Art History

This course examines cultural highpoints in the arts of Japan from the 14th to the 19th centuries. Artefacts in all media - painting, ceramics, lacquer, and textiles - are examined in the context of the influence of China on Japan, the creation of the Shogun Court, the rise of the merchant classes and the establishment of the pleasure districts in burgeoning Tokyo. Particular attention is paid to lacquer ware created for the domestic and European market, the arts associated with the tea ceremony and traditional Japanese theatre. Themes of Japonisme are explored, particularly in 19th-century Ireland as Japan emerged after 250 years of self-imposed isolation from the outside world.

This course explores the cultural relationship between museums and identity in London. Long recognized as important sites for reinforcing social, political, and national identities, museums have undergone significant changes since the first public museum opened two hundred years ago. The course draws on the rich resources of London such as the British Museum, National Gallery, Imperial War Museum, Tate Britain, and the Museum of London to consider the role of these institutions both in the past and in the present. Far more than storehouses preserving Britain's cultural heritage, museums can now also be agents of social change, providing a place where identities can be explored, challenged, and reconsidered. How are museums meeting the challenges of a more dynamic global city? This course takes a multidisciplinary approach, engaging with current debates within art, politics, and social sciences.