Introduction to the History of Art: Modern Photography

This class will survey the history of photography as an art form and means of visual communication in the modern era. The photograph will be considered from both esthetic and social perspectives; photography's rise as a medium of personal expression will be examined, as will technology's role in the creation of new regimes of spectatorship, and the mass dissemination of visual information. The class follows the rise of photography's acceptance as an art form in the twentieth century, and culminates with its prominence within the phenomenon of postmodernism. Prior coursework in modern history or art history is helpful. Enrollment limited 80.