Start Date
12 February, 2025
There will be 2 weekly meetings on Wednesday, 2 - 4pm, starting from 12 February.
Overview
Join us for a deep dive into the fascinating world of the Victorian nude!
Exploring both painting and sculpture we delve into this cornerstone of the 19th Century art scene and its relationship to popular culture, exposing the tensions between progressive attitudes and moral anxieties that accompanied the display of the naked form.
From the goddess Venus to healthy dress reform, we take you on a journey through an engaging miscellany including the heroic male nude and the rise of physical culture, sexuality and the male gaze, and the distinction between naked and nude. We will also discover how central the nude was to academic training and investigate the relationship between access to the life model and its effect on women’s art education and reception.
Tracing its roots from the classical past through to the experimental avant-garde, we investigate the Victorian nude’s place within a larger cultural tradition, illuminating one of art's most revealing subjects!
This course seeks to provide an understanding of the importance of the nude as an art form within the Victorian period, and within the traditions of art history in general. Participants will gain a greater knowledge of the different archetypal forms the nude takes within Victorian art and gain an understanding of its relationship to the popular culture of the period.
Our course is designed for anyone with an interest in the history of art and the Victorian period, who has a passion for learning more about this rich and significant subject in the history of western art and culture.
Syllabus
Week 1: The Male Nude
Week 2: The Female Nude
Please note that the ‘last date available to book’ date is only a guide. We reserve the right to close bookings earlier if courses are over- or under-subscribed. In order to avoid disappointment, please be sure enrol as soon as possible. Registrations will not be processed until the following day if received after 3pm.
Course Lecturer: Dr Anna Maddison
Dr. Anna Maddison is a researcher and lecturer in the History of Art and English Literature, specialising in the Victorian era. Her doctoral thesis addressed the influence of Victorian Spiritualism upon the work of Pre-Raphaelite poet-painter Dante Gabriel Rossetti. Dr. Maddison has 20 years’ experience of designing and teaching courses in higher education, working for the University of Liverpool (Continuing Education), LJMU, and as a freelance lecturer. She has taught at a number of art galleries over the years, including the Atkinson, the Walker, the Lady Lever and Tate Liverpool.
Courses fees: Full fee £35
Back to: Continuing Education