My new one day course on Iconography and Iconology is now available at the Bishopsgate Institute: 25-08-12

Iconography and Iconology: Secrets of Old Masters Revealed

Bronzino (Allegory of Venus and Cupid, 1540-50) National Gallery

Ever wondered whether there’s a hidden meaning behind paintings, in this course we’ll discover why signs and symbols are in paintings, and reveal how to find and interpret their meanings in paintings from medieval to Baroque and beyond.

This course will give the tools to crack the hidden codes behind paintings in any art gallery and indentify the seemingly mysterious figures in these great works of art. 

This one day intensive course aims to look at the stories, which are often re-told in secular and religious painting mostly Italian Renaissance painting around, 1400-1600.  Most often the stories came from antique literary sources, which had survived through the middle ages and were the preserve of the rich and cultured.

We recognise the stories told by interpreting, signs and symbols, also known as the Iconography and Iconology, as well as recognising ‘types’ in the paining.  Why were these subjects so popular? Were paintings merely illustrations of the text or did they carry some deeper meaning? How did artists such as Botticelli, Pintoricchio, Titian and Tintoretto approach these subjects?  From mythology to religious art, all will be revealed in this course.

Course suitable for all

with Leslie Primo

16 students maximum

£45 /£34 conc. for 1 sessions

Saturday 10.30pm – 5.30pm

25 August 2012

Bishopsgate Institute

artfirstprimo at the NG - afternoon tour: 07-07-12

Welcome back art lovers. For those of you who don't yet know, let me remind you the National Gallery, London offers free lecture tours everyday at the same times of 11:30 and 14:30; leaving from the new part of the building - The Sainsbury Wing, just next to the main shop. National Gallery's Permanent Collection consists of over 2,500 paintings.

I hope that those of you, who were able to attend my free guided tour at the National Gallery today, Saturday 7th July, enjoyed the choice of paintings. But if you missed them or just want a reminded of which pictures we looked at so you can visit them again with a friend. Here is a list of those paintings:

We began with: a painting, by Piero della Francesca (about 1415/20 - 1492), The Baptism of Christ, 1450s, we then looked at Christ Blessing (apparently dated 1465) and Saint Jerome in his Study (about 1475) both by Antonello da Messina (active 1456; died 1479). This was followed by The Four Elements of Air, Earth, Fire and Water, (1570), by Joachim Beuckelaer (active 1560 - 1574). In room 35 we looked at two oil paintings on copper, Saint Paul on Malta (about 1600) and Saint Lawrence prepared for Martyrdom (about 1600-1), both by Adam Elsheimer (1578 - 1610). We then moved on to Bacchus and Ariadne (probably 1700-10), by Sebastiano Ricci (1659 - 1734). Finally we ended in room 43 with The Beach at Trouville (1870) by Claude-Oscar Monet (1840 - 1926).

My next free guided tours of the National Gallery will be on Sunday 29^th July at the usual times of 11:30 and 14:30, I will also be giving (on Sunday 29^th July) a Ten Minute talk in room 45 at 16:00 on The Sunflowers (1888), by Vincent van Gogh (1853 - 1890).

artfirstprimo at the NG - morning tour: 07-07-12

Welcome back art lovers. For those of you who don't yet know, let me remind you the National Gallery, London offers free lecture tours everyday at the same times of 11:30 and 14:30; leaving from the new part of the building - The Sainsbury Wing, just next to the main shop. National Gallery's Permanent Collection consists of over 2,500 paintings.

I hope that those of you, who were able to attend my free guided tour at the National Gallery today, Saturday 7th July, enjoyed the choice of paintings. But if you missed them or just want a reminded of which pictures we looked at so you can visit them again with a friend. Here is a list of those paintings:

We began with: a painting, by Paolo Uccello (about 1397 - 1475), The Battle of San Romano, probably about 1438-40, we then looked at La Madonna della Rondine (The Madonna of the Swallow) (after 1490) by Carlo Crivelli (about 1430/5 - about 1494). This was followed by a look at An Old Woman ('The Ugly Duchess'), (about 1513), by Quinten Massys (1465 - 1530). In room 34 we explored the landscape of The Hay Wain (1821) by John Constable (1776 - 1837). We finally ended with The Execution of Lady Jane Grey (1833), by Paul Delaroche (1797 - 1856) 

My next free guided tours of the National Gallery will be on Sunday 29^th July at the usual times of 11:30 and 14:30, I will also be giving (on Sunday 29^th July) a Ten Minute talk in room 45 at 16:00 on The Sunflowers (1888), by Vincent van Gogh (1853 - 1890).

artfirstprimo at the NG - afternoon tour: 24-06-12

Welcome back art lovers. For those of you who don't yet know, let me remind you the National Gallery, London offers free lecture tours everyday at the same times of 11:30 and 14:30; leaving from the new part of the building - The Sainsbury Wing, just next to the main shop. National Gallery's Permanent Collection consists of over 2,500 paintings.

I hope that those of you, who were able to attend my free guided tour at the National Gallery today, Sunday 24th June, enjoyed the choice of paintings. But if you missed them or just want a reminded of which pictures we looked at so you can visit them again with a friend. Here is a list of those paintings:

We began with: a painting, by Dirk Bouts (1400? - 1475), The Entombment, probably 1450s, we then looked at The Introduction of the Cult of Cybele at Rome (1505-6) by Andrea Mantegna (about 1430/1 - 1506). This was followed by a look at Dutch painting with a River Landscape with Horseman and Peasants, (about 1658-60), by Aelbert Cuyp (1620 - 1691). In room 12 we explored a painting called Bacchus and Ariadne (1520-3) by Titian (Tiziano Vecellio) (active about 1506; died 1576). We finally ended with Bathers at Asnières (1884), by Georges Seurat (1859 - 1891) 

My next guided tours of the National Gallery will be on Saturday 7^th July at the usual times of 11:30 and 14:30, and if you missed my talk on The Toilet of Venus ('The Rokeby Venus') (1647-51), by Diego Velázquez (1599 - 1660) I will be giving it again as a Ten Minute talk in room 30 at 16:00 also on Saturday 7^th July.

artfirstprimo at the NG - morning tour: 24-06-12

Welcome back art lovers. For those of you who don't yet know, let me remind you the National Gallery, London offers free lecture tours everyday at the same times of 11:30 and 14:30; leaving from the new part of the building - The Sainsbury Wing, just next to the main shop. National Gallery's Permanent Collection consists of over 2,500 paintings.

I hope that those of you, who were able to attend my free guided tour at the National Gallery today, Sunday 24th June, enjoyed the choice of paintings. But if you missed them or just want a reminded of which pictures we looked at so you can visit them again with a friend. Here is a list of those paintings:

We began with: looking at a painting from afar, in context to the Sainsbury Wing’s architecture, by Giovanni Battista Cima da Conegliano (about 1459/60 - about 1517/18), The Incredulity of Saint Thomas, about 1502-4, we then looked at the triptych (three panel altarpiece painting) consisting of Christ before Pilate (Front of Panel), The Crucifixion (Central Panel), and Lamentation (Front of Panel) (about 1490-5) by the unknown Master of the Aachen Altarpiece (active late 15th to early 16th century). This was followed by a look at Dutch painting with the works Belshazzar's Feast, (about 1636-8), Self Portrait at the Age of 34 (1640) and Saskia van Uylenburgh in Arcadian Costume (1635), all by Rembrandt Harmenszoon van Rijn (1606 - 1669). In room 29 we explored a painting called Minerva protects Pax from Mars ('Peace and War'), (1629-30) by Peter Paul Rubens (1577 - 1640). We finally ended with The Toilet of Venus ('The Rokeby Venus') (1647-51), by Diego Velázquez (1599 - 1660) 

My next guided tours of the National Gallery will be on Saturday 7^th July at the usual times of 11:30 and 14:30, and if you missed my talk on The Toilet of Venus ('The Rokeby Venus') (1647-51), by Diego Velázquez (1599 - 1660) I will be giving it again as a Ten Minute talk in room 30 at 16:00 also on Saturday 7^th July.

artfirstprimo at the NG - afternoon tour: 04-06-12

Welcome back art lovers. For those of you who don't yet know, let me remind you the National Gallery, London offers free lecture tours everyday at the same times of 11:30 and 14:30; leaving from the new part of the building - The Sainsbury Wing, just next to the main shop. National Gallery's Permanent Collection consists of over 2,500 paintings.

I hope that those of you, who were able to attend my free guided tour at the National Gallery today, Monday 4th June, enjoyed the choice of paintings. But if you missed them or just want a reminded of which pictures we looked at so you can visit them again with a friend. Here is a list of those paintings:

We began with: the lunette paintings by Fra Filippo Lippi (born about 1406; died 1469), The Annunciation and Seven Saints, about 1450-53), also the cassoni paintings by Francesco Pesellino (1422 - 1457), The Story of David and Goliath and The Triumph of David (about 1445-55) we then moved on to Sandro Botticelli (about 1445 - 1510) 'Mystic Nativity', 1500. In the same room we delved into Leonardo da Vinci’s, (1452 - 1519) The Virgin of the Rocks (about 1491/2-9 and 1506-8). Next on the tour was: Peter Paul Rubens (1577 - 1640) A View of Het Steen in the Early Morning (1636). We finally ended with John Constable (1776 - 1837), The Cornfield (1826) 

My next guided tours of the National Gallery will be on Sunday 24^th June at the usual times of 11:30 and 14:30, and I will also be giving the Ten Minute talk on Canaletto’s, ‘The Basin of San Marco on Ascension Day’ in room 38 at 16:00 also on Sunday 24^th June.

artfirstprimo at the NG: the morning tour - 04-06-12

Welcome back art lovers. For those of you who don't yet know, let me remind you the National Gallery, London offers free lecture tours everyday at the same times of 11:30 and 14:30; leaving from the new part of the building - The Sainsbury Wing, just next to the main shop. National Gallery's Permanent Collection consists of over 2,500 paintings.

I hope that those of you, who were able to attend my free guided tour at the National Gallery today, Monday 4th June, enjoyed the choice of paintings. But if you missed them or just want a reminded of which pictures we looked at so you can visit them again with a friend. Here is a list of those paintings:

We began with: the altarpiece and predella by Carlo Crivelli (about 1430/5 - about 1494), La Madonna della Rondine (The Madonna of the Swallow, after 1490), we then moved on to the medieval splendour of Margarito of Arezzo (documented 1262) The Virgin and Child Enthroned, with Narrative Scenes, 1260’s. In room 8 we explored the mannerist aesthetic of Agnolo di Cosimo (called Bronzino) (1503 - 1572) An Allegory with Venus and Cupid (about 1545). Next on the tour was: Pieter Bruegel the Elder (active 1550/1; died 1569) The Adoration of the Kings (1564). We finally ended with two pictures of modernity by Claude-Oscar Monet (1840 - 1926), Bathers at La Grenouillère (1869) and The Beach at Trouville (1870) 

My next guided tours of the National Gallery will be on Sunday 24^th June at the usual times of 11:30 and 14:30, and I will also be giving the Ten Minute talk on Canaletto’s, ‘The Basin of San Marco on Ascension Day’ in room 38 at 16:00 also on Sunday 24^th June.