Explore the links between art and literature, from the Mona Lisa to The Lady of Shalott. We will begin by reading a single painting in detail, William Holman Hunt’s The Awakening Conscience (1853). We then broaden our focus to other depictions of the fallen woman. Includes a case study of Charles Dickens and the artists he collaborated with and inspired. There will be film clips of Dickens’ characters in action (“You’ve got to pick a pocket or two”).

On this day course, you will discover the stories behind some of the world’s most famous paintings. Meet Hans Holbein’s The Ambassadors (1533) and uncover the symbolism of the Tudor court. Find out why W.H. Auden felt the old masters were “never wrong” —particularly in the work of Pieter Breughel the Elder. Connect Leonardo Da Vinci with Count Dracula via Walter Pater, W.B. Yeats, and Marcel Duchamp. No experience necessary.