The Wallace Collection holds fascinating objects relating to Catherine the Great’s reign. Trace the story of her remarkable life, from her early years as a run-of-the-mill Prussian princess to her phenomenal rise to Empress of All the Russias, holding the throne for no fewer than 34 years. We’ll examine Catherine’s ascent within a political context, underpinned by her imperial ambitions.

We’ll also consider the effects of the rigidly stratified society during her lifetime, in which the luxurious existence of Russia’s noble elite starkly contrasted with the challenging and often-precarious circumstances of around nine million serfs. Artistic production will feature throughout, helping us to see how Catherine positioned herself as a paragon of the Enlightenment through her determined, and at times, voracious patronage of the visual arts.

Led by art historian and specialist in the visual arts of the former Russian Empire, Professor Rosalind Polly Blakesley.

Read the full course description here.

Joining Information and Format: This course will be taught through Zoom Webinar. Each course session duration is 120 minutes, including a five-minute break and Q&A session with the tutor.

Tickets are for all dates of this course. Ticketholders will be emailed the Zoom link, Webinar ID and Passcode 24 hours in advance of the first course session, which should be retained for accessing both sessions.

Course Recording: This course will be recorded. Within 48 hours of each course session, ticket holders will be emailed a link to view the recording, which will be available for two weeks.