Antwerp & Bruges: The Power of Observation
This course and city experience form part of The Story of Art and the Cities that Helped Write It, an ambitious long-form programme exploring art history through the places where it was created, collected, transformed, and preserved. Through a combination of expert-led online learning and immersive city experiences, the programme places great works of art back into their original cultural context—revealing the people, power, ideas, and institutions that shaped them. Each individual course and city experience can be enjoyed on its own, while also contributing to a wider journey across the cities that defined the story of art.
Find our more about The Story of Art and the Cities that Helped Write It programme here
Overview
This three-session online course explores the extraordinary contributions of the art of the Low Countries to the Western canon. From the late Middle Ages to the end of the seventeenth century, we will examine the development of naturalism, the Northern Renaissance, and the innovations of the Flemish Baroque, highlighting how artists of this region influenced European art for centuries.
To bring the course to life, you are invited to a two-day tour of Antwerp and Bruges, two of the Low Countries’ most iconic artistic centres. The tour offers a unique opportunity to see the artworks discussed in the course in their original context:
Antwerp: Explore Rubens’ studio, the Cathedral of Our Lady with masterpieces by Rubens and van Dyck, and the vibrant guild halls and public spaces that shaped Flemish Baroque art.
Bruges: Discover medieval and early Renaissance treasures, including works by Jan van Eyck, Hans Memling, and other early Netherlandish artists, while walking through the canals, guild halls, and historic squares that inspired them.
This combination of online learning and immersive travel allows participants to connect theory with experience, deepening understanding of the artists, their techniques, and the cultural contexts in which they worked.
It is possible to register for the 2 day tour by click here
If you have any questions, let us know.
Duration
3 week online course (One 1 hour session per week via Zoom)
2 day Antwerp and Bruge Tour
Dates
Online Course: 1, 8, 15 March 2028 Wednesdays, 4pm GMT
City Tour: 24 & 25 March 2028 Friday & Saturday, 9:30am-5pm
Fee
Online course (per city module) €380 - 3×1-hour lectures preparing each city (collectors, context, art history framework)
Antwerp & Bruges experience only €1950 (2 days ) Lecturer-led immersive museum + collection-focused city experience
Online + Antwerp & Bruges experience (combined package) €2,320 Full pre-study + guided on-site immersion.
Lecturer’s Biography
Aliki Braine
Aliki Braine (b. 1976, Paris) is an artist and art historian. She studied at The Ruskin School of Fine Art, Oxford, The Slade School and The Courtauld Institute, London where she was awarded a distinction for her theses on 17th century painting. She has been working for The National Gallery for 25 years and teaches for Christie’s Education, The Wallace Collection, The Arts Society and numerous private clients. Aliki is also a practicing artist who taught at Camberwell College of Art and Westminster University and who regularly exhibits her work internationally.
