ARTS1050: Introduction to Art

Abstract

This course offers a basic introduction to the history of European and American art from the ancient period to the present. It covers all the major eras of Western art, but it focuses only on selected artists and artworks. The central organizing theme of the course will be the relationship—sometimes harmonious, sometimes conflicted—between naturalism and idealism in the Western tradition. Over the course of the semester, we will examine the social and artistic factors that structured and informed the representation of reality. At the same time, we will seek to understand why realistic representation at times came to seem the very enemy of art. In order to grapple with these issues, we will need to cover some of the basic methodological concerns of art history, including stylistic analysis, iconography, and contextualization. Throughout the semester, short assignments and in-class discussions will help familiarize students with the basic tools and vocabulary of art history. No previous experience with art history is required. By participating fully in the course, you will have acquired, by the end of the semester, the following knowledge and skills: · the ability to describe and analyze the formal elements of a work of art. · a basic understanding of art techniques and processes. · the ability to identify and make comparisons between important artists, art objects, and artistic styles of different periods and cultures. · a basic understanding of the production and reception of art objects. · a basic understanding of how art relates to its historical and cultural circumstances. · a basic understanding of the causes of historical change in art. · a basic understanding of different art historical approaches and methodologies.