Minor Program
In art and art history consists of six courses including at least two 100- or 200-level studio courses and at least two 200- or 300-level art history courses in two different periods:
a. Art prior to 1300: 101, 206, 207, 208, 215, 244
b. Art from 1300–1800: 102, 103, 104, 210, 216, 220, 225, 244, 245, 249, 311, 360
c. Art after 1800: 106, 107, 235, 236, 237, 238, 239, 248, 250, 275, 277, 284, 287, 336, 337, 339, 370
One 100-level art history survey may be counted if taken before the end of the sophomore year. No independent studies courses may be counted toward fulfillment of requirements for the minor program.
Honors and High Honors
The award of honors in art and art history is dependent on departmental evaluation of work done as a senior project and the student’s GPA.
1. Senior Project: Every major undertakes a senior project (ARTS 406 or 475) in the spring of the senior year. Upon completion, the project may be nominated for departmental honors. If nominated, the project is prepared by the senior for public presentation. Following that presentation, faculty decide whether the project is worthy of honors. Honors will be conferred only on work of outstanding quality, while high honors will be awarded only to exceptional work of highest distinction.
a. Studio: The public presentation of studio work nominated for honors entails professionally exhibiting the work developed during the senior project. On the occasion of that exhibition, the student gives a gallery talk.
b. Art History: The public presentation of art historical work nominated for honors entails an illustrated lecture based on the research completed during the senior project.
2. GPA Requirements: Honors — 3.2 in courses within the department and 3.0 overall; High Honors — 3.7 in courses within the department and 3.0 overall.
Awards
See “Honors and Awards: Art and Art History” in Chapter VI.
Advanced Placement and Transfer Credit
Advanced Placement (AP) is granted in art history and in studio art. Departmental credit for ARTS 102 is granted in art history for a score of 4 or 5 on the AP art history exam. Departmental credit for ARTS 100 may be granted for a score of 4 or 5 on both the AP studio art 2-D and 3-D design exams, subject to approval of the department based on a portfolio review. The portfolio must demonstrate competence in a variety of media and conceptual approaches. The department allows two courses to be transferred for credit toward the major, with prior approval of the courses by the department.
Study Groups
Students are encouraged to participate in study groups; they may not schedule off-campus study during the senior year. Study abroad must be scheduled around the seminar requirement in art history or the ARTS 339 requirement in studio art. Art and art history department faculty lead a study group to London. Course work has included museum studies, drawing, the study of cities and mapping, and visits to artists’ studios. For information, see “Off-Campus Study Group Programs” in Chapter VI.
Course Offerings: Studio Arts
ARTS courses count toward the Human Thought and Expression area of inquiry/humanities distribution requirement, unless otherwise noted.
100 Practice and Theory
Staff
This course investigates the intellectual and theoretical aspects of art making as it explores the creative process of developing visual images and objects. Students work in various media addressing their applications to formal visual issues. The course introduces students to creative thinking, aspects of representation, expression, and critical method. Attendance is required at the weekly Department of Art and Art History visiting lecturer series. Open only to first-year students and sophomores, or by permission of instructor. The student’s cost for materials is $50–$100.
201 Digital Studio
Staff
An introduction to the computer as a medium for creating works of art. Each student completes a series of projects including digital print, animation, sound art, and interactive multimedia while learning the fundamentals of selected image and sound-processing programs. Completed projects are expected to reflect both rigorous concept development and technology proficiency. Students are encouraged to explore features of programs beyond the basics when necessary to individual project goals. The Little Hall Digital Studio is equipped with Macintosh computers. Previous Macintosh experience is helpful but not necessary. Seniors may take this course only with permission of instructor.
211 Drawing I
L. Stephenson, D. Godfrey, J. Knecht
An introduction to drawing through a series of studio projects and slide lectures. The course addresses fundamental drawing skills and introduces a variety of media. The development of images is an integral aspect of the course. Observation, conceptualization, and expression are carefully considered. A variety of attitudes toward and approaches to drawings are examined. Both contemporary and historic work are included in this process. The student’s cost for materials is about $90. Seniors may take this course only with permission of instructor.
221 Video Art I
J. Knecht
Students are introduced to the basic theoretical and technical aspects of the motion picture in this course. Each student is required to make a work of art in video. Criteria for evaluation include the formulation of a relatively significant theoretical concept and competent technical execution of that concept. All the equipment is provided by the department. The student’s cost for materials is $50–$100. All students enrolled in the course are required to attend the Tuesday evening Alternative Cinema series. Seniors may take this course only with permission of instructor.
211 Drawing I
L. Stephenson, D. Godfrey, J. Knecht
An introduction to drawing through a series of studio projects and slide lectures. The course addresses fundamental drawing skills and introduces a variety of media. The development of images is an integral aspect of the course. Observation, conceptualization, and expression are carefully considered. A variety of attitudes toward and approaches to drawings are examined. Both contemporary and historic work are included in this process. The student’s cost for materials is about $90. Seniors may take this course only with permission of instructor.
221 Video Art I
J. Knecht
Students are introduced to the basic theoretical and technical aspects of the motion picture in this course. Each student is required to make a work of art in video. Criteria for evaluation include the formulation of a relatively significant theoretical concept and competent technical execution of that concept. All the equipment is provided by the department. The student’s cost for materials is $50–$100. All students enrolled in the course are required to attend the Tuesday evening Alternative Cinema series. Seniors may take this course only with permission of instructor.
231 Painting I
L. Stephenson
An introduction to the study and practice of painting. Problems related to composition and the formal properties peculiar to this medium are investigated through both prescribed and self-directed studio assignments. Questions related to content and subject matter are explored in studio, class lectures, critiques, and visits by outside lecturers who share their professional expertise in studio art, art history, and art criticism. The student’s cost for materials is $150–$350. Seniors may take this course only with permission of instructor.
241 Photography I
L. Underhill
An introduction to photography, this course covers use of the camera, exposure, film development, printing processes, and presentation. The orientation is toward photography as a creative medium; attention is given to form and concept as well as to technical quality. The student must provide a camera (35mm) with focusing, aperture, and shutter speed adjustments, and a light meter. The student’s cost for materials is $300–$500. Seniors may take this course only with permission of instructor.
251 Printmaking I
L. Schwarzer
This course introduces a range of printmaking media: intaglio printing, relief printing, computer graphics, and lithography. Students are expected to develop a series of prints using the graphic medium of printmaking. Studio research should reflect an understanding of formal visual issues as well as a carefully considered individual approach to the projects introduced in class. Technical proficiency in the methods of printmaking introduced in the course is also expected. Historical and contemporary prints introduce a range of aesthetic concerns. The student’s cost for materials is about $90. Seniors may take this course only with permission of instructor.
263 Sculpture I
D. Godfrey
This introductory course is designed to provide a broad understanding of sculpture. The course emphasizes the exploration of a varied range of materials, formative techniques, and conceptual considerations. The student’s cost for materials and books is about $150–$175, which includes a required $100 lab fee. Seniors may take this course only with permission of instructor.
271 Architectural Design I
Staff
This studio-based course introduces students to the basic elements of architectural research and design. Beginning with basic exercises in the construction and arrangement of all given shapes, students progress to increasingly more complex design challenges. They learn about programming, circulation, structure, and form in architecture. Design exercises are accompanied by regular lectures on relevant techniques and problems in architecture. Most importantly, students are challenged to address the social implications of the design factors and skills they focus on in this course. Priority is given to juniors, seniors, and students majoring in art and art history.
302 Digital Studio II
Staff
Digital Studio II builds on the aesthetic investigations and technical skills introduced in ARTS 201. Discussion, critical reading, and evaluation of contemporary works are incorporated into the course. Students create advanced works of art that demonstrate a significantly more sophisticated use of both theoretical and technical aspects of digital art. All equipment is provided by the department. Prerequisite: ARTS 201.
312 Drawing II
L. Schwarzer
The fundamental skills and the various approaches introduced in ARTS 211 form the basis for ARTS 312. Additional modes of expression, approaches to image making, and drawing technique are introduced. Working at this level presupposes a willingness to synthesize information and work with more sophisticated problems and solutions. Slide lectures, discussions, and individual research are incorporated into the class. Sustained energy and commitment are expected, as is the continued development of a personal aesthetic. The student’s cost for the materials is $60–$70. Prerequisite: ARTS 211.
322 Video Art II
J. Knecht
This course is an extension of the theory and technical involvement of ARTS 221; students are expected to make a work of art in film or video. This individual project should reflect, upon completion, a level of sophistication in both the theoretical and technical aspects of the medium that supersedes the project executed in ARTS 221. All equipment is provided by the department. The student’s cost for materials is $50–$100. All students enrolled in the course are required to attend the Tuesday evening Alternative Cinema series. Prerequisite: ARTS 221.
332 Painting II
L. Stephenson
This course is a continuation of ARTS 231 and is designed for the advanced study of painting. The class is directed through assigned projects, lectures, and independent studio hours, and is supported by individual and group critiques. Directed assignments develop increased technical proficiency and an understanding of formal issues of painting, while research and experimentation in both traditional and nontraditional media aid students in the process of defining a conceptual focus and refining a body of work based on these ideas. The student’s cost for materials is $150–$300. Prerequisite: ARTS 231.
342 Photography II
L. Underhill
This is an intermediate-level course in photography that includes lecture-demonstrations, discussions, critiques, and studio, field, and lab work. Assignments are structured to reinforce foundations and introduce color material as well as specialized techniques in image control and manipulation. The course enables and encourages the student to use the camera and photographic processes and imagery as investigation and expression. Integration of a sophisticated conceptual framework with technical skills and a personal vision is encouraged. The student’s cost for materials is $300–$500. Prerequisite: ARTS 241 and permission of instructor.
354 Printmaking II
L. Schwarzer
Offering continued work in printmaking, this class requires sustained energy and commitment to a printmaking technique. The development of individual images is a primary factor. The student’s personal interpretation of the medium is investigated in a more sophisticated manner, and the problems and solutions explored reflect the advanced nature of the class. Students are encouraged to develop a suite of prints. New technical information is introduced periodically. Contemporary and historic prints and attitudes toward printmaking are discussed in slide lectures. The student’s cost for materials is $50–$60. Prerequisite: ARTS 251.
364 Sculpture II
D. Godfrey
As an intermediate-level offering, this course introduces the use of a more advanced range of conceptual and technical tools involved in the making of sculpture. Seminar discussions on selected readings and group and private critiques encourage the student to attain greater independence in the execution of assigned projects. The student’s cost for materials is about $175–$200, which includes a required $100 lab fee. Prerequisite: ARTS 263.
405 Issues in Recent Art
L. Stephenson
This is a course in interpretation and criticism of contemporary art, with particular attention paid to the impact of social and political events on the visual arts. A wide range of media is examined, including painting, sculpture, film, video, performance, conceptual, and post-conceptual art. All majors with a studio emphasis are required to take ARTS 405, which must be completed prior to enrolling in ARTS 406. It is also open to non-majors with permission of instructor. Offered fall term only. Prerequisite: ARTS 339.
406 Senior Project: Studio Art
L. Stephenson
The student works closely with a faculty member to develop and realize a body of studio work suitable for presentation that serves as a capstone for the major. Students meet twice a week as a group to critique work in progress. These critiques are led by the senior projects professor and include the critical language acquired during the previous term in ARTS 405. Work from the project is shown as part of a senior exhibition at the end of the term, and nominations for departmental honors are based on the quality of the work done. All majors with a studio arts emphasis are required to take and complete ARTS 406 in the spring of the senior year. Prerequisite: major in studio arts, ARTS 405, or permission of instructor. Offered spring term only.
291, 391, 491 Independent Study
Staff
The department offers intensive work to qualified sophomores, juniors, and seniors. Appropriate background and permission of instructor are required.
Art History
101 A Survey of Western Art to the 14th Century
E. Marlowe, J. Oliver
This course traces art from the prehistoric period to the Early Renaissance in Europe and the Middle East with emphasis on both style and cultural context. The arts of ancient Egypt, Greece, Rome, Islam, and the Middle Ages are included. This is also an introduction to the discipline of art history, training students for more advanced art history courses by teaching basic vocabulary and techniques of close looking and analytical thinking about visual material. Open to first-year students and sophomores, or by permission of instructor.
102 Survey of Western Art from the Revival of Antiquity to Revolution
C. Guile
This is a survey of Western art from the beginnings of the European engagement with Greco-Roman antique heritage as well as the pictorial exploration of naturalism, through the establishment of art academies to codify traditions and modes of representation, to the attempts to overturn tradition and canon during the era of revolution. Students view pan-European works from the Renaissance, Baroque, and Neoclassical periods. The course is also an introduction to the discipline of art history, training students for more advanced art history courses by teaching basic vocabulary and techniques of close looking and analytical thinking about visual material.
103 Arts of Asia
P. Kaimal
This course, like ARTS 101 and 102, is an introduction to the field of art history as well as a survey of the architecture, sculpture, and painting of Asia. Through Asian art from Neolithic times to the present, from China, India, Japan, Persia, Korea, Central Asia, Java, Cambodia, and Vietnam, this course demonstrates what distinguishes these artistic cultures from each other and from various European artistic traditions. This course also introduces the vocabulary, techniques, and patterns of thinking students will need in advanced art history courses. Open to first-year students and sophomores, or by permission of instructor.
104 Indigenous Arts of Africa, Oceania, and the Americas
C.A. Lorenz
An introduction to the art of the indigenous peoples of Africa, Oceania, and North America. Representative cultures from each area are chosen to illustrate the forms, styles, and meanings of indigenous art. The course explores themes such as the role of art in the life cycle, the use of art as an instrument of power, the concept of masking, etc. The course examines tradition and change in indigenous arts in the modern world. This course is also an introduction to the discipline of art history, training students for more advanced art history courses by teaching basic vocabulary and techniques of close looking and analytical thinking about visual material. Open to first-year students and sophomores, or by permission of instructor.
105 Introduction to the History of Architecture
C. Guile, E. Marlowe, R. McVaugh
An introduction to the history of architecture from pre-history to the present. The course secures student understanding of the range of ways human cultures have employed architecture over time. Global traditions of structure and spatial organization are explored, with close attention to precise architectural vocabulary. Historical styles, significant individual structures or complexes, basic principles of urbanism, and the relationship between theory and practice are all studied.
106 Art of the United StatesM.A. Calo
This course is a selective survey of American art from the 17th century to World War II. Emphasis is placed on artistic development in the United States as a function of political, economic, and social change from the founding of the nation through the Depression. The course considers primarily painting and sculpture, with some discussion of photography and architecture. It also serves as a basic introduction to the analytical tools and approaches that distinguish art history as a an academic discipline.
107 Survey of Western Art from the Age of Revolution to the Present
M.A. Calo, R. McVaugh
This is a selective survey of Western art from the turn of the 19th century to the present. Major representative works are considered and students develop an understanding of artistic periods, including Romanticism, Realism, Impressionism, Post-Impressionism, and Modernism. The course is also an introduction to the discipline of art history, training students for more advanced art history courses by teaching basic vocabulary and techniques of close looking and analytical thinking about visual material.
207 Roman Art
E. Marlowe, J. Oliver
This course introduces students to some of the riches of Roman material culture, including painting, sculpture, architecture, coinage, and urbanism, from the 6th century B.C.E. to the 6th century C.E. Despite this broad timeframe, the aim is not exhaustive chronological coverage. Rather, the course focuses on the social and political contexts that generated the production of artworks in the Roman world. Students explore the question of how these works’ formal qualities met the needs of ancient consumers.
208 Barbarians and Empires
E. Marlowe, J. Oliver
A study of art and architecture in Western Europe and the Mediterranean world from the origins of Christianity to the late 11th century. Themes include the heritage of classical art, its transformation through contact with northern barbarian culture, its survival in the Byzantine Greek Empire, and the imperial art of the new northern Holy Empire.
210 Art and Architecture of the Islamic World
E. Marlowe
This course considers major developments in Islamic arts and architecture from the 7th through the 18th centuries, and includes the Islamic contact with Europe. The first half of the course deals with the period prior to the Mongol invasions; the second half of the course emphasizes the period from the early 13th century, when Iran became the center of artistic production in the Islamic world, to the time of the European conquests in the early 19th century.
215 Age of Cathedrals
J. Oliver
This course looks at architecture, sculpture, and painting (including manuscript illumination and stained glass) in their historical context. Themes include monastic cloisters, pilgrimage and crusade, the construction of Gothic cathedrals, the emergence of an urban middle class, castles, and courtly love.
216 Southern European Renaissance Art
C. Guile
This course considers painting and sculpture of Southern Europe ca. 1400–1575, examining major artists and regional practices within their social, political, and cultural settings. Themes include the development of linear perspective, the inheritance and interpretation of classical tradition, technologies of art, Renaissance “self-fashioning,” and narrative strategy as approached through visual analysis, primary source readings, and recent critical literature.
220 Early Modern European Architecture
C. Guile
European architectural history and theory from ca. 1400–1750. Through the categories of typology, morphology, theory, and site, the course examines major monuments and monument complexes in their social, political, and cultural settings. Recommended for students wishing to prepare themselves for advanced studies in architecture. Geographic focus varies across semesters and includes Southern Europe, East-Central Europe, Northern Europe, and European colonies.
225 Renaissance and Reformation in Northern Europe
J. Oliver
A study of painting, sculpture, manuscripts, and prints of the 15th and 16th centuries produced in the Low Countries, Germany, and France. The course concentrates on style developments and the changing religious and social context of works of art. Themes explored include the emergence of panel painting, new forms of devotional imagery, the role of symbols in the art of Van Eyck and Bosch, the impact of the Protestant Reformation, cross-influences between northern Europe and the Italian Renaissance, and the roles of Dürer, Holbein, and Brueghel in creating the humanistic Renaissance of the 16th century.
226 Problems in Baroque Art
C. Guile
European painting and sculpture ca. 1575–1800 in its cultural, political, and social settings. Themes include the impact of the Counter-Reformation on the visual arts; Caravaggio and international Caravaggism; “realism” and “verisimilitude”; the intersection of mysticism, spirituality, and art; art and science; theatricality; art as propaganda.
235 Art and Nationalism in 19th Century America
M.A. Calo
This is a selective survey of American 19th century art with an emphasis on impulses towards cultural nationalism and the establishment of American identity. The course examines the desire and impact of American artists who sought to assert cultural independence from Europe in the wake of the achievement of American political independence. Topics that are considered in detail include: history painting and democracy; wilderness ideology, manifest destiny and the American landscape; the myth of the American frontier; genre painting and American exceptionalism; the artistic representation of native peoples and African Americans; the gendering of American culture and identity; representations of progress, expansionism, and material prosperity.
236 European Realism and Impressionism
R. McVaugh
Realist and Impressionist tendencies shaped European art from the 1820s to 1880. Artists engaged everyday life in an environment transformed by industrialization, urbanization, and imperialism. Scientific developments prompted revaluations of traditional humanism, and artistic institutions responded to an expanding public. Finally, the crystallization of nationalism impinged on artistic subjects and audience. Artists from Daumier and Menzel to Monet, Morisot, and Whistler offer the framework for our study of European art of the period.
237 American Art and Culture during the Gilded Age
M.A. Calo
The Civil War, Reconstruction, immigration, and industrial development form the backdrop for this investigation into American culture during the so-called Gilded Age. Major artistic figures of this era such as Winslow Homer, Thomas Eakins, James A. M. Whistler, Mary Cassatt, John Singer Sargent, and Henry O. Tanner are considered in the context of an evolving cultural climate shaped by late Victorian social ideology, shifting constructs of racial and gender identity, the growth of capitalism, the loss of American innocence, and the impact of diverse ideas from Darwinism to aestheticism.
238 Early European Modernism: Post Impressionism to Abstraction
M.A. Calo, R. McVaugh
This is a survey of major artistic movements in Western Europe from 1880–1920. The course examines problems of representation, abstraction, and modernism as they are exemplified primarily in painting and sculpture, with some consideration of photography, film, and the graphic arts. Artists include Cezanne, Rodin, Gauguin, Van Gogh, Picasso, Kandinsky, Matisse, and Duchamp.
239 Western Painting and Sculpture 1920–1960
M.A. Calo, R. McVaugh
World war, totalitarianism, and revolution form the backdrop for this study of art and artists in Europe and the United States during the middle of the 20th century. The course begins with an examination of the challenges to rationalism raised by the Dada and Surrealists groups in the context of World War I and its aftermath. The course also considers the so-called “Return to Order” that coalesced as a reaction to the shifting political landscape of the interwar years. The reemergence and eventual dominance of abstract painting at mid-century is considered in relation to the theoretical formation of modernist criticism and the tensions of the Cold War.
244 The Art of India
P. Kaimal
This survey of the Buddhist, Hindu, and Muslim arts of India from the 2nd millennium B.C. until the 20th century A.D. examines architecture, painting, and sculpture. Special attention is devoted to elements of Indian culture that lend Indian art its distinctive character.
245 Pictures in China and Japan
P. Kaimal
A focus on East Asia’s pictorial arts — especially paintings and prints, but also film and new media — from prehistoric times through the 21st century. This chronological survey begins with China, switches to Japan after the mid-term break, and spends the last few classes comparing these regions and taking a longer view of each. Student work focuses upon close analysis of visual materials and scholarly essays, and on the challenges of integrating visual and verbal information. No prerequisites, but previous coursework in art history or Asian studies is helpful.
248 African Art
C.A. Lorenz
A study of the principal art styles of sub-Saharan Africa, this course gives attention to both the formal and cultural aspects of indigenous art. The manufacture and usage of art objects is examined within the contexts of local religious, social, and political systems, as well as within the larger framework of language and cultural areas. Traditional art styles are analyzed as products of both collective aesthetics and individual innovation. Attention is given to transmission of art forms from culture to culture and to the persistence of traditional art in the face of social change. This course is crosslisted as SOAN 248.
249 Art and Architecture of the Ancient Americas
C.A. Lorenz
This course examines the principal art styles of the pre-Columbian cultures of South and Middle America, while also considering their impact on the art of indigenous cultures of North America. Relying on archaeological and art historical sources, students discover the usefulness of art and architecture in reconstructing the cultures of the pre-Columbian past. The course also considers the relationship of art and architecture to the environment; the effects of migration, trade, warfare, and technological innovation on the development of art styles; and the use of art in maintaining social hierarchies, political institutions, and religious systems. This course is crosslisted as SOAN 249.
250 Native Art of North America
C.A. Lorenz
Relying on archaeological, art historical, and ethnographic sources, this course examines the principal art styles of the indigenous cultures of North America. The course explores such issues as the usefulness of art objects in reconstructing cultures of the past and as historical documents for living peoples; gender roles in art production; the relationship between art, technology, and utility; the use of art as educational tools, memory aids, and religious devices; the relative importance of tradition and innovation; and the role of contemporary art in Native North American life today. This course is crosslisted as SOAN 250.
275 American Campus Architecture
R. McVaugh
The American Campus, a distinctive planning and architectural tradition, is the focus of this course. In the course of its study, students gain an overview of the evolution of American architecture from the colonial period to the present. Emphasis is on stylistic evolution of structures and the accommodation of shifting educational priorities in campus organization and planning. Analysis of the Colgate campus and its history is part of the course. Experience of ARTS 105 is valuable but not necessary.
277 Modern Architecture
R. McVaugh
This course studies the emergence of a self-consciously modern architecture in European and the United States at the turn of the 20th Century, follow its maturation in the interwar period, and explore its international proliferation following World War II. Students become familiar with many key buildings and architects as well as the theory associated with them. Experience in ARTS 105 valuable but not necessary.
284 History and Theory of Photography
Staff
A survey of the history of photography from its beginnings in the first half of the 19th century to the present. This course considers the photography in terms of cultural, scientific, aesthetic, and theoretical issues.
285 New Media Art: History and Theory
Staff
This course examines the origins and history of New Media Art. Consideration is given to the social conditions and Modernism and the avant-garde art movements of the 20th century that helped determine and shape cultural and artistic approaches to art and technology. Emphasis is given to theories about the ways that photography, cinema, video, and the computer inform contemporary art-making practices, and in turn, how digital media and the Internet are challenging the concepts and traditional processes of photography, film, performance, and video art.
287 History and Theory of the Cinema
J. Stob, Staff
This survey of the history of cinema examines all aspects of filmmaking, the development of cinematic language, and film theory in relation to intellectual thought in the 20th century. Emphasis is on the development of film analysis as well as individual visual thinking. All students enrolled in the course are required to attend the Tuesday evening Alternative Cinema series.
311 The Arts in Venice during the Golden Age
This course is crosslisted as MUSI 311. For course description, see “Music: Course Offerings.” Major credit by permission of the department.
336 Romantic Artists and Their Art
R. McVaugh
David, Kauffmann, Goya, Blake, Turner, Constable, Friedrich, Canova, Gericault, Delacroix. The era from the French Revolution to the Revolutions of 1848 witnessed the maturation of an extraordinary group of complex artists struggling with the social and technological challenge of the Industrial Revolution, the spiritual challenge of emergent empiricism, and the passions of modern nationalism. During these years many of the modern characteristics of the modern artist were formed as was the modern audience for art. Prerequisite: ARTS 107 or permission of instructor.
337 American Art and Culture between World Wars
M.A. Calo
This course examines American visual culture and ideology from 1920 to 1940. In particular, it explores issues of modernity, nationalism, race, and cultural identity as they emerge in painting and sculpture, with related consideration of music and film. Visual artistic production is weighed against a select group of critical and literary texts that address similar concerns. Emphasis is placed on major movements and broad cultural tendencies such as art in the Machine Age, the Harlem Renaissance, the American Scene Movement, the cultural politics of the Popular Front, the New Deal, and the Federal Art Projects.
339 Art and Theory since 1960
J. Stob
This course is a survey of international art movements since 1960 that questioned the definition of art, the status of the art object, and the role of the artist in the late 20th century. The concepts of modernism and postmodernism serve as points of departure for consideration of evolving modes of production and interpretation in art and criticism. Varied theoretical paradigms that have informed artistic practice since 1960 are examined in the context of rapid and radical social change, the emergence of new media, the pressures of mass culture on the visual arts, the breakdown of conventional artistic boundaries, and the explosive growth of the art market. The course concludes with an examination of the impact on the arts of post-colonial thinking and identity politics at the end of the century.
351 Women and Art
M.A. Calo, J. Oliver
This course examines issues in the visual arts from the point of view of gender. Emphasis is placed on the extent to which the social history of women has determined the choice of art as a profession, the imaging of women, and the interpretation of art.
351 Women and Art
M.A. Calo, J. Oliver
This course examines issues in the visual arts from the point of view of gender. Emphasis is placed on the extent to which the social history of women has determined the choice of art as a profession, the imaging of women, and the interpretation of art.
370 Museums
E. Marlowe
Museums are didactic institutions which manifest implicit judgments about the structure of history and the value of culture. They are also political institutions, responsive to the priorities of the municipalities and private patrons that support them. In this course, students gain insight into the professional practices of museums, as well as their identity as cultural institutions that operate for the public good.
372 Great Cities: Urban Form and Meaning
E. Marlowe
Cities function as series of forms and spaces that direct people’s movements and states of mind. Some urban forms arise unplanned, from patterns of usage and individual need. Some are planned to produce specific kinds of impact. Sometimes those plans succeed; always they remain to some degree unfinished. In all cases, the spatial arrangements of cities tell important stories that we cannot help but experience and that we can learn to understand. Each offering of the course focuses on a single city, such as London or Rome. Prerequisite: one 100- or 200-level art history course.
381, 382 Topics in Art History
Staff
This is an umbrella course designed to allow the department to better utilize the expertise of its visiting Batza chairs and other visiting staff. The course explores specialized themes as they relate to the art of diverse cultures, geographical areas, and/or historical periods, depending on the interest of the visiting faculty.
474 Issues in Art History
M.A. Calo
This course introduces students to the demands of advanced art-historical study through critical engagement with the methods employed by art historians working today. It also considers analytical approaches utilized by some of the founding figures of the discipline. The course is required of all senior art and art history majors. Offered fall term only. Prerequisite: one 400-level art history seminar.
475 Senior Project: Art History
M.A. Calo
The student works closely with a faculty member to develop and complete a substantive independent research paper. Nominations for departmental honors are based on the quality of the work. All majors with an art history or architectural studies emphasis are required to take and complete ARTS 475 in the spring of their senior year. Open to majors only. Offered in the spring term only.
481 Seminar in Art Prior to 1300
P. Kaimal, E. Marlowe, J. Oliver
Prerequisite: appropriate 200- or 300-level course or permission of instructor.
482 Seminar in Art 1300 to 1800
C. Guile, P. Kaimal, C.A. Lorenz
Prerequisite: appropriate 200- or 300-level course or permission of instructor.
483 Seminar in Art after 1800
M.A. Calo, R. McVaugh
Prerequisite: appropriate 200- or 300-level course or permission of instructor.
484 Seminar on Topical Theme in Art
J. Oliver
Prerequisite: appropriate 200- or 300-level course or permission of instructor.
291, 391, 491 Independent Study
Staff
The department offers intensive work to qualified sophomores, juniors, and seniors. Appropriate background plus permission of instructor is required.