels 18 and older
No upcoming schedules

Alchemical: The Rise of the Fine Art Photography Market

Los Angeles Center of Photography

Alchemical: The Rise of the Fine Art Photography Market and What We're Seeing Today In this beautifully illustrated presentation, certified photography appraiser and photo historian Jennifer Stoots, AAA, will provide a succinct review of the evolution of the fine art photography market in the United States. Stoots will start the webinar off with a brief overview of the evolution of the art market in Europe, plus the motivations of invention and...

(41) All levels 18 and older
No upcoming schedules

Art as Inquiry: A Ritual Approach (Ages 16+)

Evanston Art Center

Our own style of personal ritual can provide a stress-free approach to artmaking. In our sketchbook/journal, we will draw upon our own inner wisdom to utilize art as inquiry. Following our curiosity and our pleasure, our art blossoms with our personal vibration and intention, and accesses our inner wisdom. Classic elements of artistic composition, basic color theory, and technique are included along with the ritual elements and concepts that set...

(83) All levels 16 and older
No upcoming schedules
$175

5 sessions

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Donna Haraway: Cyborgs, Science, and Gender

Brooklyn Institute for Social Research @ Online, New York, NY

Over the last four decades, biologist and philosopher of science Donna Haraway has revolutionized how social theorists and scientists understand the situated objectivity of scientific knowledge.  She had paid special attention to the ways in which technology and science assign biological meaning to social categories. While Haraway is most famously associated with Cyborg Theory, this course will offer students an opportunity to survey the full...

(29) All levels 21 and older
No upcoming schedules
$315

4 sessions

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Reviews for Art History Classes Online

Art History Classes Online are rated 4.4 stars based on 1,902 verified reviews from actual CourseHorse.com purchasers.

Discover the Best Art History Classes Online

The earliest example of what could be considered writing on Art History is Pliny the Elder's Natural History, which takes Greek painting and sculpture as its subjects. Later prominent art critics and art historians include Giorgio Vasari, Johann Joachim Winckelmann, Heinrich Wolfflin, Reigl and Wickhoff, and Roland Barthes.

Art History today is taught in most universities where it is a common humanities elective course. A particular artist's place in the sweep of history is necessarily a foundational consideration of the field, so precedent, influence, subcultures, social "scenes," and the artist's milieu are important ideas for those who study in it. Most art historians and art critics write about the role of the viewer in interpreting a work of art and to what degree the artist and his or her intent should be considered in this interpretation.

Why You Should Learn Art History Online

Art lovers, students, hobbyists, and artists themselves explore this field to better appreciate art and artists and to fine tune their own sense of aesthetics. This can lead to creating art oneself or finding inspiration in favorite pieces. 

The viewing of aesthetic objects, especially in quiet or solitude, has been shown to relieve stress and heighten creativity. Many people from a variety of professional fields turn to art and its study to help them solve problems or creative blocks in their work. 

Most people appreciate art of one kind or another, so studying art history is a wonderful way to plug into a community and connect with like minded individuals. The Association of Art Museum Curators provides a list of professional organizations devoted to the study, preservation, or advancement of art in the United States. This is an excellent resource for finding programs or organizations where you can learn more about art history. The National Endowment for the Arts and the American Alliance of Museums are good resources as well. 

If you're looking to broaden your professional or creative opportunities, then studying Art History is sure to aid you in your search. Over two million people work in the Art History, Criticism, and Conversation fields in the United States, and this number is on the rise. Once you've become experienced enough in the field, you may even become a teacher or instructor of Art History yourself. 

Virtual Art History Classes 

Online Art History classes are becoming increasingly common and easy to find, and it's no mystery why. With no need to commute and the ability to access course materials from anywhere, virtual Art History courses are becoming the preferred way to learn for many people today. 

In-person classes have their benefits too. It's hard to beat having an instructor and peers in the classroom with you as you make your way through difficult materials. The feedback is extremely helpful, and you can ask questions on the fly. 

Everyone learns differently, so it's good to learn what style works best for you. With an online class, generally all you need to attend is a computer or smart device and a reliable wifi connection. From the comfort of home you can explore a wide range of available online Art History courses, which are often more readily available than in-person courses. You will be expected, however, to provide your own materials for a virtual course, so it's good to keep this in mind. 

Abstract Painting Critique and Discussion is a class presented by the 92nd Street Y in Manhattan, NYC in which participants learn how to engage at the aesthetic and critical levels with contemporary abstract paintings. Students are encouraged to bring their own work to the class to engage with classmates and receive feedback and critiques. Workshop sessions with peers will be supplemented with instructor presentations and discussions on work by historical artists that are in conversation with the student work. The class is open to ages 18 and older and the class size is capped at 12. 

If you want to learn how to rearrange and remix your family photos into daring and intriguing new presentations and arrangements then Contemporary Reinterpretation of the Family Photo Album is a terrific introductory course. Expert instructors at the Houston Center for Photography will teach photographers and photo enthusiasts at the beginner level how to see and reinterpret the traditional family photo album in new ways. The Houston Center for Photography is an organization in Houston, Texas dedicated to the art of photography and it is known for its excellent programming and classes on photography and its history. 

People in Relationship with the Contemporary Landscape is another course presented by the Houston Center for Photography that teaches the photographer's creative process in conversation with art history. How do you view the role of people in the landscape in contemporary photography? Learn how to analyze and reevaluate your own conceptions of what is or is not aesthetically sound in your own and others' photography. This is an intermediate level course that unfolds over four sessions. 

Do you want to learn more about how the ancient Greeks, Romans, and other cultures viewed art? Aesthetic Production in the Ancient World provides an overview of how the ancients conceived of and saw what we today call "art." Presented in four sessions by the Brooklyn Institute for Social Research, this course is a deep dive into what it means to be an artist and how contemporary art is informed by ancient art and vice versa.

This is an intriguing and unique class presented by the Chicago Botanic Garden in the Cook County Forest Preserves in Chicago. History of Photography: Postmodernism is a survey course of the history of photography, beginning in the 1960s and moving up to the present. Photographers discussed include Andy Warhol, Syl Labro, Gary Winogrand, Diane Arbus, and others. Learn about a variety of photographic styles, from pop art to assemblage, conceptual art and the social landscape. This class is $499 for six sessions. 

Private Online Group Art History Classes

Private online group Art History classes are a convenient and fun way to break up the normal routine of your group or organization and learn something new. Families and friends looking for a unique event for a holiday or anniversary can learn about Art History together while building trust and bonding. CourseHorse offers private online group Art History classes delivered directly to you at any location 

Venture into the past and learn about ancient art and culture with Virtual Trivia: Human History, an online event that challenges teams to test their knowledge of classical art, cultures, and civilizations. This is a great course for families, groups large and small, teams, and organizations to build camaraderie while having fun through intellectually stimulating trivia. 

CourseHorse Experiences delivers the course through Zoom, and it generally lasts about one hour. Allow the CourseHorse host to provide the trivia questions or you can work with them to create your own. Create a battery of questions relevant to your team members, places you've traveled, periods of art history you appreciate, or favorite artists and works of art.

Since this is a virtual event, as many as 200 people can join the fun, and the size of your group is flexible and can be changed even after you book. The base price of this event is $360 for up to 15 people, and each additional person is $10. For a customization fee of $150, CourseHorse will connect you with an expert to help you create your own set of trivia questions. 

Sometimes you're looking for that perfect class for your team or group and you can't find it. There's no need to worry, because CourseHorse is adding new classes all the time, and a representative will even work with you to find the class that is right for you. Click the "Contact Us" button on the CourseHorse Groups page, fill out the form, describe the class you want to have delivered to your group, and you can get the ball rolling. 

There are never any fees to book a course, and confirmation is sure to be sent in 24 hours or less. Also, if your plans change in the process of booking the course, it's never too late to change the size of your group. CourseHorse makes the process easy and intuitive. 

Most online Art History group classes are delivered through Zoom, but many platforms are supported, including Google Meet, Microsoft Teams, and WebEx. 

Online vs. In-Person Art History Classes

Much of the study of Art History consists in viewing, analyzing, and discussing images, which means that if you have a computer or smart device and a reliable internet connection the only limit to how far you delve into the field is your imagination and willingness to learn. So, online classes are the way to go for many with an interest in this field. There's no commute required, and you can connect to a class from the comfort of home. 

Many still prefer the immediate benefits you get from an in-person course and instructor. Being a part of a community of learners in a dedicated classroom space is a great spur to learn and stretch the limits of what your knowledge. Plus you receive guidance and feedback from an instructor who is there to support you through the curriculum. 

If you are analyzing an aesthetic object that is physically present, such as a marble sculpture, then an in-person would be the preferable delivery method. If the course is lecture based and uses many images and slides, then engaging with the class virtually could have enormous benefits because of the convenience and, sometimes, a lower registration fee compared to alternatives. 

Can I Learn Art History for Free Online?

Taking your first steps into the field of Art History is easy with free online instruction. Widely available resources like videos and tutorials will help you get started as you learn the fundamentals of this richly varied subject. If you decide that you do want help along the way, peers with whom you can learn, or someone to answer your questions, then a class with an Art Historian or instructor with knowledge of the field could be hugely beneficial.

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