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.
At the end of this course, you should be able to:
- 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.
Access to a scanner, Windows Media Player or an equivalent program, and ability to attach images. It is strongly recommended that students have access to a digital camera.
Please note: This course requires regular access to a computer with a Windows[/Mac] operating system in order to install the software required for the course. This part of the course cannot be completed on a Chromebook or mobile device.
**This course may not be appropriate for students with specific accessibility limitations as written. Please refer to the VHS Learning Handbook policy on Special Education/Equity for more information on possible modifications. If you need additional assistance, please let us know at service.goVHS.org.