Take a Closer Look: Online Art Appreciation Courses 2026

Take part in these very special online courses – wherever you are in the world.

These 8-week courses are the perfect way to learn more about art. Discover little-known works from the National Gallery of Ireland's collection, get to know old favourites in more depth, and explore other great collections of the world with our expert art historians and guest speakers. Each course takes place online using ZOOM webinar and includes time for a question and answer session, where you can put your questions and comments to the facilitators.

Can’t make the live sessions? All sessions are recorded and made available to participants for the duration of the course and three weeks afterwards to allow you to catch up, or watch again.

Autumn 2026:

Eternal Images: Exploring Greek Myths in European Art with Dr Sarah Wilson

Tuesdays, 18.00-19.15
6 October to 1 December 
(6, 13, 20 October; 3, 10, 17, 24 November; 1 December – note there is a break on 27 October)

Tickets available here.

• Tickets: €150
• 20% discount for Friends of the Gallery
• 10% discount Over 65’s/unwaged/students

Buying this course as a gift? 

Once you have purchased the ticket, contact [email protected] to confirm the name of the recipient, and we will ensure they are sent all correspondence. If you would like us to send them an e-mail confirming that this was purchased as a gift for them, we can also do this.

About the course: 

For thousands of years, Greek myths have served as a cornerstone of artistic inspiration. First written down in the 8th century B.C., these stories have been retold and reimagined by successive generations; from the epic Baroque cycles of Peter Paul Rubens and Velázquez, to the quiet beauty of Hugh Douglas Hamilton, and the enigmatic Symbolism of Gustave Moreau. Yet through all these transformations, the essential mythological imagery developed in antiquity endured.

This 8-week course will trace those continuities and adaptions. We will begin by establishing the original ancient imagery of each myth, before exploring how later artists reshaped it to reflect their own worldviews. Along the way, we will consider what happens when the gods of war collide, Athena’s strategy vs. Ares’ bloodlust; the temptations and anxieties of being struck by Cupid’s arrow; the dire consequences of offending the gods; and an epic Odyssey. 

Weekly session titles:

Week 1: Gods of War: Athena vs. Ares

Week 2: Cupid: Public Enemy #1

Week 3: The Price of Prophecy: Apollo, Dionysus and Divine Madness

Week 4: Cruel and Unusual Punishments

Week 5: The Trials of Hercules

Week 6: Orpheus: The Artist in the Underworld

Week 7: The Odyssey

Week 8: Cities of Myth
 

About the tutor:

Dr Sarah Wilson is an art historian specialising in Roman antiquity and religious identity. She has an undergraduate degree in Fine Art (DIT) and completed her postgraduate studies in Art History (UCD). She has developed several lecture series for the National Gallery of Ireland that encompass a broad range of topics from Classical influences to Japanese and Aboriginal art.

Buying this course as a gift? Buy a gift voucher for the courses here. Alternatively, once you have purchased the ticket, contact [email protected] to confirm the name of the recipient, and we will ensure they are sent all correspondence. If you would like us to send them an e-mail confirming that this was purchased as a gift for them, we can also do this.

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