Course Description

Program Description We live in a world defined by images. Art History helps us to understand our visual world and to probe the complexities of images, objects, and artifacts found in art and culture. Through the methods and concepts of art history, students learn the ‘visual’ language of images as they acquire knowledge and understanding of all forms of visual arts ranging from earliest cave paintings to latest new media installations, from monumental to miniature. Using diverse approaches and theories, art is critically analyzed in the larger social, cultural, economic, institutional, and ideological context of its production, display, and reception. As students engage with works of art and key texts in art history, theory, and criticism, they develop visual as well as verbal and written literacy. Art History fosters creative and critical thinking, inquiry, analysis, and effective communication skills. In its cross-disciplinary reach, Art History is a unique and wide-ranging discipline that encompasses aspects of history, philosophy, religion, psychology, sociology, gender studies, and cultural studies. Cognate courses with the department of Classical Studies and cross-listed courses with the departments Sociology and History are offered to broaden the students’ conceptual horizons. While our program is primarily designed to meet the needs of Fine Arts students in Art History and Studio, we welcome students from all disciplines to the many courses that do not have prerequisites. Some of these courses are particularly appealing to students in Cultural Studies and New Media, Popular Culture, Religion, and Public History.

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