Looking at Paintings: Stories, Lives and Landscapes at the Scottish National Gallery

Based at the Scottish National Gallery and led by two experienced art educators, you will, over three sessions, explore a curated selection of paintings through three broad themes:

Stories, Myths and Legends; Scenes from Everyday Life; and The Great outdoors.

These themes will act as a starting point for guided discussion and close looking, helping you to develop a deeper understanding of the artworks on display in the Scottish Galleries and the Main Galleries. Your teacher will provide historical and cultural context to each painting and encourage you to share your own interpretations and responses.

This course takes place in the Scottish National Gallery, learners should meet at the information desk in the gallery. Learners will be required to move between exhibits. The venue is fully wheelchair accessible are there will be portable seats available for learners who would like access to seating as they move around.

Any recommended reading will be advised by the course teacher once the course is confirmed to run. You will require access to a computer or other device with internet connection.

If you have fully engaged with all the learning activities and have attended regularly, by the end of the course you should be able to:

• Appreciate the creative achievements of various outstanding artists from the last 600 years
• Understand the historical and cultural contexts of the works of art in question
• Discuss the formal qualities of paintings from the European tradition using appropriate terminology. 

This course is for anyone interested in art history. No prior experience is required.

We welcome all and are committed to fostering a positive culture and sense of community among learners and staff. We expect learners to treat others with dignity and respect. Learners must be aged 16+.

If you have a disability, learning difficulty, health condition, or personal circumstances which may affect your learning, please let us know so that we can make appropriate adjustments in accordance with the Equality Act 2010.

Wherever possible, we mainstream adjustments in line with the University’s Accessible and Inclusive Learning Policy.

Learners will have limited access to the University’s student support services who will signpost appropriate local sources of support. 

There are no specific entry requirements for this course. This course is for anyone interested in art history.

You will need to have reading, listening and communication skills, including the ability to understand detailed ideas and information presented verbally and in writing. You must be comfortable learning in English if it is not your first language. You will need basic digital skills, such as using a computer and navigating a website, to access the learning materials.

Booking is available until 23:59 the day before the course is due to start, unless the course is full or cancelled.