Introduction to Art History, 1400 to the Present

4 Credits.

This course introduces world art and architecture from the late fourteenth century to the present, inclusive of Africa, the Americas, Asia, Europe, and the Islamic world. We will engage with three primary thematic threads throughout, exploring landscape and the changing environment; portraiture, self-representation, and the body; and the circulation of artists, materials, and ideas around the globe. Wherever they are located, students will be asked to visit monuments, architecture, and/or museums to engage with art in person. Recorded lectures by the professor, scholarly readings, digital resources, films, and the textbook material will serve as the foundation for the course. Assignments will include close-looking annotations, short writing assignments often keyed to museum contexts (like label writing, image description for the blind and partially sighted), video tours, and peer-to-peer presentations. Students will have the opportunity to check-in weekly with the professor via synchronous office hours. Expect a fast pace—this is a full semester course in four weeks. Plan to spend 3 hours each weekday working through the materials (“contact hours”) and another 1-3 hours per day working on assignments, including visiting museums or sites in your area.