COURSES | Decoding dress: Unlocking the secrets of fashion in painting
Decoding dress: Unlocking the secrets of fashion in painting
Thursdays, 30 April; 7, 14, 21, 28 May; and 4 June 2026
3.30 - 5.30 pm BST
Online
From shimmering silks to sober tailoring, discover how clothing in art shaped identity and signalled power, status and identity.
This six-week course explores how clothing forms a visual language in Western European painting, shaping how people presented themselves and how they were seen. From the steady gaze of Giovanni Moroni’s ‘Tailor’ to the elaborate fashions of later centuries, fashion in art tells us endless tales.
Trace the changing silhouette of fashion over time and learn how to recognise different forms of dress, understanding how garments were layered, constructed and worn. As the course unfolds, we’ll consider how artists used dress to communicate profession, gender, power and aspiration, and how an understanding of fashion can help us date paintings and decode their deeper social meanings. We’ll also reflect on the broader role of cloth and clothing in shaping identity and how these visual codes continue to influence the way we read images today.
Led by Jacqui Ansell, the course is enriched by guest speakers offering specialist perspectives. Fashion historian Amber Butchart shares insights from her BBC Radio 4 series 'A Stitch in Time', while Angus Patterson, Curator of Metalwork at the Victoria and Albert Museum, explores the relationship between armour and fashionable dress. Jewellery designer Andrew Prince, known for his work on Downton Abbey, examines the gems, metals and adornments that glimmer across some of the Gallery’s most celebrated paintings.
Suitable for participants aged 18 or over.
Click here to see the full program
Price for the all the courses: Standard: £90 / Concessions: £85.50
