Short course
Baroque Art: An Introductory History
Course status:
Applications being accepted
Dates and time:
05/11/2026 - 03/12/202614:00 - 16:00
Study format:
In-person weekly
Fees:
£190.00
The Baroque style in art, sculpture, and architecture divides opinion. Some object to its languid decadence and emotional indulgence, while others praise its structural ingenuity, formal abundance, and decorative richness. This course will explore the roots of the Baroque in the High Renaissance works of Michelangelo, Giacomo della Porta, Borromini, and Bernini. Painting, architecture and sculpture will then mingle and dynamically interact as we examine buildings by Carlo Maderno, Fancois Mansart, Wren and Vanbrugh; sculptures by Bernini; and the work of painters such as Titian, Caravaggio, Rubens, Velazquez and Watteau.
We will attempt to identify the key stylistic and aesthetic characteristics of the Baroque aesthetic and to familiarise ourselves with the major works of the artists, architects and sculptors who participated in the elaboration and promotion of what eventually became a global style of art and architecture. We will also investigate some of the broader cultural and religious contexts which gave rise to the Baroque. We will trace its relationship with the theology of the Counter-Reformation, and its association with courtly and aristocratic life across Europe and beyond.
So was the Baroque style a vapid and shallow decorative indulgence, best forgotten in the modern world? Or does its history and character perhaps hold lessons for us today, in our own media-saturated world: where seductive surface illusion so often seems to obscure the harsh and unforgiving realities of power?
Book this course
Book your place online using the button below.
Course starts Thursday 5 November 2026
This is an in-person course which requires your attendance at the weekly meetings in Oxford on Thursdays, 2.00-4.00pm.
Week 1: Michelangelo, Mannerism and the Baroque
Week 2: Baroque Architecture and the Roman Renaissance – Bernini and Borromini
Week 3: Titian, Caravaggio and Rubens
Week 4: Wren, Hawksmoor and Vanbrugh: the English Baroque
Week 5: Legacies of the Baroque
Course aims
Course aim: To introduce students to the main aesthetic characteristics of Baroque art, architecture, and sculpture
Course objectives:
- To introduce students to the work of some of the most significant artists, architects and sculptors associated with the Baroque style and period
- To encourage students to question some of the ways in which Baroque art and architecture has typically been regarded
Learning outcomes
After taking this course, students will:
- Be able to broadly recognise artworks executed in the Baroque style
- Be able to identify some of the most significant Baroque buildings, paintings, and sculptures
- Be able to identify some of the most notable artists and architects who worked in the Baroque style and period
Level and demands
The Department’s Weekly Classes are taught at first year undergraduate level.
No prior knowledge is required.
Teaching methods
The course will be taught primarily by means of illustrated classroom lectures, which will actively incorporate interactive discussion with students.
Assessment methods
This course is not accredited, so there are no assessments or coursework.
Dr David Morgan
David Morgan has taught Art & Architectural History for Oxford Lifelong Learning since 2004. He has also taught courses for Birkbeck College, and the WEA. His recent publications have centred upon the history of British visual satire, and the application of Lacanian psychoanalytic theory to the visual arts.
Digital badge
Upon successful completion of this course, you will be issued with an official digital badge from the Department for Continuing Education, University of Oxford. In order to be issued with your badge, you will need to have attended at least 80% of the course.
After the course, you will receive an email with a link and instructions on how to download your digital badge. You will be able to add this badge to your email signature and share it on social media if you choose to do so.
Fees
| Description | Costs |
|---|---|
| Course fee | £190.00 |
Funding
If you are in receipt of a UK state benefit, or are a care-leaver in the UK, you may be eligible for a reduction of 50% of tuition fees. Please see the below link for full details:
Concessionary fees for short courses
Recommended reading
Recommended reading is optional and you are not required to purchase these books to study this course.
Library facilities
All weekly class students may become borrowing members of the Rewley House Library, part of the Bodleian Libraries, for the duration of their course. Prospective students whose courses have not yet started are also welcome to use the Library for reference.
- More information about the Library can be found on the Bodleian Libraries website.
- This guide for Weekly Class students also provides further information.
Preparatory reading
- Watkin, David, / A History of Western Architecture
Module code: O26P464ARW
How to enrol
Please use the ‘Book now’ button on this page.
