Art Historian Dr Matthew Whyte offers a new lecture series, which takes the audience on an art-filled journey through the often beautiful, sometimes scandalous, and always fascinating moments in the development of Western civilisation. See series info »

1. The Ideal Body in Ancient Greece & Rome

We begin with Greece, exploring how the writings of Homer, Plato, and Aristotle produced a fascination with the concept of the ideal human. Though remote in time, the Ancient Greeks shared with contemporary culture the preoccupation with what it means to be beautiful. Moving on to Ancient Rome, we explore how a state founded on the liberal values of Republican democracy suddenly found itself in the grips of individuals who used art to make themselves into gods – the Caesars of Imperial Rome. This week, we explore the human form, discussing how it can equally represent beauty, liberalism, power, and corruption.

1. Tues 17 Sept
The Ideal Body in Ancient Greece & Rome

2. Tues 24 Sept
Christian Triumph in Late Antiquity

3. Tues 1 Oct
Medieval Europe: A ‘Dark’ Age?

4. Tues 8 Oct
The Early Renaissance: A New Art

5. Tues 15 Oct
Real or Vision? The Northern Renaissance

6. Tues 22 Oct
The High Renaissance & the ‘Genius Artist’