Sometimes called "Caves to Cathedrals," this course will focus on the pivotal role of art in the development of human consciousness and culture from the earliest times. The course will begin in the prehistoric period and make its way through the wonders of the ancient world in the Near East, Egypt, Greece, and Rome to the marvels of the Middle Ages from early Christian, Byzantine, Islamic, Romanesque, and Gothic to the coming of the early Renaissance in fourteenth century Europe. While some works from Asia, Africa, and the New World will be included, the main focus will be on the Western (or European) tradition.
Course Objectives
The objectives for students in this course are the following (which will be demonstrated through examinations, slide/fact quizzes, and written work):
- To develop cultural perspective on our own times by mastering the flow and change of major works and movements in the arts through history and how they illumine, express, and sometimes shape the concerns and consciousness of their times.
- To master and learn to use the specific vocabulary of the arts and their history in order to examine both the style of art works through their formal analysis, and their content and meaning through exploring their contemporary cultural contexts.
- To develop awareness of the many levels of meaning and richness of content communicated by artists in some works of art.
- To discuss, intelligently and perceptively, art works, styles, content, and meaning, in their historical contexts.
Note to students: Welcome to the study of art history! We are about to embark on a journey of exploration and discovery into the world of the visual arts and the unique perspectives they provide into the minds and times of past civilizations. We will find that ways of seeing tell us much about ways of being. To prepare yourselves, clear your minds of preconceptions and open yourself to really looking. An excellent beginning is to acquire and read the introduction in our textbook, Fred S. Kleiner, Gardner's Art Through the Ages: A Concise Global History, 4th edition, with MindTap Access Card, 2017 (isbn 978-1-305-57780-0 or 978-1-305-86837-3).
Course Requirements, Policies, and all course details are to be found in the Course Syllabus in the Resources and Materials section of the course website. --HBG