Department: Art History

CodeNameDescription
ARTH 121Survey I: Prehistory through the Middle AgesSurvey of Western art, with some attention given to non-Western art, from prehistoric times through the Middle Ages. Intended as introductory course for general student as well as art majors and minors. 121 and 122 may be taken independently and in a...
ARTH 122Survey II: Renaissance to the PresentSurvey of Western art from the Renaissance in the 15th century to the late 20th century. Introduces basic historical and formal methodologies for general student and art major.
ARTH 209Medieval African ArtExamines the art, architecture, and archaeological remains of medieval Africa (ca. 300-1700 CE). Uses writings of medieval adventurers (e.g., Ibn Battuta), recent scholarly publications, and film excerpts to study of Africas medieval history, social...
ARTH 210Late Antique and Byzantine ArtThis course examines the art of late antique and Byzantine periods (ca. 300-1500 CE), with an emphasis on the geographical area of the eastern Mediterranean.
ARTH 211Islamic ArtExamines Islamic art from approximately 700 to 1700 CE. Includes the Mediterranean region, Western Africa, and the Indian subcontinent. Discussion of what makes Islamic art, both religious and secular, Islamic.
ARTH 212Medieval Art in Western Europe, 8th-15th CenturiesSurveys the rich and varied production of visual culture in Western Europe from early Middle Ages to beginning of the Renaissance. Considers the changing visual experiences associated with the Early Medieval, Carolingian, Ottonian, Romanesque, and Go...
ARTH 213American Art, 1700-1900Examines the production of art and architecture from the eighteenth through the nineteenth centuries. Considers city plans, buildings, paintings, sculpture and other objects as works created under specific historical, social and cultural conditions.
ARTH 215Art of the Italian RenaissanceA survey of Italian painting, sculpture, and architecture between 1250 and 1500, with emphasis on the historical context of particular objects or monuments. Students will examine primary sources whenever possible and consider issues related to the sy...
ARTH 216Art in the Age of ReformBeginning with the Italian High Renaissance and ending with baroque art in 17th-century Europe, this course considers artistic production during a period of religious, political, and cultural crisis. Lectures, readings, and discussions evaluate the a...
ARTH 217Nineteenth-Century Art in EuropeOverview of the major artistic developments of the period, yet allows for closer study of particular issues. For example, how does a work of art become politically charged? How does a landscape painting become a religious painting? Why are the most f...
ARTH 218Modern Art, 1900-1960Major movements and developments of modern art in Europe and America. Examination of theoretical bases of modern art, concepts of avant-garde, and consideration of public's relationship to modern art.
ARTH 219Contemporary Art, 1945-PresentSurveys major questions that have engaged art and its historians since World War II, exploring how ideas rooted in the postwar period shaped artistic practice through the turn of the twenty-first century. Focuses primarily on European and American ar...
ARTH 220Public Art: From Monuments to the InternetFocuses primarily on the United States. Explores the many forms public art has taken since the turn of the twentieth century, tracing its development from monumental statuary to the internet. Study of how art addresses questions of publicness in rela...
ARTH 223Studies in the History of PhotographyCombines a chronological survey of the developments in photography since its invention in 1839 with an examination of issues dealing with how photography has informed modern attitudes and perspectives. It carefully considers certain claims made on be...
ARTH 225Art and AsiaArt, architecture, and material cultures of South, Southeast, and East Asiapremodern and modern. Provides an overview of the vast artifactual record of this segment of the world, aims to engender a series of fundamental art-historical skills such as...
ARTH 226Art and Culture of JapanA chronological introduction to the art and culture of Japan beginning with the prehistoric period, moving through the introduction to Buddhism and varieties of Buddhist art, the influence of China and Korea, the art of the court, the art of samurai,...
ARTH 227Gender and the Arts of JapanRepresentation, construction, and politics of gender in the visual and performing arts of Japan. Topics include medieval stories of gender transformation, genders relationship to Buddhist salvation, the patronage and artistic practice of women, the g...
ARTH 228Graphic Arts of JapanAddresses the long history of image-making in two dimensions in Japan--a field of inquiry that includes calligraphy, painting, rubbing, print-making, book-making, manga, photography, film, and new media. Intersections of words and images (i.e., depic...
ARTH 229Women Artists, Agents, and Influencers in Early Modern EuropeExamines the ways in which gender affected and informed theories of creativity, artistic style, critical reception, patronage, collecting and training in early modern Europe and its colonies. Focuses on specific women, whose work or influence substan...
ARTH 230Power and Desire: A History of Collecting and MuseumsExamines the history and theory of collecting, from Renaissance studios and curiosity cabinets in Europe to international contemporary museums, focusing on the collection of art and other forms of cultural and scientific interest and marvel. Why work...
ARTH 279Selected TopicsExamples include African art, history of architecture, and other specialized topics. May be repeated for credit if topics differ.
ARTH 309Image and Icon in Medieval ArtFocuses on role of the panel painted image in Medieval world. Explores the conventions, aesthetics, and ideology of Medieval images, as well as their production, use and restoration. Provides introduction to techniques of medieval panel painting, and...
ARTH 319Advanced SeminarHighly focused in-depth studies on topics of art history related to departmental course offerings. Topics to be chosen by instructor. Representative topics: Zen art, Surrealism, Artists Biographies and Art Criticism in early modern Europe. May be rep...
ARTH 322Museum StudiesHistory, philosophy, functions, and future of museums; collection research, evaluation, publications, and museum procedures and education.
ARTH 324Art HistoriesCourses in areas of art history at a 300-level not covered in regular departmental offerings. May be repeated for credit if topic differs.
ARTH 345Philanthropy in the Arts(See Music 345; same as Theatre 345.)
ARTH 365Art Theories and MethodologiesStudy of theoretical approaches and methods used in discipline of art history. Required for art history majors, recommended before the senior year.
ARTH 378Topics in Asian ArtIn depth examination of a single topic in the arts of Asia. Possible themes include Japanese prints, ceramics and the tea ceremony, Chinese literati art, the relationship of calligraphy to painting, narrative art, Buddhist art, etc. May be repeated f...
ARTH 383East Asian Painting, Poetry and CalligraphyIn East Asian painting, poetry and calligraphy are often referred to as the `three jewels` for the high respect that they are given, and the way that they interact. A poet, using brush and ink on paper, may add a design to his words, and in that mome...
ARTH 388Individual InternshipSupervised work experience at approved museum, gallery or other art institutions. May be repeated for credit at a different institution. No more than 1.5 units of internship in any one department and 3.5 units of internship overall may be counted tow...
ARTH 395Independent StudyIndividually designed program under faculty supervision. Independent studies cannot be substituted for required courses in the art history major.
ARTH 406Summer Undergraduate ResearchDocumentation of the work of students who receive summer fellowships to conduct research [or produce a creative arts project] in the summer. The work must take place over a minimum of 6 weeks, the student must engage in the project full-time (at leas...
ARTH 465Thesis Research SeminarThe first half of a one-year capstone experience for the senior major in art history. Serves to strengthen those research and critical thinking skills introduced in First Year Seminars and further developed upper-level seminars in art history. Assign...
ARTH 466Thesis Research ProjectRequired for art history majors in their senior year.
VMAP 287Print in Public SpaceExamine the role of print in the public space, civic discussion and social protest and challenges students to create public works of their own, individually or collaboratively. The class will study historical examples of prints in the public space, s...