French Art and Politics in the Belle Epoque

3 units

This interdisciplinary seminar addresses the rich intersection of politics, fine arts and visual culture in modern France from the Franco-Prussian War (1870) to the First World War (1914). We will study the political trends, historical events, and cultural conditions of the era, and their direct influence on the production and reception of a wide range of visual arts, ranging from official paintings and monuments to popular culture such as tourist and documentary photography, commercial posters and political caricature. We also examine the question of what it meant in the Belle Epoque to be an avant-garde artist, and how such artists expressed political sentiment in their work. Prerequisites: permission of instructor.