Art and the City: Antiquity to Renaissance (Online)

The history of western civilization is interwoven with the growth of its cities, and in antiquity as today urban communities thrived on stories and images which described their origins and defined their identities.  As cities developed, the arts increasingly came to symbolize their wealth and power, while painters, sculptors and architects shaped the urban environment.  Expert lecturers trace the rise of the city in history and myth, with case studies on Babylon, Petra, Islamic cities of Spain, Italian city states and the rise of Venice.   

To support your learning, lecture recordings and study materials, lecture notes, copies of the presentations, and additional study materials will be made available in our secure Microsoft Teams environment for 10 weeks after the course ends, so you'll never miss a thing. While you're there, you can join the conversation: share your perspective with your fellow students, and support each other in your further enquiries outside of class time.

If you would prefer to join this course in-person at V&A South Kensington, you have two options: attend the lectures live, or upgrade your experience with five complementary gallery talks.