Foreigners in London, Anthony Van Dyck, Gentleman Painter

Established in 1994, THE COURSE offers exciting and innovative lectures in the History of Art, Literature, Music and Opera.

In “Foreigners in London”, Leslie Primo will discuss why the aristocracy preferred foreign painters to native-born English ones? Why did foreigners come in the first place? What was their motivation and what was the impact of foreigners on English art and art practice? This course will trace foreign artists from the Tudors to the Neo-Classical looking at their origins and how they came to work in England.

ANTHONY VAN DYCK Gentleman painter 

Rubens’ most successful pupil, Anthony van Dyck had the ability to win over England’s most influential courtiers. Coloured by his obsession with Titian, he introduced the Italian style of painting to England. Van Dyck was eventually usurped by Daniel Mytens’ but by comparing the works of both artists, we will see how van Dyck eventually became principle painter to Charles I.