Art History

Why do Impressionists seem so mundane now but were so shocking in their day? Why did Pollock toss and drip all that paint around and get paid a lot of money for it? What was all the hoopla at the Brooklyn Museum a few years ago?

This course is designed to emulate a college level 'survey' course in Art History that will answer these questions and raise a few more. It begins in the Renaissance in Western Europe, because 1500 was an important moment for Western culture, and finishes off the second half of the millennium. Students will visit virtual museums all over the world, and look at the connections among various types of art that have been created for the past 500 years. This course aims to expand the student’s understanding and love of history and visual art.

As in any art history course, images of the nude human figure will be viewed and discussed. Some controversial topics will be raised during the course, particularly when discussing censorship and contemporary art.

• Visually "read" and understand a work of art.
• Recognize major movements in Western and some non-Western art from the Renaissance to the present.
• Figure out what major art movements an individual work of art relates to and how.
• Be introduced to the discipline of art history and gain an understanding of the mechanisms of that field of study.
• Develop your own informed opinions and responses to works of art.
• Write an informed, intelligent, analysis comparing various works of art.