The Georgians: Art and Architecture

Discover Georgian art and architecture. From luxurious country houses and gardens, to the Grand Tour, to Hanoverian London – with the founding of the Royal Academy, the blossoming of art collecting, and flourishing English resorts.

Explore Britain’s transformation during the Georgian period, a time of rapid global expansion and cultural innovation. As many travelled to Italy and France, bringing back classical sculpture and Old Master artworks, British country houses were being rebuilt in the classical style. We’ll examine both the architecture and the contents of these houses – tapestries, gilded and mahogany furniture, rich textiles and silver – as well as their gardens, with formal parterres and apparently ‘natural’ landscapes. We’ll also learn about London’s burgeoning art scene, with the founding of the Royal Academy and the rise of British painting – plus the changes seen outside the capital, with new social centres and fashionable resort towns appearing.

This course runs online every Monday for 5 weeks. Not able to join live? You can also enjoy all of the course content on catch up at a time to suit you - plus you'll get an extra 5 weeks to catch up once the course ends.
 
For more details on how our courses work, see V&A Academy online questions · V&A.

This course is suitable for participants aged 18 and over.