Most people find that literature and movies provide a more accessible and more fulfilling esthetic experience than a trip to an art museum. Museums are thought of as places we go to become cultured, not to be moved.

However, the visual arts do have the power to be one of the most engaging and most affecting sources of esthetic fulfillment. How? The key is knowing what to do when in front of an artwork. This course teaches you what to do. It teaches you principles and techniques, at once simple and unobvious, that lead you to fully experience paintings and sculptures as you would your favorite movies and novels.

By the end of this course, you will have no doubt as to the enormous value the visual arts can provide, and you will have the tools to unlock the potency of any artwork you encounter.