Thinking about art: Philosophical approaches to art history

François Bonvin, 'Still Life with Book, Papers and Inkwell', 1876

Embark on a six-week course, in partnership with Kings College London’s Centre for Philosophy and Art, to explore the National Gallery’s collection anew by discovering connections to timeless philosophical puzzles. Each week, we will introduce and unravel a question about a different philosophical theme in dialogue with a painting in the National Gallery Collection. 

Over the six weeks we will cover the sublime, emotions, love and intimacy, empathy, beauty, and politics. You'll learn to recognise, articulate, and respond to the philosophical quandaries the pictures present, finding solutions by navigating between traditionally focused on art historical works and contemporary visual art.

This course offers a blend of art appreciation and philosophical inquiry and is designed for curious-minded people who have not studied philosophy formally before.

Click here to learn more and book tickets.