This course provides a comprehensive understanding of the development of furniture, ceramics, glass, metalwork and patterns from c.1685 to the present day.

The decorative arts are studied in relation to architecture and interiors and in their wider social and historical context. Topics include the art of the Court of Louis XIV, the development of porcelain at Meissen and Sèvres, the influence of trade with the East, and the renewed interest in antiquity at the end of the eighteenth century.

The rise of industrial manufacturing techniques and the reaction against this by William Morris and the Arts and Crafts Movement are also examined. In the twentieth century, the Art Deco style is studied alongside Modernism and the course concludes with an exploration of the plurality of approaches unleashed by Pop and Post Modernism.

Lectures are reinforced by visits to museums, country houses, dealers and previews of relevant Sotheby’s sales. A study tour to Paris is normally offered. The course equips students with knowledge and skills appropriate to a wide range of careers in the art and interior design worlds or for further study on one of our MA programmes.

19 January - 8 May, 2009

£6,900

For details on how to apply, please visit admissions page

Jane Gardiner
Raymond Notley

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