Eighteenth-Century British Art

3 credits · Undergraduate

The story of art in 18th-century Britain involves the struggle to develop a national artistic identity which was distinct from the artistic traditions of Italy, Holland, and France. This course will address the meaning and function of history painting, portraiture, marine painting, and landscapes in relation to a rapidly expanding art market, taking into account the way that gender, class, and race played into the visual marking of status and power. We will also look at the ways in which visual culture helped to shape Britain's national identity as an emerging imperial power.