European cultures of collecting, 1400-1800

Learning outcomes:

1. Familiarity with collecting practices in the late Gothic, Renaissance, Baroque and Enlightenment periods.
2. Knowledge of the role of patrons, both religious and secular, in the development of collecting practices in Europe.
3. Awareness of how to research and and preserve historic collections.

Session titles:

1. Late Gothic traditions of collecting
Today we will focus upon a range of religious and secular collections intended for public and private devotional contexts. Decorative metalwork and manuscript illuminations will be discussed as we consider perceptions of value in the later Middle Ages and beyond.

2. Renaissance learning 
In today's session we will examine the changes in collecting practice that are associated with the spread of Renaissance learning across Europe. In particular, we will focus upon the desire to create 'cabinets of curiosities', and explore the impact of the printing press upon the priorities of private collectors. 

3. Baroque opulence
The art chamber (Kunstkammer) and the treasure chamber (Schatzkammer) are at the core of today's session. We will assess how private collectors in the Baroque period modified long-standing collecting practices to curate lavish collections of fine art and art objects.

4. A European Enlightenment

In today's session we will investigate how classical learning and pan-European artistic tastes shaped the development of new collections. We will discuss how fresh interest in Ancient Greek and Roman culture brought about a fashion for commissioning casts of classical sculptures, and establish how the collecting practices of a Polish king resulted in the establishment of the Dulwich Picture Gallery.

5. Preserving historic collections
In the final session of this course, we will reflect upon what we have learnt about European collections in 1400-1800 by thinking about how art and artefacts can be preserved for the future. We will discuss the difference between preventive conservation and restoration, and consider the importance of restitution as a means of maintaining the integrity of historic collections.

All course content will be delivered online via the Virtual Learning Environment (VLE). You will be taught largely through a series of pre-recorded talks (which may be audio and/or video), designed to help you address different aspects of the main topic. You will normally have access to a range of useful resources and suggested activities.

There will also be an element of interactive work, and the opportunity for you to engage in written form with other course participants and discuss questions set by the Course Director via the Course Forum. The Course Director will generally respond to a selection of key questions and comments on a daily basis.

Some courses may also have elements of optional live discussions via Zoom.

There are no pre-requisites for courses, unless specified, and all are open to adult learners over 18 years old. Courses are taught at approximately first-year undergraduate level.

Content will be made available on each day of the course, Monday to Friday, from 8.00am BST. Course content will normally amount to c 1.5hrs per day across the 5 days, comprising of material delivered by the Course Director and activities/reading set, which would include discussions via the course forum. You may also need to complete reading or other preparation suggested in advance of the course.

We therefore suggest that you set aside approximately 1.5 hours of study per day to complete each day’s content and activities. However, this does not need to be done in one sitting, and you have the flexibility to access content when and where you want, and to go back and review it as often as you wish. Each course runs for one week and content will remain available to access on the VLE for 2 weeks after the course has finished.

A Certificate of Participation for the course(s) will be sent electronically, upon request via email, after the end of the Summer Festival. Details will be provided on the VLE.