ART HISTORY (ARTH)

ARTH-101 SURVEY OF WESTERN ART I (3 Credits)

This course introduces the material cultures of early western civilizations and peoples, covering developments in painting, sculpture, and architecture from prehistory through the Middle Ages. Art and architecture from, e.g., the Stone Age, Near East, Egypt, Aegean, Greece, and Rome, will be presented, as well as from the early Christian, Byzantine, Islamic, Medieval, and Gothic traditions. Lectures and discussions will focus upon the way that art reflects culture, and is informed by social, political, and religious influences.

ARTH-102 SURVEY OF WESTERN ART II (3 Credits)

This course examines artistic expression in Western civilization, beginning with the Renaissance and ending with the Modern period, while being attentive to the role of the artist in the history of art. Lectures and discussions will present major works and artists, and will also focus upon the way that art reflects culture, and is informed by social, political, religious, economic, and geographical influences.

ARTH-103 SURVEY OF NON-WESTERN ART (3 Credits)

This course is an introduction to art from around the world, which covers the history of three geographic regions that have historically been categorized as "Art of the Non-Western Traditions"- Africa, Pre-Columbian/Indigenous Arts of Meso- and North America, and the Art of the South Pacific/Oceania. The emphasis of the course is to develop an awareness, understanding, and appreciation of various art forms from cultures scattered around the world that have existed for thousands of years, representing multiple distinct lines of development.

ARTH-321 AESTHETICS (3 Credits)

The course provides an introduction to the problems of aesthetics and the philosophy of art as treated by traditional and contemporary authors. Although topics vary, they typically include inquiries into; the concept of beauty, the nature and value of art, the aesthetic experience, and the evaluation and criticism of works of art.

ARTH-322 CONTEMPORARY ISSUES IN ART (3 Credits)

This course examines developments in art, beginning in the 20th century, and exploring the formation of Modern and Post-Modern art movements, including the avant-garde art and current art media.

ARTH-323 WOMEN ARTISTS: THEN & NOW (3 Credits)

This course examines the lives, careers, and achievements of women artists and the related cultural environment from the Middle Ages to contemporary times in Europe and America, the feminist movement beginning in the 1970's and specifically feminist issues in art that are becoming widespread in the artistic culture. The creative powers of women as consumers, producers, critics, supporters, objects, and subjects of "art" will be considered. To understand the work and the careers of women artists, one must be concerned with the art objects themselves, with the artists' lives and experiences, and with the social and political conditions in which their art has been produced, consumed, and evaluated.

ARTH-333 INTRO TO ISLAMIC ART & ARCHITECTURE (3 Credits)

This course is an introduction to the arts and architecture of the Islamic World from the rise of Islam in the seventh century to the twentieth century. We will examine the three principle vehicles for artistic expression in the Islamic world, namely, architecture, the arts of the book (calligraphy, illustration, illumination, and bookbinding), and the arts of the object(ceramics,metalwork, glass, woodwork, textiles and ivory).

ARTH-380 MUSEUM STUDIES: PROSEMINAR (3 Credits)

The course is an introduction to the modern museum presented in three parts: (1) a general introduction to museums; (2) a practical survey of how museums function (regarding exhibitions; collections; management; museum-law; finance, etc.); and (3) a review of some important topics currently under debate in the museum world and beyond. The course is conceived as a weekly proseminar, with lecturers speaking on a rotating(weekly) basis about their areas of expertise, in accord with the subject matter and assigned readings established on the syllabus.