Course Descriptions
161 Oceanic Art (3)
Survey of the sculpture, textiles, architecture and other traditional art forms of Polynesia, Micronesia and Melanesia. Objects are discussed on the basis of style, style relationships, iconography and the uses to which they were put in their traditional religious, political or social contexts. Writing-emphasis course.
162 Art of African, Oceania, and Pre-Columbian America (3)
Survey of the traditional arts of the cultures of Black Africa, the Pacific and the Americas (focusing primarily on the period before the European conquest). Sculpture, painting, pottery, textiles, architecture and human adornment will all be examined.
167 Honors: Art of Africa, Oceania, and Pre-Columbian America (3)
Consent of instructor required. Survey of the traditional arts of the cultures of Black Africa, the Pacific and the Americas. Study grounded in reading, writing and discussion. Writing-emphasis course.
172 Western Art I (3)
Major monuments in Western Art with emphasis on Europe from prehistory through the Middle Ages. Two-hour lecture and one-hour discussion each week.
173 Western Art II (3)
Major monuments in the history of European and American Art from the Renaissance to the present. Two-hour lecture and one-hour discussion each week.
177 Honors: Western Art I (3)
Consent of department required. Major monuments in Western Art with emphasis on Europe from prehistory through the Middle Ages. Study grounded in reading, writing, and discussion. Writing-emphasis course.
178 Honors: Western Art II (3)
Consent of department required. Major monuments in the history of European and American Art from the Renaissance to the present. Study grounded in reading, writing, and discussion. Writing-emphasis course.
183 Asian Art (3)
Selected works of painting, sculpture, architecture, and other forms in India, China, Japan, and to a lesser extent Korea and Southeast Asia from antiquity through the 19th century.
187 Honors: Asian Art (3)
Consent of instructor required. Selected works of painting, sculpture, architecture and other forms in India, China, Japan, Korea and Southeast Asia, from antiquity through the 19 th century. Study grounded in reading, writing, and discussion. Writing-emphasis course.
279 Special Topics in Art History (3)
Student or instructor-initiated course offered at convenience of department. Prereq: determined by department for individual topic. May be repeated. Maximum 12 hours.
376 Seminar in Art History (3)
Variable theme; emphasis on methodology and skills in writing. Required for art history majors. Prereq: junior or senior standing and completion of at least 12 hours in art history, or consent of instructor. May be repeated with consent of instructor for a maximum of 6 hours. Writing-emphasis course.
403 History of Photography (3)
Survey of the history of photography from the introduction of the daguerreotype and calotype to more recent trends. Emphasis will be placed on aesthetics and the use of photography as a medium for artistic expression.
411 Art of South and Southeast Asia (3)
A survey of the art and architecture of the Indian subcontinent and Southeast Asia from 2000 BCE to the 20th century. The major achievements of each period are examined in relation to their religious, political, and social contexts. Writing-emphasis course.
415 Art of China (3)
A survey of the art and architecture of China from the Neolithic period to the 20th century. The major achievements of each period are examined in relation to their religious, political, and social contexts. Writing-emphasis course.
416 Chinese Art of the 20th and 21st Centuries (3)
Survey of Chinese art from the late nineteenth century through the present. Hong Kong, Taiwanese, and expatriate artists are also considered. Writing-emphasis course.
419 Art of Japan (3)
A survey of the art and architecture of Japan from the Neolithic period to the 20th century. The major achievements of each period are examined in relation to their religious, political, and social contexts. Writing-emphasis course.
425 Early Christian and Byzantine Art to 1350 (3)
Art in Italy and the Eastern Empire from the beginnings of Christian art to c. 1350. Mosaic and painting, sculpture and architecture. Writing-emphasis. (Same as Medieval Studies 371 and Judaic Studies 425.)
431 Medieval Art of the West, 800-1400 (3)
Western European art of the “Dark Ages,” Romanesque, and Gothic periods. Writing-emphasis course. (Same as Medieval Studies 381 and Judaic Studies 431.)
441 Northern European Painting, 1350-1600 (3)
From courtly art of late Middle Ages to Northern Renaissance. Jan van Eyck, Roger van der Weyden, and Durer; early printmakers. Writing-emphasis course. (Same as Medieval Studies 372.)
442 Art of Northern Europe, 1600-1675 (3)
Concentrated study of Bruegel, Rubens, Rembrandt, Georges de La Tour, Vermeer, Poussin, and Hals. Writing-emphasis course.
451 The Art of Italy, 1250-1450 (3)
Development of exploration of naturalism. Revival of antiquity and development of theories of perspective in the Early Renaissance. Including Duccio, Giotto, Masaccio, Donatello, Botticelli. Writing-emphasis course. (Same as Medieval Studies 382.)
452 Art of Italy, 1475-1575 (3)
Concentrated study of Leonardo da Vinci, Michelangelo, Titian, Raphael, Pontormo, and Giorgione. Writing-emphasis course.
453 Art of Southern Europe: 1575-1700 (3)
Concentrated study of Caravaggio, Bernini, and Italian Baroque developments in all media. Spanish Baroque painting and sculpture with special attention to Velazquez. Writing-emphasis course.
454 Renaissance and Baroque Theory (3)
Addresses the theory of Western art in the early modern period with emphasis on the development and evolution in European art during the Renaissance and Baroque periods. Prereq: Art History 172 and 173 (or their Honors equivalents), or consent of instructor. Writing-emphasis course.
461 Art of Southern and Eastern Africa (3)
Art traditions of the eastern and southern regions of Africa. Sculpture, painting, pottery, textiles, architecture and human adornment will be examined. Some ancient Stone and Iron Age traditions will be examined, but the main emphasis will be on the diverse ethnic and regional art traditions practiced in the area from the 19th century to the present. Writing-emphasis course.
462 Art and Archaeology of Ancient Africa (3)
Historical art traditions of sub-Sahara Africa. Topics to be covered include prehistoric rock paintings, art from archaeological sites and ancient kingdoms. The time period covered ranges from the first and second millennia B.C. for some of the early terracotta sculpture and rock paintings, the 11th through 19th centuries A.D. for the later ancient kingdoms. Writing-emphasis course.
463 Arts of the African Diaspora (3)
Examines the aesthetic, philosophical and religious patterns of the African descendants of Brazil, Surinam, the Caribbean and the United States. Emphasis will be placed on the full range of art forms, including the sculptural and performance traditions as well as architecture, textile, basketry and pottery art forms. Writing-emphasis course.
464 Oceanic Art (3)
Concentrated study of selected sculpture, textiles, architecture and other traditional art forms of Polynesia, Micronesia, and Melanesia. Objects are discussed on the basis of style, style relationship, iconography and the uses to which they were put in their traditional religious, political, and social contexts. Writing-emphasis course.
470 African-American Art (3)
Traces the artistic and social legacy of African-American art from the eighteenth century to the present day. Specifically, this class will focus on the ways in which artists used creativity to confront, deny, or complicate understandings of racial identity and racism. Examines the broad scope of artistic production including painting, sculpture, photography, multi-media, fiction writing, and video art. Writing-emphasis course. (Same as African Studies 470.)
472 History of 20th-Century American Art (3)
Developments in architecture, painting, and design from 1900. Writing-emphasis course.
473 19th-Century American Painting (3)
From West and Copley to emergence of “The Eight.” Writing-emphasis course.
474 Theory of 20th-Century Art in Europe and America (3)
Addresses the theoretical basis for the modern movement. Emphasis on analyzing and discussing individual works of art in light of contemporary writings by artists and theorists. Prereq: 172 and 173 (or their Honors equivalents), or consent of instructor. Writing-emphasis course.
475 History of 19th Century Painting and Sculpture in Europe (3)
The evolution of Romanticism, Neoclassicism, and Realism in Europe, including the innovations of Manet, Impressionism, Cézanne, Post-Impressionism, Art Nouveau, and Symbolism. Writing-emphasis course.
476 History of 20th-Century Painting and Sculpture in Europe (3)
Development of the Modern and Post-Modern movements in Europe. Investigation of the progression of abstraction through more recent conceptual trends. Analysis of the work of individual artists such as Picasso, Matisse, and many others. Writing-emphasis course.
479 Special Topics in Art History (3)
Student or instructor-initiated course offered at convenience of department. May be repeated. Maximum 12 hours.
483 History of American Sculpture (3)
American sculpture from prehistory to the 1960s. Writing-emphasis course.
489 Studies in Art History (3)
Concentration in individually selected area. Prereq: Consent of instructor. May be repeated. Maximum 6 hours.
493 Independent Study (1-15)
Prereq: Consent of instructor.
494 Individual Problems (3)
Prereq: Consent of instructor. May be repeated. Maximum 12 hours.