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Art History Classes NYC

Experience the rich and fascinating world of art history with art history classes in NYC. Explore different artistic periods, learn about influential artists, and gain a deeper understanding and appreciation for art in all its forms.

4 classes in-person in NYC have spots left, and 2 classes live online are available.

Maurizio Pellegrin Lecture Series

New York School of the Arts @ 315 E 62nd St, New York, NY

A series of lectures designed to provide a comprehensive survey across many artistic disciplines. These lectures consider a large and complex field that cover centuries. The scope is to offer a general idea of the major phenomena in Western art. Each lecture is supported by a large amount of visual aids. Enjoy two hours, dream and capture ideas.

Friday Dec 8th, 10:30am–1:30pm Eastern Time

Figure Painting with Acrylic: A Creative Approach

92nd Street Y @ 1395 Lexington Ave, New York, NY

Unlock your creativity and explore the world of figure painting with acrylics at 92nd Street Y. Learn color theory, modern art history, and compositional methods to develop your unique style. Join us for a fun and intuitive approach to figure painting.

Wednesday Jan 3rd, 10am–3:30pm Eastern Time

 (3 sessions)

$475

3 sessions

East Village Studio Night | Andy Warhol

ArtsClub @ 311 E 3rd St, New York, NY

Learn about Warhol’s Factory — his New York City studio and a hip haven for creativity — a place where artists, musicians, actresses, socialites and free thinkers would gather to exchange ideas, collaborate and have a good time! Then, in the spirit of Warhol’s factory style approach, you’ll create silkscreen prints of some of Warhol’s most popular images! Art history lesson and all art materials included!

Saturday Dec 2nd, 5–7pm Eastern Time

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Explore Art Private Group Events

Explore private group events and team building activities ranging from cooking to art, escape rooms, trivia, and more

Explore Art Private Group Events
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Studio Landscape/Cityscape Painting in Water Media

New York School of the Arts @ 315 E 62nd St, New York, NY

Join the online class at the New York School of the Arts to learn how to create stunning landscape and cityscape paintings using water media. Explore composition, painting techniques, color theory, and more as you bring your artwork to life with guidance from an experienced instructor. Open to all levels, this class offers critiques and additional resources to help you improve your skills.

Sunday Jan 28th, 9am–12pm Eastern Time

 (20 sessions)

$430

20 sessions

Creating Compositions for Multiple Figure Paintings

New York School of the Arts @ Online Classroom

Discover the art of creating captivating multiple-figure paintings in this immersive virtual course. Dive into the world of art history, explore narrative storytelling, and learn how to use formal elements of design to convey content and context. Under the guidance of an experienced instructor, unleash your creative potential and bring your own self-authored paintings to life.

Tuesday Apr 2nd, 9:30am–12:30pm Eastern Time

 (9 sessions)

$430

9 sessions

Key Elements of Fine Arts

Art School of SF Bay @ Virtual Classroom

If you are looking to kick-start a new hobby, this course is the best choice. It covers all the fundamentals artists use to draw freely from imagination or real life. Even a complete beginner by the end of this course will be able to paint a portrait and create a composition from scratch. Detailed Schedule Day 1. The Cezanne lesson. Obtaining desired color by mixing. Day 2. The Silhouette lesson. Learning to assess proportions, adjust...

Wednesday Feb 7th, 6:30–8:30pm Pacific Time

 (13 sessions)

$350

13 sessions

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Femmes Fatales of Art History

92nd Street Y @ Online Classroom, New York, NY

Femmes Fatales of Art History: An Examination of the Most Famous Paintings of Women This lecture will take us on an exploration of famous female portraits throughout art history. A thorough analysis of each work will include size, material, year(s) created and an introduction to the artists. We will discuss the significance of the work at the time it was created and how the artwork continues to inspire and be part of popular culture.  Some...

No upcoming schedules

Making Art History

Classeteria @ 284 Suydam St, Brooklyn, NY

This class for adults introduces students to modern art and art history in a fun, hands-on way. Each week, we'll learn about a new modern artist, then reinforce this knowledge by creating our own works in the artist’s style. By emulating Kandinsky’s synesthetic paintings, Calder’s mobiles, and Warhol’s image transfers, students will be taking a deep dive and finding that modern art has more to it than meets the eye. We’ll make lasting...

No upcoming schedules
$350

9 sessions

Art History from 500BCE to present

92nd Street Y @ 1395 Lexington Ave, New York, NY

An introduction to art history which provides the foundations for a deeper understanding of art and how to interpret it for yourself. Gain an understanding of art history, its timeline and impact across diverse cultural centers. We’ll develop the skills to analyze major works of painting, sculpture and architecture from caves to contemporary art. Learn the language to describe, interpret and critique artwork in its formal terms. Meeting 1: Selections...

No upcoming schedules
$225

5 sessions

Live Digital Modern Art History: Focus on Pop Art

Dirty Hands Art Class Studio Experience @ 55 Chrystie St, New York, NY

Starting from the mid-1970s and on - our resident art snob and Dirty Hands creator Gosha Levochkin will talk you through relevant art history to sharpen your post-apocalyptic dinner party banter and leave you with the knowledge to collect art that appreciates and why.

No upcoming schedules

Art and History

The Jewish Museum @ 1109 5th Ave, New York, NY

How can works of art shed light on historical events such as the Vietnam War, the Kent State massacre, and the Holocaust? Join us for a full-day workshop using original art and artifacts as primary sources. Hear from an expert in the field and respond to works of art through writing and art-making. 

No upcoming schedules

Art Appreciation

ArtClassBklyn.com @ 98 Sterling St, Brooklyn, NY

Art appreciation is Art History. Here you will find Slide Presentations in an Informal setting, where we will discuss both Ancient Art History and Modern Art, as well as presentations on Individual Artists.

No upcoming schedules

Let's Talk Art: Big Ideas

92nd Street Y @ 1395 Lexington Ave, New York, NY

An introductory art history course that breaks down some of the big ideas behind major artworks. We’ll blaze our own trail through art history from caves to contemporary art while reexamining its narratives, dispelling myths and gaining insight from the newest scholarship. Learn the language to talk about art in its formal terms. Develop the skills to analyze paintings, sculpture and architecture from important cultural centers. Gain the confidence...

No upcoming schedules
$225

5 sessions

Let's Talk About Art: Art and Music

92nd Street Y @ 1395 Lexington Ave, New York, NY

An introductory course exploring the most important moments when Music and Art come together. It’s Art history through the lense of musical exploration and innovation. Major Artists include Kandinsky, Warhol, and Basquiat amongst others. Objectives Gain an understanding of art history, its timeline, movements and impact across diverse cultural centers Provide the language to describe, analyze and interpret an artwork in formal terms (i.e....

No upcoming schedules
$225

5 sessions

Realism and Spiritualism in Russian Art

Bronxville Adult School @ 177 Pondfield Rd, Bronxville, NY

A comparative experience and exploration of Russian Art, at the crossroads of art, history, politics, and cultural sensibility. Beginning with its medieval past, traveling through centuries of appropriation and innovation, as well as historical, political, and social transformations, we’ll explore one of the most powerful and influential testimonies of the human spirit.

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Discover the Best Art History Classes in NYC

Why You Should Learn Art History in NYC

If you are passionate about art or simply have a cursory interest in learning more about particular artists or periods in the history of art, then NYC is a treasure trove of museums, organizations, and individuals waiting to teach you. There is MoMA, The Whitney Museum of American Art, and the Metropolitan Museum of Art, to name only a few. WIth your newfound knowledge of Pre Raphaelite painters or classical architecture you can impress your friends and coworkers or plug into a new community and converse with other lovers of all things aesthetic. 

Engagement with art and visits to art museums is a terrific way to reduce stress and slow down in our fast-paced world. It could also inspire you to create your own art pieces as gifts for friends and family. Every culture and period of art history is also a world of inspiration just waiting for you. 

Art History, Criticism, and Conversation are growing fields and in recent years interest has grown steadily in practical art forms like paper and book making and fabric arts. Who knows what professional opportunities might arise for side hustles or new positions by the connections you will forge in studying Art History. 

In-Person Art History Classes & Schools in NYC

You can learn about Art History through in-person classes in NYC. When you have an instructor to bounce questions off of and who can guide through the more difficult concepts in Art History, your progress is faster and you retain information better. 

One of the great benefits of in-person classes is that all of the necessary materials are provided for you in a dedicated classroom where you can learn with like minded students. There's no need to worry about cleanup afterward, so you can focus on soaking up information and asking the relevant questions. 

In this class open to all experience levels, you can learn how to paint a completed landscape or cityscape from start to finish. Studio Landscape/Cityscape presented by the storied New York School of the Arts on the Upper East Side of Manhattan, NYC, presents you with the opportunity to learn or refine your own illustration and painting techniques through the lens of traditional as well as contemporary landscape painting. The course consists of four sessions at $240. 

In Learning Art through Creating Art you will work directly from images you have taken on your own phone, translating the photographic image to painting or drawing. Classes are open to all experience levels, aged 16 and up, and classes are capped at 10. The expert instructor Raphael-Raúl will share his years of experience teaching art and art history so that you can continue learning from his notes even after the course has concluded. Students will learn color harmony, ekphrasis, still life, and abstract art techniques. 

Do you want to learn how to pull glass and create forms inspired by the human figure? If the answer is 'yes,' then Pulling the Figure from Glass is a great way to begin your journey into the world of glass. Students will begin by learning about theories of human anatomy and representation, and then move on to shaping and cutting glass rod. The curriculum is made to fit each students' level of experience and interests. This class is a study of the human figure through glass pulling. All materials are provided over five separate sessions. 

Intro to B&W Portraiture and the Darkroom is an introduction to portraiture photography, including its history beginning with Louis Daguerre and Henry Fox Talbot, and traditional black and white photography. Instructor David Vades Joseph will lead students on photographic field trips around the city paired with explorations of how to create a portrait in-class at the Penumbra Foundation in Manhattan, NYC. This class is open to all experience levels and ages 13 to 18. Learn lighting, backdrops, and poses to begin to discover your own photographic style in conversation with the past masters of portraiture.

Making Art History presented by the Classeteria in Brooklyn, NYC, introduces adult students to art history through interactive hands-on activities. By creating your own works of art you will see in-person how art history comes to life. Students will imitate Andy Warhol's image transfers, Alexander Calder's mobiles, and Wassily Kandinsky's synthetic paintings, thus learning about a few of the luminaries of Modern Art History. 

The 92nd Street Y on the Upper East Side of Manhattan in NYC hosts Art History from 500 BCE to Present, an introductory Art History course which will introduce students to the high points of the field. Students will learn skills to analyze major works of art, and learn the relevant terminology to describe aesthetic works in articulately and in detail. This class is open to all experience levels. The famed 92nd Street Y has presented stimulating and daring programming to the public for decades. This is an excellent course for anyone interested in learning more about art or appreciating aesthetics at a deeper level. 

Virtual Art History Classes & Schools

Online Art History classes are perfect for the student who cannot commute to a physical classroom or simply chooses not to do so. Today, you can learn about Art History from anywhere, including your own home or work space. Compared to in-person classes, there is generally a wider variety of virtual classes offered online, and CourseHorse makes finding the right for you quick and easy. 

Sometimes you have to provide your own materials for online classes, but you still will receive guidance and support from a knowledgeable instructor and feedback from your classmates. All you need to take part is a computer or smart device and a reliable internet connection. 

Is there an artist or time period in the history of art about which you would like to know more? Are you searching for inspiration to move into the next phase of your own creative practice? Art History courses are a fantastic way to do these things and more, from networking to simply passing the time. 

Abstract Painting Critique and Discussion is a class held at the 92nd Street Y on the Upper East Side of Manhattan in NYC. In this six-session course, you will learn how to give and receive technical and conceptual notes on the works of your peers. Presentations and discussions on historical artists' works will supplement the works produced by the class. This virtual class is open to students aged 18 and older, and classes are capped at 12 participants. 

In Street Art 101 you will learn about the history of street art as well as some of its regional styles. This will then be put into conversation with your own works of art. Students will learn how to make bubble letters, the basics of tagging, and how to draw characters. A brief introduction of the history of tagging is included as well. This class is open to all levels, and it is presented by the Richmond Art Center, a nonprofit organization based in the Bay Area in Richmond, California.

If you want to know more about art movements, common aesthetic themes, specific artists, and art forms throughout history, Art Seminar: Knowing Art is for you. Presented by the Evanston Art Center, this virtual class is open to students ages 16 and up. Classes are organized around lectures, slides, and in-class discussion. Learn from an expert instructor what the flow of art history means and glean from it the styles and inspirations that will help you in your own creative journey. This is a 12 session course priced at $490. 


Private Group Art History Classes in NYC

If you're looking for a fun and unique team building event for your group or organization then private group Art History classes in NYC is the perfect way to build trust and camaraderie in a new and stimulating environment. 

CourseHorse offers private group Art History classes in NYC, and more courses are being added all the time. Your associates and co-workers will be discussing their favorite artists and works in no time, and you may even discover your own creative spark in the process. 

Learning a new skill set or wading into an unfamiliar field of study can be a daunting prospect, but with the guidance of a knowledgeable instructor, your group can accept the challenge together. CourseHorse will ship any supplies you may need directly to your location, and they support a number of platforms, including Google Meet, Microsoft Teams, Zoom, and WebEx.

Let the games begin! Virtual Trivia: Human History challenges your team or organization to expand their knowledge of human cultures and history in a fun trivia format. Your group will test their knowledge with and against one another, building trust and camaraderie along the way. The class is open for up to 15 people, and you can add additional participants for $10 per person. Games are held over Zoom and last approximately one hour. 

Virtual Cartooning and Doodling Workshop presented by CourseHorse Experiences is a beginner-level cartooning class in which your group or team will learn how to progress from simple stick figures to illustrating detailed faces, all in 90 minutes. A professional instructor will lead your group in a private interactive setting organized around a quick demo and then hands-on doodling. When you book you have access to an event fulfillment team that can answer any questions you may have before, during, or after the event. For an extra $150 you will be connected to an expert who will cater to your group's specific needs. 

If you don't see the perfect class for you, do not worry. CourseHorse can work with you and your team to tailor the perfect course for your needs and goals. Visit the CourseHorse Groups website, click the "Contact Us" button, and fill out the quick and easy form. A CourseHorse representative will respond to you quickly and help you find the course you're looking for. 

Working with CourseHorse is easy because they support the platform that your team utilizes, whether it's Zoom, Microsoft Teams, Google Meet, or WebEx. Booking is a no-fee process, and you will receive a confirmation in 24 hours or less. You can even change your group size after you've booked if necessary.

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