Although enjoyment of art involves aesthetic appreciation, the best art is also about ideas that challenge the way we think about the world. These ideas are often accessible through the writing of the best art historians and critics. This course will examine individual art works through the ideas of a number of influential thinkers and critics. The course will range from traditional thinkers such as Kenneth Clark, and Roger Scruton through to the more radical approaches of Iris Murdoch, Susan Sontag, Stuart Hall and John Berger. Each session will use a key essay or book chapter as a stepping off point for stimulating dialogue and debate.