NEW The Materiality of Modern and Contemporary Painting in Five Chapters
Online
Evening Study Online
Dr Pia Gottschaller
5 pre-recorded lectures with 5 live Zoom seminars at 18:00 [London time], over 5 weeks from Thursday 23 April to Thursday 21 May 2026
£245
Course Description
Painting may be one of humanity’s oldest creative practices, but it has never stopped evolving. From the bold material experiments of the early 20th century to the cutting-edge tools artists use today, painting remains a powerful way to respond to contemporary life and to express the deepest human emotions.
In this course, we will explore how artists reinvented painting by embracing new processes to visualise new concepts. Through close looking and lively discussion of practical and theoretical aspects, we will engage with five key themes—material, tool, subject, skill, and intent— to understand not just what we see in a painting, but how and why it was made. Together, we will tackle big questions at the heart of artmaking: What makes a painting truly compelling? How important are technical and manual skills today? How can we uncover an artist’s intent? And who decides which paintings matter and get conserved?
How to Book
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Please note that in 2025 new VAT rules for online courses came into effect in the EU. This meant that we are now required to charge EU participants their local VAT rate. VAT-inclusive prices for EU students will be displayed at check-out.
If you have any questions please email us at short.courses@courtauld.ac.uk
Lecturer's Biography
Dr Pia Gottschaller is a Reader in Technical Art History at the Courtauld Institute, where her transdisciplinary research and writing focusses on global postwar and contemporary art practice. Prior to joining the Courtauld, she held a variety of positions at institutions including The Getty in Los Angeles, Tate in London, the Pinakothek der Moderne in Munich, the Whitney Museum of American Art in New York, The Menil Collection in Houston, and Villa Massimo in Rome. Recent publications include the forthcoming book Unruly Tools. Contemporary Artists and the Reinvention of Painting (2026) as well as essays examining how migration and disability shape artistic practice.