Every Picture Tells a Tale: A Cultural History of Victorian Painting and Design



Overview

Victorian painting and design reflected the extraordinary innovation and dynamism which characterised the age, but also its anxieties, as many accepted verities of the past – in art as in national life – were challenged and abandoned.

Our studies will begin with an overview of the social, cultural and theoretical trends which influenced artistic production from the 1830s to the end of the century. The Royal Academy, in its self-appointed role as arbiter of artistic merit, was in the early years regularly shocked by what it saw as a decline in taste among artists and the public they served. Through the mid-century, a new generation of painters and designers were inspired by the aesthetic theories of John Ruskin and designs of William Morris. The final decades of the century witnessed further radical departures through followers of the aesthetic movement.

In later sessions we will explore representative examples of painting through different aspects of Victorian experience: urban and rural society, childhood, and religion and science. Finally, we will consider how Victorian artists were influenced by international connections; most notably with France, Italy and Japan.

There will be regular opportunities to visit works around the University.

This course is part of the Oxford University Summer School for Adults (OUSSA) programme.

Programme details

Seminars

Participants are taught in small seminar groups of up to 10 students, and receive two one-on-one tutorials with their tutor. 

Sunday

Seminar 1: Introduction: An overview of the changing social and cultural contexts of Victorian painting and design through the period.

Seminar 2: Early years: the academic paradigm and the slow decline of the ‘grand’ style, carried into the mid-century by artists such as J.M.W. Turner and William Etty. Concurrently, scenes of everyday life attracted widespread public interest.

Monday

Seminar 3: Mid-century departures I: John Ruskin’s aesthetic and social commentaries attracted enormous public interest, shaping the aspirations of many artists and designers for decades. Special focus will be on his Modern Painters vols. I and II and The Nature of Gothic.

Seminar 4: Visit to the University Museum.

Tuesday

Seminar 5: Mid-century departures II: The Pre-Raphaelite painters attracted equal amounts of admiration and opprobrium in their early years; their iconoclastic departures from academic norms inspiring a generation of artists who were still active to the end of the century. Main foci will be the works of Dante Gabriel Rossetti, William Holman Hunt, and John Everett Millais.

Seminar 6: Visit to the Ashmolean Museum Pre-Raphaelite Gallery and the Old Library, Oxford Union.

Wednesday

Seminar 7: Mid-century departures III: William Morris and the arts and crafts movement popularised Ruskinian notions of the regenerative value to society of the applied arts in the age of mass production.  Concurrently, the rise of surplus income among the middle classes provided artists with an expanding market.

Seminar 8: Visits to Exeter College Chapel and Christ Church Cathedral to view works by Edward Coley Burne-Jones.

Thursday

Seminar 9: From the 1860s the aesthetic movement promoted the principle of ‘art for art’s sake’, abandoning the moralising and didactic themes of the past. We will give special attention to the later works of Dante Gabriel Rossetti, and of James McNeil Whistler and George Frederic Watts.

Seminar 10: Themes in Victorian painting and design I: Town and country; social justice; childhood; religion and science.

Friday

Seminar 11: Themes in Victorian painting and design II: Victorian artists did not develop in isolation from the wider world. In our final sessions we will explore the international influences informing Victorian art.

Seminar 12: Return to the Ashmolean Museum nineteenth century collections to explore international artistic cross-fertilisation.

Programme timetable

The daily timetable will normally be as follows:

Saturday

14.00–16.30 - Registration

16.30–17.00 - Orientation meeting

17.00–17.30 - Classroom orientation for tutor and students

17.30–18.00 - Drinks reception

18.00–20.00 - Welcome dinner

Sunday – Friday

09.00–10.30 - Seminar

10.30–11.00 - Tea/coffee break

11.00–12.30 - Seminar

12.30–13.30 - Lunch

13.30–18.00 - Afternoons are free for tutorials, individual study, course-related field trips or exploring the many places of interest in and around Oxford.

18.00–19.00 - Dinner (there is a formal gala dinner every Friday to close each week of the programme).

A range of optional social events will be offered throughout the summer school. These are likely to include: a quiz night, visit to historic pubs in Oxford, visit to Christ Church for Evensong and after-dinner talks and discussions.

Fees

Description Costs
Fee Option 1 (Single en suite - inc. Tuition and Meals) £2070.00
Fee Option 2 (Double en suite - inc. Tuition and Meals) 1 person £2120.00
Fee Option 3 (Twin en suite - inc. Tuition and Meals) per person £1700.00
Fee Option 4 (No Accommodation - inc. Tuition, Lunch & Dinner) £1270.00

Funding

Concessionary rates are available on a non-residential basis for those that qualify, more information can be found here.

Unfortunately we do not offer any specific scholarships or funding opportunities for OUSSA programme, but you can visit our departmental funding webpage, where you may be able to find a particular source of funding that matches your requirements alongside meeting the funding criteria.

Payment

All fees are charged on a per week, per person basis.

Please be aware that all payments made via non-UK credit/debit cards and bank accounts are subject to the exchange rate on the day they are processed.

Tuition and meals are included in the programme fee, with both residential and non-residential options available.

Course change administration fee: Please note that course transfers may be permitted in exceptional circumstances; however, in accordance with our Terms and Conditions, an administration fee of £50 will be charged.

Payment terms

  • If enrolling online: full payment by credit/debit card at the time of booking
  • If submitting an application form: full payment online by credit/debit card or via bank transfer within 30 days of invoice date

Cancellations and Refunds

1. Cancellation by you

Participants who wish to cancel must inform the Programme Administrator in writing: by email to oussa@conted.ox.ac.uk or by post to OUSSA, OUDCE, 1 Wellington Square, OXFORD, OX1 2JA, UK.

The following cancellation and refund policy applies in all cases:

  • Cancellation within 14 days of online enrolment / payment of fees – full refund of all fees paid.
  • Cancellations received up to and including 30 April 2025 – OUDCE will retain an administration fee of £100 per week booked; all other fees paid will be refunded.
  • Cancellations received between 1-31 May 2025 – OUDCE will retain 60% of the fees paid; the remaining 40% of fees paid will be refunded.
  • Cancellations received on and after 1 June 2025 - no refunds will be made.

2. Cancellation by us

Where there is good reason, OUDCE reserves the right to cancel a course by giving you notice in writing at any time before the course is due to start. In these cases, we will endeavour to offer a transfer to another available course if practical and acceptable to you, subject to payment or refund of any difference in the course fees. Alternatively, we will refund the course fees that you have already paid. If we cancel a course, our liability is limited to the fees that we have received from you; this means that we will not compensate you for any pre-booked travel costs or any other expenses incurred. The status of this course will be reviewed on 1 May 2025. If it is likely that the course may be cancelled, anyone affected will be notified by email within 7 days; if you have not heard from OUDCE by 8 May 2025, you should assume that your course will be running. You may wish to delay finalising your travel arrangements until after this date.

OUDCE reserves the right to cancel a course at short notice in exceptional circumstances that would prevent the course from being delivered e.g. tutor illness. In these rare instances, we will notify you as soon as possible and arrange a transfer to another available Oxford Experience course. If we cancel a course, our liability is limited to the fees that we have received from you; this means that we will not compensate you for any pre-booked travel costs or any other expenses incurred.

Where course fees have been paid in currencies other than pounds sterling, refunds will be subject to the exchange rate on the day they are processed.

3. Travel insurance 

The Department cannot be held responsible for any costs you may incur in relation to travel or accommodation bookings as a result of a course cancellation, or if you are unable to attend the course for any other reason. You are advised to check cancellation policies carefully and to purchase travel insurance.

Tutor

Dr Kees Windland

Tutor

Kees Windland is a graduate of St Cross College, University of Oxford whose research and teaching interests range from Victorian studies to modern British political culture and society. He has taught a wide range of courses for Oxford’s Department for Continuing Education since 2002 while also working as a teacher of diploma studies in global history and as an educational consultant in eastern Europe and south Asia.  As a lifelong learner, he is passionate about the transformative powers of adult higher education on both students and society as a whole.

Course aims

This course aims to:

  • Acquaint students with a range of features representative of trends in Victorian British painting and design.
  • Introduce the main theoretical developments which drove thematic and stylistic change though the period.
  • Provide an overview of how social and cultural trends informed the conception, production and reception of the work of painters and designers.
  • Explore the opportunities afforded by painting and design as historical resources.

Teaching methods

The teaching methods used during this course may include:

  • Short lectures/presentations
  • Physical handouts
  • Seminars/group discussions
  • Student presentations
  • Video recordings

Learning outcomes

By the end of this course,you will be expected to understand:

  • A range of social and economic conditions which shaped the conception, production, and consumption of Victorian painting and design.
  • The theoretical and cultural influences driving change in painting and design styles through the century.
  • The potential of Victorian painting and design as historical documents.

Assessment methods

Participants are required to undertake preparatory reading and complete a pre-course assignment of 1,500 words. Although this does not count towards credit, it is seen as an important way of developing your ideas and is mandatory. The pre-course assignment is typically due in the first week of June.

You will be assessed during the summer school by either a 1,000 word written assignment or a presentation supported by individual documentation. To successfully gain credit (10 CATS points) students should attend all classes and complete the on-course assignment. Participants will attend two one-on-one tutorials with their tutor during the week.

OUSSA is an accredited summer school taught at undergraduate level; each one-week course carries 10 CATS (Credit Accumulation and Transfer Scheme) points at FHEQ (Framework for Higher Education Qualification) Level 4. Learn more about CATS points.

Certificate of Higher Education

Credit earned from OUSSA can be transferred towards our flexible Certificate of Higher Education.

Study when and where it suits you by gaining credit from short courses, including short online courses, weekly classes and OUSSA, and build your way to an Oxford University award. This part-time undergraduate programme lasts between two and four years depending on how intensively you want to study.  

Find out more about the Certificate of Higher Education.

Application

Most courses fill quickly so early registration is strongly recommended. If your preferred course is fully booked, you may wish to add yourself to the waiting list and the Programme Administrator will contact you should a place become available.

Please note, the programme is only open to those over the age of 18.

Single accommodation, double room for 1 person and non-residential places may be booked online by clicking on the “Book now” button in the “Course details” box at the top right-hand side of the course page.

Those requiring twin, double or accessible accommodation should complete an enrolment form as these rooms cannot be booked online. Please send the completed enrolment form to the email address below. Both the PDF and Word option of the form below are editable, so you can complete them online before saving and sending to us as an email attachment. You do not need to print and scan them. (Please use these forms only if you are making a twin or double booking for two people.)

Online enrolments require payment in full at the time of registering.

Those who do not wish to register online or who have specific requirements (eg an accessible bedroom) should contact the Programme Administrator directly at oussa@conted.ox.ac.uk or OUSSA, OUDCE, 1 Wellington Square, Oxford, OX1 2JA, UK.

Accommodation

More information about our accommodation can be found here.

Terms & conditions for applicants and students

Information on financial support