Understanding Art

Art History, Painting and Artistic Thought Classes

In-person and online art history classes in Madrid to learn to understand painting, its symbols and its historical context.

In person and online

Attend classes at Academia El Taller del Aire or follow them live from home. You will have 3 months to watch them again in your private area on our website.

Thursdays

Weekly sessions from 7:30 pm to 8:45 pm throughout the course.

€90 / month

Same price for in-person and online formats.

Trial class

Request a free trial class before enrolling.

Do You Know How to Contemplate a Work of Art?

Looking does not always mean understanding. The course starts from this idea to help students observe more attentively and recognise the symbols, relationships and forms of representation present in the history of painting.

Understanding Art to Enjoy It More

The aim is to turn visits to museums and exhibitions into a more understandable and enriching experience, allowing students to enjoy works of art with greater depth and judgement.

In-Person and Online Art History Course
Every great painting requires time, attention and a way of looking.

In-Person and Online Art History Course

Every Thursday, Alberto Donaire leads a class focused on the interpretation of works of art, the history of painting and image analysis, helping students understand what they observe in greater depth.

Weekly Art History Classes

Sessions take place from 7:30 pm to 8:45 pm and offer a regular space for observation, analysis and dialogue around painting, symbolism and artistic tradition.

Flexible In-Person and Online Training

The course can be followed either in person or online, while preserving the close and participatory nature of the classes.

Perception of Painting and Artwork Analysis

Each session starts from a specific work or a visual problem related to composition, light, symbolism or representation, helping to train visual perception and analytical ability.

Art History Explained Clearly

The classes present art history in an accessible and structured way, connecting artists, works and contexts to make them easier to understand.

Better Understanding the Experience of Art

The course is not limited to the study of styles or artists. It also explores the relationship between the viewer and the work, helping students develop a deeper and more conscious experience of painting.

A Deeper Way to Approach Art

These classes are aimed both at people with no previous training and at those who already know art history but are looking for a more conscious and meaningful relationship with painting and images.

Everyone Can Learn to Understand a Work of Art

These classes start from the idea that anyone can develop a closer relationship with painting and art history through observation and reflection.

A Serious Introduction to Art History

Far from a superficial approach, the course offers a clear and reflective introduction to painting, symbols and the great artistic traditions.

Art as a Transformative Experience
Contemplating a painting can transform the way we look at reality.

Art as a Transformative Experience

One of the distinctive features of the course is understanding painting and works of art not only as cultural objects, but as experiences capable of transforming perception and developing a more conscious relationship with reality.

The Intensity of the Artistic Experience

The classes explore art’s capacity to expand attention, perception and awareness of reality through the contemplation of painting and images.

A Deeper Relationship with the Work

When the contemplation of a painting takes place with time, attention and understanding, the artistic experience can become a more conscious way of perceiving and relating to reality.

Visits and Outings to the Works Studied
Understanding a work also means encountering it.

From the Study of the Work to Direct Experience

In addition to the weekly classes, the course may include visits to museums, churches and spaces connected to the works studied, allowing students to relate the analysis carried out in class to the direct experience of painting, architecture and images.

From the Classroom to the Experience of the Work

These visits show how a student’s way of looking changes when they learn to observe works of art in their real context with greater attention, understanding and awareness.

A Shared Cultural Experience

The visits form part of the training and turn the course into a collective experience of observation, dialogue and direct contact with artistic heritage.

Courses and Topics Developed at El Taller del Aire

The course archive shows the continuity of the programme and the variety of artists, works and visual questions explored over the years.

Great Works, Artists and Fundamental Questions of Art

Previous courses have covered topics related to the Prado Museum, Velázquez, Goya, Monet, Dalí, Las Meninas, and the perception and meaning of images in art history.

An Archive for Continuing to Explore Art

This journey brings together classes, analyses and lectures that allow students to continue exploring painting and works of art through observation, interpretation and aesthetic experience.

Schedule, Price and Enrolment

Classes on Thursdays from 7:30 pm to 8:45 pm, in person and online, priced at €90 per month, with the option to request a free trial class.

Clases de pintura y dibujo en Madrid - El Taller del Aire
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