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Course Descriptions—Art History
ART 101 History of Western Art
This course will survey the history of Western art, from the end of the ancient world in the fourth century to the end of Modernism in the late 20th century and beyond. We will look at Medieval and Gothic art, the Renaissance and Baroque, Modernism and Postmodernism, taking note of the unity—and the ruptures—in this broad sweep of Western cultural production. We will examine the various media of physical and visual expression: architecture, sculpture, and painting. We will inquire into the connections between the art of Western culture and the processes of historical change that affected that culture and its institutions. Along the way, we will acquaint ourselves with the methodologies of art history, and with the particular, established vocabularies of art description. The student will learn to articulate, verbally and in writing, the specifically visual qualities of works of art, as well as their many historical circumstances. This course is offered in the spring semester.
Prerequisites: None.
Credits: 1
ART 103 Greek Art and Archaeology (CLA 103)
A consideration of the art and architecture of Greece from an archaeological and art historical point of view. The course will cover material from the Bronze Age to the Hellenistic Age. This course is offered in the fall semester of odd-numbered years.
Prerequisites: None.
Credits: 1
ART 104 Roman Art and Archaeology (CLA 104)
A consideration of the origin and development of Roman art and architecture from the Etruscans to late imperial Rome. This course is offered in the spring semester of even-numbered years.
Prerequisites: None.
Credits: 1
ART 181 Historic Materials and Ideas
Have you ever wanted to paint like Van Gogh? Or invent like Da Vinci? This course is the course for you! A hybrid between art historical research and hands-on studio research, this course is designed to introduce students to the historical methods used by artists. Students will research methods and complete projects using processes including, but not limited to: grinding pigments, painting with egg tempera, carving marble, sculpting with clay, learning perspective, drawing with silver, preparing a fresco painting, and photographing using a pinhole camera.
Prerequisites: None
Credits: 1
ART 202 Art in Film
This course will explore the dynamic relationship between film and art from the late 20th century to the present, examining how visual art and important art historical moments and personas are featured in film. By studying films about art, the course will address the impact of visual arts and the ways that films use particular effects of the moving multi-sensory image to capture characteristics of art history.
Prerequisites: None
Credits: 1
ART 204 Art and Architecture of the Ancient Americas
This course will explore the art and architecture of the great civilizations of Mesoamerica and the Andean region of South America from around 1500 BC until the arrival of Europeans in the New World. Similarities and distinctions in such aspects as urban planning, architecture, monumental sculpture, and portable arts will be explored among the great cultures of the Olmec, Teotihuacan, Maya, Aztec, Nazca, Moche, and Inca.
Prerequisites: None
Credits: 1
ART 205 Renaissance Art
This course will survey painting, sculpture, and architecture in Europe from the early 14th through mid-16th centuries, with emphasis on developments in Italy. The veneration of classical antiquity and the development of logical systems of representation will be examined. In addition, the elaboration of visual expression that valorized the human figure as a basic unit of meaning will be explored. Patterns of patronage such as wealthy merchant classes, family dynasties, and papal courts will be given special consideration, as will the idea of the artist as an individual genius. The course will study artists such as Giotto, Botticelli, Donatello, Michelangelo, Leonardo da Vinci, Titian, Raphael, Jan Van Eyck, Bosch, and Durer.
Prerequisites: None.
Credits: 1
ART 206 Baroque Art
This course will look at painting, sculpture, and architecture in Europe from the late 16th through mid-18th centuries. Art will be examined in the context of this age of innovation and turmoil, which is marked by religious conflict, absolute monarchies, economic and colonial expansion, and the formation of art academies. Individual artists as transnational entrepreneurs will be explored, such as Caravaggio, Bernini, Rubens, Rembrandt, Anthony Van Dyck, Vermeer, and Velazquez.
Prerequisites: None.
Credits: 1
ART 208 19th Century Art
This course will examine the major trends in painting and sculpture between the end of the Baroque age and the beginning of Modernism, an era characterized by philosophical Enlightenment, political revolution, and scientific discovery. The art of this turbulent period was often in conflict with tradition and the established structures of artistic training, production and patronage; much of our contemporary understanding of the nature and role of artists and their work was formed in the crucible of this fascinating period. The dramatically shifting styles of this century of art history will offer us rich opportunities to develop our tools of formal, descriptive analysis, and to articulate the connections between visual styles and the cultural conflicts which produced them. This course is offered in the spring semester.
Prerequisites: None.
Credits: 1
ART 209 20th Century Art
This course will survey the history of Modern art from the 1900s to the present, beginning in Paris, expanding to Europe, and eventually to New York and beyond. We will ask several questions about the works we look at: What is modern about modern art? Why does the way art looks change over time, and what directs that change? What is the relationship between art and the artists and societies that produce it? What is its relationship to our lives today? Is Modernism over? To answer these questions, we will look closely at the artworks themselves, as well as the writings of artists and critics, and the history of the society and culture that considered itself “modern.” This course is offered in the fall semester.
Prerequisites: None.
Credits: 1
ART 210 Special Topics in Art History
The objective of this class is to develop the student’s understanding of art history. Through the analysis of a particular theme or topic, students will gain a greater understanding of visual communication and its history. Since the content of this course varies from year to year, it may be repeated for credit upon the instructor’s approval. Examples of course topics: Building for the Spirit; Religious Architecture from Antiquity to the Present; Women in Art; The Image of Man; Monumentality; Introduction to African Art; African American Art; The Art of the Ancient Americas; and Latin American Art.
Prerequisites: None.
Credits: 1
Modern and Contemporary Native American Art
This course overviews art and visual culture by and about Native Americans, focusing especially on cultural production since 1900. Through careful consideration of visual art, film, and advertising, students will grapple with questions of representation, race, identity, and “post-coloniality.” Native Americans have long been stereotyped, from the earliest explorers’ “documents” to sports mascots and recent Disney animations. Central questions will be: how have these stereotypes been challenged, and how do myth and legend relate to historical fact? What is the relationship between past modes of artmaking/symbolism and more recent manifestations? How has contemporary art by Native Americans rejected or absorbed canonical modern/postmodern practices? Because this topic is marginalized and rarely available as an area of study, students will be immersed in subjective quandaries that drive cutting-edge research, thus actively engaging in the process of developing art history. Offered in the fall semester.
ART 311 Art Theory and Criticism
This course will explore the major currents in the theories of meaning in and aesthetic response to works of visual art. What is the origin of the category “art”? Does it have universal validity? Are judgments about art merely subjective, or can they expect universal consensus? These are only some of the questions which will open the course; we will go on to consider the central problems of modern and postmodern art, and their role in our lives today. We will locate the roots of the issues of modern art criticism and theory in the Western philosophical tradition. We will pay particular attention to the relationship between visual expression and writing about visual art, between art and its criticism, and the ever narrowing gap between the two. Students should expect to do a significant amount of reading and writing. This course is offered the first half of the fall semester.
Prerequisites: Junior or senior standing, one previous Art History course, or consent of instructor.
Credits: 1/2
ART 312 Post Modern Art and Culture
Modernism, as an art form and a historical/cultural condition, took many distinct forms and set out various contradictory goals. It has been said not only that the project of modernity is unfinished, but that every modernism has its own postmodernism. What does it mean to say that we are no longer modern, that the new is now old? Together we will discuss these questions from a variety of different angles, equipped with a variety of approaches. The course will concentrate on the relationships between art, culture, politics, and critical, theoretical writing. We will attempt to make sense out of what is often contentious, playful, contradictory, or even willfully obscure in contemporary art and criticism. This course is important for anyone wishing to participate in the contemporary public debates about the meaning and value of art and culture. This course is offered in the second half of the fall semester in odd-numbered years.
Prerequisites: Junior or senior standing, one previous Art History course, or consent of instructor.
Credits: 1/2
ART 434 Senior Project in Art History
This course is offered in the fall semester.
Prerequisite: Senior standing.
Credits: 1
ART 435 Senior Project in Art History
This course is offered in the spring semester.
Prerequisite: Senior standing.
Credits: 1
Course Descriptions—Studio Art
ART 125 Drawing
An introductory exploration of the making and meaning of “the mark.” Students will practice different approaches to creative research in order to explore historical and contemporary issues related to Drawing both as a fine art and as a strategy for problem solving. Participants will utilize a variety of drawing media to explore the technical and conceptual issues related to composition. There is an emphasis on drawing from direct observation, and subjects will range from traditional still life to the human form. Students will be expected to apply critical and creative problem solving skills as they experiment with visual language as a vehicle for expression.This course is offered in the spring semester.
Prerequisites: None.
Credits: 1/2
ART 126 Studio Art Fundamentals
Making art in the 21st century draws upon a long tradition of methods, materials, and conceptual and philosophical perspectives, and combines those traditions with new and expanding approaches. This course is intended to be a hands-on introductory exploration of both traditional and contemporary materials and ideas that influence contemporary practices of design and fine art. Students will be introduced to methods of creative research, with projects and discussions designed to help illuminate the considerations one must take into account when designing Two-Dimensional imagery, Three-Dimensional objects and spaces, and Time-based or virtual projects. There will be a strong emphasis on understanding how these three categories relate to one another, and on the practice of “reading” visual information in a more sophisticated manner. Traditional and emerging media—including but not limited to drawing, painting, sculpture, and digital technologies—will be explored. This course is offered in the fall semester.
Prerequisites: None.
Credits: 1
ART 223 Ceramics
An introduction to the basic techniques of clay. The course will investigate the methods and aesthetics of ceramics, both functional ware and sculptural form. The course will also explore the historical and cultural uses of pottery and the contemporary use of clay as a sculptural medium. This course is offered in the spring semester.
Prerequisites: None.
Credits: 1
ART 224 Photography
Students will first be introduced to analog photography through processing film, darkroom techniques, and approaching B/W photography as a means of visual expression. The principles of design as a means of visual communication will be an emphasis in the course. The projects deal with texture, light, and space, with emphasis on the development of personal ideas. Some photographic history will be discussed, as well as current issues in art and photography. The course will transition from wet darkroom techniques to computer-based image creation. This course is offered in the spring semester.
Prerequisites: None.
Credits: 1
ART 225 Special Topics in Studio
The objective of this class is to develop the student’s ability to think visually. Through the analysis of a particular theme, topic, medium, or technique, students will gain a greater understanding of visual communication, creative expression, and its history. Since the content of this course varies from year to year, it may be repeated for credit upon the instructor’s approval.
Prerequisites: None.
Credits: 1
ART 227 Sculpture
An investigation of techniques, procedures, and vocabulary necessary for three-dimensional visual expression. Scuptural concepts, both traditional and contemporary, will be explored through applied problems. Media: plaster, clay, wood, and steel. This course is offered in the fall semester.
Prerequisite: None.
Credits: 1
ART 228 Painting
A thorough investigation of the historic and contemporary materials, techniques, and conceptual concerns related to painting. Participation in this course will allow students the opportunity to explore the process of composing images, begin practicing studio research, and experiment with both traditional and contemporary approaches to making art. This course is offered in the fall semester.
Prerequisite: Art 120 or Art 125.
Credits: 1
ART 229 New and Expanded Media
This is a hands-on studio course designed to explore the question, “What does it mean to make *art* in the 21st century?” Combining different types of creative research, students will consider the way in which boundaries between traditional media—drawing, painting, sculpture, photography—are becoming blurred and also conflated with other forms of visual expression, such as installation, site specific work, public enactment/performance, outsider art, digital media, video production, and various types of commercial media. Through project-based research, students will examine the historical and contemporary relationships between mediums, and the disciplines involved with artistic practice. The class aims to expose students to varied methods and motivations for making art, and also invites them to actively consider the relevance of visual art in our contemporary moment. This course is offered in the spring semester.
Prerequisites: None.
Credits: 1
ART 330 Advanced Studio
For students wishing to continue serious pursuit of art making in any of the studio areas, including multi-media and other non-traditional means of expression. This course emphasizes greater independence in approach to research of materials, techniques, and concepts. This course is offered in the fall semester.
Prerequisites: Minimum of two previous studio courses, with at least one at the 200 level.
Credits: 1 or 1/2
ART 331 Advanced Studio
For students wishing to continue serious pursuit of art making in any of the studio areas, including multi-media and other non-traditional means of expression. This course emphasizes greater independence in approach to materials, techniques, and concepts. This course is offered in the spring semester.
Prerequisites: Minimum of two previous studio courses, with at least one at the 200 level.
Credits: 1 or 1/2
ART 387 Independent Study
Individual research projects. The manner of study will be determined by the student in consultation with the instructor. Students must receive written approval of their project proposal from a department member before registering for the course. This course may be offered in 2013-2014.
Prerequisites: Two previous art courses and permission of the instructor and department chair.
Credits: 1 or 1/2
ART 388 Independent Study
Individual research projects. The manner of study will be determined by the student in consultation with the instructor. Students must receive written approval of their project proposal from a department member before registering for the course. This course may be offered in 2013-2014.
Prerequisites: Two previous art courses and permission of the instructor and department chair.
Credits: 1 or 1/2
ART 432 Senior Studio
Art majors must examine a specific visual theme or concept, develop the idea through their selected mediums, and install an exhibition of the results of that study. The exhibition may be a one-man or group exhibit, depending on the requirements of the project and the availability of exhibition space. This course is offered in the fall semester.
Prerequisites: Art 330 or 331 and senior standing.
Credits: 1 or 1/2
ART 433 Senior Studio
Art majors focusing in studio must examine a specific visual theme or concept, develop the idea through their selected mediums, and install an exhibition of the results of that study. The exhibition may be a one-man or group exhibit, depending on the requirements of the project and the availability of exhibition space. This course is offered in the spring semester.
Prerequisites: Art 330 or 331 and senior standing.
Credits: 1 or 1/2