History of Art in 25 Objects

(3 Credit Hours) · Undergraduate

What is a work of art? And how can we use works of art to illuminate themes vital to the complex, messy, and profoundly joyful experience of being human? This introductory class examines 25 artworks spanning the breadth of the globe’s cultures as prisms to explore the fullness of the human experience in worlds past and present. We will learn how to think through art to probe big questions relating to themes like power and social justice, the relationship between art and science, cross-cultural encounters and exchanges, and the nature of identity. This class features multiple visits to the Raclin Murphy Museum of Art to foster skills in close observation, description, and visual analysis explored in class using real works of art. Fulfills WKAL; no prerequisites or prior knowledge of Art History are required for this course.