ARTS1051: HISTORY OF ART I

Abstract

This course explores the art produced in the Western world between the time of the earliest civilizations and the end of the late Gothic era (roughly 30,000 BCE to 1400 CE). We will focus on major artistic monuments and movements, paying particular attention to how art shapes and is shaped by the social and historical conditions of the period and culture. The class will consider art in a variety of media, including painting, sculpture, architecture and the decorative arts. Students will be encouraged to approach each period through a few key monuments or objects, analyzing each within its own particular cultural perspective. The course stresses the importance of looking at works of art closely and in context, and encourages students to develop their skills of close observation and critical visual analysis. Primary source texts will be used to prompt class discussions that explore the relationship between works of art and cultural traditions and ideals. Two written assignments will be based on analysis and interpretation of works of art from The Metropolitan Museum of Art.