CITYLIT ART HISTORY COURSES

Academic Year September 2025 - July 2026

FOR GENERAL LECTURES AND COURSES CLICK HERE

SPRING AND SUMMER TERMS 2026

Having covered the arts of the Medieval Islamic World and Ancient and Medieval West Africa in the Autumn Term,  we begin a new term in January 2026 with two in-person courses covering the Early Modern period.

 Arts of the Empire Builders: Timurids, Safavids, and Mughals  starts on the 14th January 2026,

with an additional short course  Arts of the Golden Age of the Ottoman Empire  starting on the 26th of February.

In addition I shall be running a study day on The Arts of the Book in the Islamic World, and another visit to the Islamic Galleries in the British Museum.

Scroll down for the full line-up and details.

Arts of the Empire Builders:

Timurids, Safavids, and Mughals

In-Person course at the CityLit, 12 sessions:

14th January - 1st April 2026,

Wednesdays 1.30 pm. - 3.30 pm.

Full Fee: £309.00, Seniors £247.00,

Concessions: £201.0

Click on the button below to find out more

and register at the CityLit website

The Timurids, Mughals and Safavids are three inter-related dynasties that dominated the political world and the development of the arts in Iran, Central Asia and South Asia during the Early Modern Period. 

In this definitive course, we shall cover the distictive eclectic styles in the arts, crafts and architecture that developed under the princely patrons of each of these Empires.

We will look at the vision of key patrons, the formation of imperial workshops at important centres of the arts, and the cultural and diplomatic interactions between the three empires that influenced their artistic vision.

Generous study recources provided.

More Courses in the Spring Term

Click on the picture-links below to be taken to the CityLit website

to find out more and register.

List Schedule of upcoming courses for 2026

SPRING TERM

Arts of the Empire Builders: Timurids, Safavids, and Mughals, 12 sessions in class at CityLit, Wednesdays 14^th January – 1^st April 2026, 13.30 – 15.30. Full fee: £309.00, Seniors: £247.00, Concessions: £201.00

Islamic Art at the British Museum, One session at the British Museum, 8^th February 2026, Sunday 11.00 – 13.30. Full Fee: £29, Seniors £23.00, Concessions £19.00

Arts of the Golden Age of the Ottoman Empire, 5 sessions online on Zoom, Thursdays 26^th February – 26^th March 2026, 14.00 – 16.00. Full fee: £149.00, Seniors £119.00, Concessions: £97.00

Study Day: The Arts of the Book in the Islamic World, full day with 2 sessions in class at CityLit, Sunday 29^th March 2026, 10.30 – 16.30. Full fee £69.00, Seniors £55, Concessions £45

SUMMER TERM

Islamic Art in 25 Objects, 5 sessions at various London venues, Wednesdays 22^nd April – 20^th May, 13.30 – 15.30. Full fee: £179.00, Seniors £143.00, Concessions: £116.00

Ways into Islamic Art, 5 Sessions online on Zoom, Tuesdays 2^nd June – 30^th June, 14.00 – 16.00. Full fee: £149.00, Seniors £119.00, Concessions: £97.00

Art Exchanges: Between Europe and the East, 5 sessions in class at CityLit, Wednesdays 3^rd June – 1^st July 2026, 13.30 – 15.30. £149.00, Seniors £119.00, Concessions: £97.00