This course examines how the Regency era was depicted through the visual arts, exploring the intersection of class, politics, fashion, and daily life. From grand portraiture to satirical caricatures, we’ll analyse how artists captured the social tensions, aesthetic ideals, and evolving identity of the period.

Key Themes & Topics

1. Regency Portraiture: Power, Prestige & the Cult of Personality
   • The role of portraiture in shaping public image- how artists like Sir Thomas Lawrence and John Hoppner immortalized royalty, aristocrats, and military heroes.
   • The Prince Regent as patron of the arts- his obsession with self-image and the influence of European styles.
   • The contrast between grand official portraits and more intimate representations of everyday figures.
2. The Rise of Caricature: Satirizing the Age
   • How artists like James Gillray and George Cruikshank used biting satire to mock the excesses of the Prince Regent, politicians, and the upper classes.
   • Political cartoons as historical records- commentary on war, scandal, and shifting social norms.
   • How visual humour shaped public opinion and acted as an early form of media influence.
3. Fashion & Beauty in Regency Art
   • The evolution of Regency fashion in paintings and sketches- how Greco-Roman influences led to high-waisted gowns and the ‘dandy’ aesthetic.
   • The artistry behind fashion plates and magazines like La Belle Assemblée, which shaped trends across society.
   • How women’s portraits reflected shifting ideals of femininity, class, and respectability.
4. The Picturesque & the Sublime: Landscapes & Architecture
   • The rise of the picturesque movement and how artists like J.M.W. Turner and John Constable depicted the changing countryside.
   • Romanticizing rural life- how landscape paintings responded to industrialization and urbanization.
   • The architectural grandeur of the period—John Nash’s Regency designs, including the Brighton Pavilion and Regent Street.
5. Illustrating Literature: Visualizing Austen, Byron & Beyond
   • How contemporary artists illustrated the works of Jane Austen, Lord Byron, and Sir Walter Scott.
   • The importance of book illustration in making literature accessible to a wider audience.
   • The role of Regency-era theatre in shaping visual culture- how playbills, set designs, and costume sketches reflected artistic trends.
6. Regency Revival: How Art Shaped Modern Perceptions
   • The enduring legacy of Regency aesthetics in film, television, and historical fiction.
   • How the Regency is visually reimagined today- from Bridgerton’s vibrant colour palettes to the historically faithful adaptations of Austen.
   • The debate between historical accuracy vs. artistic license in modern portrayals of the era.

Course Structure

• Portraiture & the Cult of Personality
• Satire & Caricature – The Regency Under Scrutiny
• Fashion, Beauty & the Art of Elegance
• The Picturesque & Sublime in Landscape & Architecture
• Illustrating the Regency – Art & Literature
• The Regency in Popular Culture- Then & Now

This course will use visual analysis, historical context, and cultural critique to explore how the Regency era was both recorded and romanticized through art.