A Study of Colour Through the Ages in the History of Art

Booking will close on Monday 12th January 2026 at 12 noon.

Due to limited resources we are UNABLE TO ACCEPT LATE BOOKINGS after this date.

This course will take place ONLINE on ZOOM.

Thursday mornings 10.00 a.m. - 12.00 p.m for five weeks, 15th January - 12th February 2026.

Week 1

The Book of Kells and other Insular Manuscripts use a variety of pigments across their folios. This seminar looks at the range, how they are made, their origin, how they are used by the artists and what effect colour has on the figural and ornamental decoration. What is the purpose of colour in this manuscript?

Week 2

The twelfth century and its huge changes across the British Isles after the Norman Conquest produced some exquisite manuscript illumination in centres such as Winchester, Canterbury and Bury St Edmunds. This seminar looks at the colour used in the various centres and the different use of colour by the various artists employed.

Week 3

This seminar looks at the use of colour in 14th c Italian painting, notably in Siena and Florence, identifying the use of gold and other expensive pigments, once again thinking about the trade in pigments and the availability of art materials for these artists of these years leading up to the Renaissance in Italy.

Week 4

This seminar examines the 16th century artists of Venice, notably Titian, Tintoretto and Veronese, and their use of colour for compositional and symbolical purposes. Again, the trade in pigments and the increasing number of manufactured pigments is discussed.

Week 5

The final seminar looks in detail at the Barbizon painters evident in the National Gallery in London, Corot, Daubigny, Courbet, Millet and Rousseau, and the use of colour in their landscapes and how the pigments are applied to the canvas. A wonderful selection of paintings are in London and have been meticulously studied.

Tutor: Jo Chapman Campbell

Jo is an art historian, artist and author. She taught for many years at Edinburgh University.

Course Code 09 203

Enquiries should be sent to: lifelonglearningdundee@gmail.com

As a volunteer organisation with limited resources we try to respond to queries as quickly as possible. Please bear with us.