Art and war: battle in art

About this course

The course surveys representations of battle in art from antiquity to the post-modern period, including works such as West’s Death of General Wolfe and Lichtenstein’s Whaam! Participants examine the historical contexts surrounding selected works, including the Napoleonic Wars and the First World War, and consider how style, materials and wider social and cultural factors shape interpretation. Teaching combines lectures, slide presentations, activities and group discussions. Discussion also considers the purposes and effectiveness of war art, including its use as propaganda and its expression of individual, collective and national experience.

What you'll learn

• Analyse stylistic and formal features in works by war artists
• Relate war art to its historical and cultural contexts
• Assess the strengths and limitations of war art as propaganda
• Evaluate how war art expresses individual, collective and national experiences

Is this course right for you?

The course is intended for learners at all levels and does not specify previous art-history experience. Participants should be able to follow straightforward written and spoken instructions, demonstrations, handouts and health and safety information. Teaching includes group discussions and other class activities.

• Suitable for learners approaching the subject at different levels
• Requires following written and verbal guidance in class
• Includes group discussion as well as lecture-based teaching

Before you go

• A notebook may be useful for taking notes.
• Books from any reading list may be purchased if wanted.