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what we do
Who it’s for
beginners & creative industry practitiones
Students, collectors, museum staff
Anyone who wants to “read” images and context with confidence
A clear method for reading images and translating insights into practice. Build visual literacy you can apply to design, photography, branding, and content. No prior art-history background required.
Sharpen attribution and contextual reading. Improve labels, acquisition notes, and curatorial dialogue with a structured approach to style, material, and iconography
Gain a simple framework for narrative, symbolism, color, and material. Navigate museums with clarity and build a durable habit of informed looking.
"Decoding Art"
Art History Course
januar - december 2026
practice of Technique, Color and Semantics
module overview
The Art History course gives a clear framework for reading visual culture. For beginners and creative-industry practitioners, collectors, students, and anyone who wants to read the language of images with confidence. Outcomes: you see links across periods, recognize styles and materials, navigate museum contexts, and apply a basic method of artwork analysis. Format: focused lectures, case studies, close readings of originals and digital reconstructions.
Northern Renaissance and Mannerism. Silvery-cool hues and distorted forms as critique of the world.
Baroque: Contrast of light and darkness and the struggle for the soul. Baroque painters.
Rococo and Neoclassicism: Sugary pastels and the triad of virtue—white, blue, red.
Baroque: Contrast of light and darkness and the struggle for the soul. Baroque painters.
Rococo and Neoclassicism: Sugary pastels and the triad of virtue—white, blue, red.
THE 19th CENTURY, PRE-MODERN & PHOTOGRAPHY
OKTOBER - DECEMBER 2026
Northern Renaissance and Mannerism. Silvery-cool hues and distorted forms as critique of the world.
Baroque: Contrast of light and darkness and the struggle for the soul. Baroque painters.
Rococo and Neoclassicism: Sugary pastels and the triad of virtue—white, blue, red.
Baroque: Contrast of light and darkness and the struggle for the soul. Baroque painters.
Rococo and Neoclassicism: Sugary pastels and the triad of virtue—white, blue, red.
Transition & the Dramaturgy of light
AUGUST - SEPTEMBER 2026
Proto-Renaissance. Earthly perspective and heavenly symbolism. Brunelleschi.
Early Renaissance. The logic of line in creation. Warm and cool tones for spatial depiction. Architecture and numerical proportions.
Foundations and basic schemas of composition. Rules of composition and how to break them. From simple to complex.
Sfumato as psychology; vermilion and the symbolism of power. Leonardo, Raphael, Titian. Sacred geometry.
Early Renaissance. The logic of line in creation. Warm and cool tones for spatial depiction. Architecture and numerical proportions.
Foundations and basic schemas of composition. Rules of composition and how to break them. From simple to complex.
Sfumato as psychology; vermilion and the symbolism of power. Leonardo, Raphael, Titian. Sacred geometry.
Renaissance: vision, Number & the power of color
JUNI - AUGUST 2026
Early Middle Ages: Semiotics of color and the chromatic “echo.” Colored parchments.
Romanesque: The dualism of ochre and red; monumental sculpture. Architecture of the era.
Gothic cathedrals and stained glass. The language of light. Chartres blue contrasted with ruby red. Vault painting. The Gothic fleur-de-lis. Iconography and the attributes of saints.
Crusades and color alchemy. Reading heraldry and the color logic of the coat of arms (tinctures).
Romanesque: The dualism of ochre and red; monumental sculpture. Architecture of the era.
Gothic cathedrals and stained glass. The language of light. Chartres blue contrasted with ruby red. Vault painting. The Gothic fleur-de-lis. Iconography and the attributes of saints.
Crusades and color alchemy. Reading heraldry and the color logic of the coat of arms (tinctures).
the middel age in europe
MARCH - MAI 2026
Introductory course. Semiotics of art. Color as a cultural code; the myth of the “naturalness” of perception.
Art of Antiquity: Egypt, Persia, Babylon, Mesopotamia. Vase painting. Lapis lazuli and ochre.
Ancient Greece and Rome. Cultural continuity. Polychromy of statues and its symbolism; figural ceramics. Tyrian purple. Second-Style frescoes.
Byzantine art. The uncreated golden light; reverse perspective. Icon painting. The mosaicists of Ravenna.t. Color as a cultural code; the myth of the "naturalness" of perception.
Art of Antiquity: Egypt, Persia, Babylon, Mesopotamia. Vase painting. Lapis lazuli and ochre.
Ancient Greece and Rome. Cultural continuity. Polychromy of statues and its symbolism; figural ceramics. Tyrian purple. Second-Style frescoes.
Byzantine art. The uncreated golden light; reverse perspective. Icon painting. The mosaicists of Ravenna.t. Color as a cultural code; the myth of the "naturalness" of perception.
Foundations & Origins
JANUARY - FEBRUARY 2026
• Offline only, small groups.
• Modular flow: lecture → object analysis → discussion.
• Examples from originals and our digital reconstructions.
• Handouts and reading list provided
• Modular flow: lecture → object analysis → discussion.
• Examples from originals and our digital reconstructions.
• Handouts and reading list provided
• Method for reading images: narrative, symbolism, color, material.
• Recognizing styles and schools by key traits.
• Museum navigation and object analysis skills.
• Base for self-study (checklists and reading list)
• Recognizing styles and schools by key traits.
• Museum navigation and object analysis skills.
• Base for self-study (checklists and reading list)
format
outcomes
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what we do
price &
what's included
what's included
CHF 4'400
*monthly option - 10 x CHF 440
for the annual program.
110
30+
50+
core sources
case studies
hours of instruction
Handouts & reading list
PDFs and references
PDFs and references
40 weekly 2h sessions
+ 10 in-class 3h intensives
+ 10 in-class 3h intensives
high-resolution imagery and our digital reconstructions with structured analysis checklists.
No additional material costs; all cases and examples are covered in class.
Offline in Zurich
Group 10-12 persons
English / German
Cancellation and refunds per policy. Certificate of attendance on request.
Offline in Zurich
Group 10-12 persons
English / German
Cancellation and refunds per policy. Certificate of attendance on request.
Policies
Format & languages
FAQ
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GOOD TO KNOW
No. The course is seminar-style with high-resolution imagery and discussion, which works best in person. If a session must be moved, we reschedule within Zurich rather than stream.
No. The course starts from first principles and builds a practical method step by step. Curated pre-reading is offered for those who want a head start.
EN/DE by cohort. The primary language is set when a cohort opens; slides and handouts are bilingual where useful. Indicate your preference at registration.
No. To protect image rights and keep discussion candid, sessions are not recorded. Handouts and reading lists are provided for review.
Yes, on request. The certificate lists your name, cohort, and total hours; it is informational and not a formal academic credential. Processing time is up to two weeks after the final session.
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