Module manager: Dr Will Rea
Email: W.R.Rea@leeds.ac.uk
Taught: Semester 1 (Sep to Jan) View Timetable
Year running 2025/26
This module is not approved as a discovery module
This module will introduce you to the works art, artists, schools, and movements that have constituted the history of British Art in the 20th C between 1905 and 1950. Narrative histories of English Art in the 20th century have tended to imply a succession of movements of varying 'modernity'. This module will look at the different definitions of 'modern' or 'contemporary' art at different historical moments in 20th century England from Camden Town to the 1952 Venice Biennale, as well as studying the underlying critical ideologies. The module will make particular use of the notable collections of Leeds Art Gallery and the University Collections in an attempt to understand museological collecting and display policies. Please note this is an optional module and runs subject to enrolments. If a low number of students choose this module, then the module may not run and you may be asked to choose another module.
This module aims to introduce you to British art, painting and sculpture, of the twentieth century. Week by week you will build a comprehensive knowledge of the major movements in British Art between 1905 and 1950. You will be introduced to historical cultural context and the policy background as it imposes on the making of art in this country during that period. Specific themes of Class, Politics and Gender are addressed as well as developing a good knowledge of the social contexts within which individual artists were working.
On successful completion of the module you will be able to:
1- Distinguish between different stylistic movements in English painting and sculpture which have all qualified for the soubriquet 'Modern'.
2- Analyse the critical ideologies underlying the creation of art works in this period and place these into an historical framework
3- Evaluate the forms of thinking applied by art history to this period, giving you scope to reflect upon this historiography and place it within its own context.
4- Generate a close reading of particular works of art from this period.
Skills Learning Outcomes
On successful completion of the module you will be able to:
5. Prepare an informed argument grounded in relevant primary and secondary source material 
6. Demonstrate visual literacy skills through the identification and select relevant works of art. 
Details of the syllabus will be provided on the Minerva organisation (or equivalent) for the module.
| Delivery type | Number | Length hours | Student hours |
|---|---|---|---|
| Fieldwork | 2 | 2 | 4 |
| Lecture | 8 | 1 | 8 |
| Seminar | 8 | 1 | 8 |
| Private study hours | 180 | ||
| Total Contact hours | 20 | ||
| Total hours (100hr per 10 credits) | 200 | ||
Students will be engaged in class discussion and given an opportunity for personal supervision. Summative feedback occurs at the end of the module but throughout students are exposed to visual material forming the basis for sustained class discussion. Students have the opportunity to arrange individual tutorials.
| Assessment type | Notes | % of formal assessment |
|---|---|---|
| Coursework | Written | 40 |
| Coursework | Written | 60 |
| Total percentage (Assessment Coursework) | 100 | |
Normally resits will be assessed by the same methodology as the first attempt, unless otherwise stated
The reading list is available from the Library website
Last updated: 14/04/2025
Errors, omissions, failed links etc should be notified to the Catalogue Team