Art History

Art has shaped humanity's understandings of its place in the world for thousands of years. This course explores such issues while providing an introduction to Art History at the university level. Lectures generally cover material spanning from c.500 to c.1700, but range significantly earlier for certain parts of the world. The course builds on History of Art 1A, but can be also be taken independently. Material covered comes is global in scope, and is chosen to show how different premodern cultures made and used works of art and visual culture to more deeply understand their physical and spiritual worlds. This course introduces students to the discipline of Art History by looking at the intersections of art and knowledge amongst past cultures from across the globe. Virtually all human societies have long produced artworks to more deeply understand their worlds, grappling with natural life and what lies beyond, in scientific and spiritual terms. Case studies come from places such as medieval and renaissance Europe and the Islamic world, premodern east and south Asia and Africa, and prehispanic and colonial Latin America.

The course focuses on the fundamental elements of Roman artistic, architectural, and urban civilization and their role in the processes of cultural integration. The course highlights historical and cultural issues and places artistic productions in their social, political, and economic contexts in order to arrive at sound historical reconstructions. Students are encouraged to explore independently scientific instruments and bibliographical references that are of interest to them. The course focuses on typologies, functions, and significance of Roman monuments and artistic expressions. Attention is placed on chronological questions and the history of research methodologies. The course includes an optional seminar for art history majors. Specific topics include: A Plural Art–artistic Roman cultures from the Archaic period to the Late Antiquity; Rome in the Archaic period–places of power, cultural spaces, houses; the urbanistic and monumental evolution of the Urbe in the Republican and Imperial age; places of power, temples, and sanctuaries, spaces of entertainment, houses, tombs; originality of Roman art, relationships between Greek art and Classicisms; Romanization–diffusion and assimilation of romanitas, town urbanism and its public and private monuments; art of construction–techniques and materials; artistic “languages” Arte colta and arte plebea; sculpture, painting, and mosaics, Achillean statues, historical rendering, portraits. Assessment is based on an oral exam aimed at verifying knowledge of the materials presented in class as well as the assigned readings. Exchange students are given the option of a written exam in lieu of the oral exam, if they prefer. The written exam consists of four essay questions on the general themes of the course and the identification and analysis of specific works of art.

This course examines aspects of the visual arts from c.1700. It enhances the knowledge and skills of students who already possess a basic familiarity with the discipline, and broadens their knowledge of the history of art. Visiting students who are here for the full year are permitted to take one of the half courses History of Art 2A or 2B. If they want to do the full course they must be enrolled onto HIAR08012 to include the exam. The half courses are only open to visiting students.

 

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.