Detail from Van Eyck, 'Arnolfini Portrait’, 1434

Part of our series of courses, Luxury and leisure: Philosophical approaches to art history.

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We begin by investigating the politics of luxury, tracking its depiction as a symbol of authority, on the one hand, and a source of decadence, on the other. We will look at works by Cranach, Van Eyck, Tiepolo, and Thomas Cole among others, as they map the shifting boundaries of luxury and what our attitude towards it should be. We will also discuss contemporary ideas of ‘luxury’ in the arts and the line between art and luxury crafts, such as tailoring and fashion. We will be joined by the artist and designer Alice Shirley to discuss contemporary ideas of ‘luxury’ in the arts and the line between art and luxury crafts, drawing on her work with Hermès.

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