Art History Course Descriptions

ARTH 2301 Ancient to Medieval Art. (3-0)

A survey of the history of painting, sculpture, and architecture from pre-historic through medieval periods.

ARTH 2302 (ARTS 1304) Renaissance to Modern Art. (3-0)

A survey of art history from the fourteenth century through the nineteenth century.

ARTH 3301 History of Modern Art. (3-0) (WI)

A survey of the stylistic trends, aesthetic issues, and evolving philosophy of modern art from 1900 to 1965.

ARTH 3302 History of American Art. (3-0) (WI)

A broad survey of the history of American art from 1700 to the present.

ARTH 4301 Issues in Contemporary Art. (3-0) (WI)

An issue-oriented survey of the diverse forms and concepts present in American art since 1965. Modernism and Postmodernism are explored.

4302 Latin American Art. (3-0) (WI)

A broad historic survey of visual arts in Latin America from the European conquest to the present.

ARTH 4303 Pre-Columbian Art. (3-0) (WI)

A survey of the art of Pre-Columbian sites and cultures, from pre-history to the European conquest. Provides background to the development of art in Mexico, Central, South and North America.

ARTH 4304 History of Cinema. (3-0) (WI)

A survey of the history of European and American film as an art form.

ARTH 4305 History of Photography. (3-0) (WI)

A survey of the history of photography. The work of leading photographers will be studied in terms of aesthetics, stylistic development, and technical innovations.

ARTH 4306 Renaissance Art. (3-0) (WI)

An in-depth survey of the history of art of the Italian and Northern Renaissance with emphasis on stylistic progression, iconography and technical developments.

ARTH 4308 Asian Art. (3-0) (WI)

A broad survey of the art of Asian cultures including India, Japan, and China from pre-history to the present.

ARTH 4309 Feminism and Visual Representation (3-0) (WI)

This course provides an introduction to feminist art, theory, and visual culture by focusing on the relationships between several key feminist concerns, including sexuality and gender and experience and difference.

ARTH 4310 Race and Representation (3-0) (WI)

This course explores the variegated ways that race, and, by implication, identity and difference, is figured and represented in a range of cultural productions, including art, film, and visual culture.

ARTH 4311 History of Italian Art (3-0)

Taught on-site in Italy, this course provides the opportunity for in-depth immersion into the analysis of Italy’s place in art’s history.

ARTH 4312 The Arts in the Pop Culture (3-0) (WI)

This course examines how popular culture became central to contemporary social life, including the ways in which U.S. media participates in the globalization of art and culture. Essential to this course are the critical analysis of popular culture and the arts, using tools like those of Visual Culture Studies.

ARTH 4321 Special Topics in Art History. (3-0)

A category of courses designed to meet special needs and address issues in art ranging from traditional to non-traditional and contemporary concerns. May be repeated with different emphasis for additional credit.

ARTH 4321E Matisse and Picasso (3-0) (WI)

An advanced investigation of the art of two of the most significant figures in modern art, as avenues through which to examine varieties of art historical writing.

ARTH 4321F Dada and Duchamp (3-0) (WI)

A course that emphasizes active learning to interrogate the impact and continued potential of the most radical movement in 20th-century European art. Surveying the career of Marcel Duchamp, the course investigates his status as the most influential artist of the past century.

ARTH 4321G European Cinema (3-0) (WI)

This course distinguishes the development of cinema in Europe from the Hollywood system in the United States, encouraging deep investigations of individual directors’ work alongside that of European cinematic movements.

ARTH 4321J Hellenistic Art and Culture (3-0)

A critical analysis of the concepts and individual works that constitute the Hellenistic tradition, examined in their cultural contexts, with special consideration of the relation of Greek aesthetic traditions to those of their Roman and Near Eastern neighbors.

ARTH 4322 Special Problems. (3-0) (WI)

An advanced level, independent study in art history, aesthetics, and criticism. The emphasis of the course is on scholarship, research, and writing. May be repeated with different emphasis for additional credit. Prerequisite: Consent of instructor.

ARTH 4323 Art History Thesis I. (3-0) (WI)

This course allows students to develop an awareness of and skills in the research and methodology of art history and prepares them for their final senior thesis projects. It will replace PHIL 4350 in the art history curriculum. It is a prerequisite for ARTH 4324 Art History Thesis II, and it is a required course for art history majors.

ARTH 4324 Art History Thesis II (3-0) (WI)

A senior level course focused on independent research and writing in art history and on the completion of a final thesis project. Consent of instructor required for enrollment. Prerequisite: ARTH 4323.