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Art and Art History Current Courses

Spring 2025

Course Code Title/Instructor Meets
ARTH 102-01 An Introduction to the History of Art
Instructor: Elizabeth Lee
Course Description:
This course surveys art of the European renaissance through the contemporary period. Art will be examined within the historical context in which it was produced, with attention to contemporary social, political, religious, and intellectual movements. Students will examine the meaning and function of art within the different historical periods. In addition, students will learn to analyze and identify different artistic styles.
10:30 AM-11:45 AM, TR
ALTHSE 106
ARTH 108-01 Arts of East Asia
Instructor: Wei Ren
Course Description:
Cross-listed with EASN 108-01. This course introduces students to a selection of objects and sites that elicit new modes of cultural perception and insight into the artistic cultures of China, Korea, and Japan. Loosely arranged in a chronological order, each week is devoted to in-depth examination of a different type of object, medium, and format. The diverse mediums (sculpture, ceramics, metalwork, lacquer, prints, painting, calligraphy, photography, performance, and architecture) and the long historical span covered in class will chart how culture traveled within East Asia, and later, globally, as well as each cultures distinctive methods of adaptation over time. Major themes include the relationship between artistic production and sociopolitical and socioeconomic development, cultural exchange, aesthetics, impact of religion, power and authority, gender, and issues of modernity. Lectures are supplemented by viewing sessions in the Trout Gallery.This course is cross-listed as EASN 108.
01:30 PM-02:45 PM, TF
WEISS 235
ARTH 108-02 Arts of East Asia
Instructor: Wei Ren
Course Description:
Cross-listed with EASN 108-02. This course introduces students to a selection of objects and sites that elicit new modes of cultural perception and insight into the artistic cultures of China, Korea, and Japan. Loosely arranged in a chronological order, each week is devoted to in-depth examination of a different type of object, medium, and format. The diverse mediums (sculpture, ceramics, metalwork, lacquer, prints, painting, calligraphy, photography, performance, and architecture) and the long historical span covered in class will chart how culture traveled within East Asia, and later, globally, as well as each cultures distinctive methods of adaptation over time. Major themes include the relationship between artistic production and sociopolitical and socioeconomic development, cultural exchange, aesthetics, impact of religion, power and authority, gender, and issues of modernity. Lectures are supplemented by viewing sessions in the Trout Gallery.This course is cross-listed as EASN 108.
03:00 PM-04:15 PM, TF
WEISS 235
ARTH 122-01 Fundamentals of Composition and Drawing
Instructor: Emily Lehman
Course Description:
Working from observation and using a variety of media, this basic studio drawing course will explore issues common to both representational and non-representational art. This course serves as the foundation to upper-level two-dimensional offerings.
01:30 PM-03:29 PM, MW
WEISS 343
ARTH 123-01 Fundamentals of Sculpture
Instructor: Anthony Cervino
Course Description:
A studio course covering basic elements of three-dimensional composition and sculpture. Students will construct sculptures examining a range of media and fabrication techniques.
09:30 AM-11:29 AM, MW
GDYRST DOWN
ARTH 205-01 Creativity, Innovation, Discovery: Art and Science from the Enlightenment to AI
Instructor: Ty Vanover
Course Description:
Why did astronomers draw the stars? Why did art students dissect cadavers? Is "art" made by AI really art? This course will consider these questions and others as we investigate the relationship between the visual arts and the sciences in Europe and North America from the 17th century to the present. We will examine how paintings, sculptures, drawings, prints, and photographs facilitated and/or responded to innovations in the fields of astronomy, biology, chemistry, anthropology, criminology, engineering, and medicine. We will also pay significant attention to art's role in the development of racist and queerphobic pseudo-sciences. Together, we will come to understand how artists and scientists worked together to create our modern world. Science majors welcome.
03:00 PM-04:15 PM, TF
TOME 115
ARTH 205-02 Greek Art & Archaeology
Instructor: Andrew Dufton
Course Description:
Cross-listed with ARCH 120-01 and CLST 221-01. A general introduction to the art and archaeology of ancient Greece from Prehistoric to Hellenistic times: Bronze Age civilizations (Cycladic, NE Aegean and Trojan, Minoan, Helladic/Mycenaean); Protogeometric, Geometric, Archaeic, Classical, and Hellenistic Greece. A survey of architecture (temple, secular, funerary), sculpture, vase-painting, monumental painting, metalwork, and minor arts of these periods, both on mainland Greece and in the Greek colonies (Asia Minor, Pontus, Syria, Phoenice, Egypt, S. Italy and Sicily); comparative study of typological, iconographical, stylistic, and technical aspects and developments; styles and schools, regional trends. Historical contextualization of ancient Greek art and brief consideration of socio-economic patterns, political organization, religion, and writing. Evaluation of the ancient Greek artistic legacy and contribution to civilization. Field trips to archaeological collections and Museums.
11:30 AM-12:20 PM, MWF
DENNY 313
ARTH 205-03 Art from the Underground: Currents of Soviet Nonconformist Art
Instructor: Samuel Driver
Course Description:
Cross-listed with RUSS 260-01. Taught in English. What is Soviet underground art and from where did it arise? Is it a continuation of the avant-garde, a Western knock-off, a kind of political protest or pacifist dissent, or something else? What can the various groups and movements tell us about the changes in the political, historical, and cultural context of the Soviet Union and post-Soviet Russia? The purpose of this course is to introduce students not only to the world of Soviet Nonconformist visual art, but also to the historical and political context that shaped the period and the artistic movements therein. The course begins by laying a critical foundation concerning what preceded the underground movements, from the Russian and Soviet avant-garde to Stalinist Socialist realism, before examining the development of Soviet Nonconformist art from the mid 1950s to current day Russian art activism. A close analysis of Soviet underground movements within the context of their respective eras permits for a novel understanding of much more than just visual art, namely, the turbulent evolution of the Soviet self. By opening up the discourse to the Baltics, Georgia, Ukraine, and Central Asia, among others, it is the goal of the course to move beyond the solely Russian-centric approach to Soviet Nonconformist art toward a more comprehensive understanding of what was occurring across the Soviet Union.
01:30 PM-02:45 PM, TF
BOSLER 213
ARTH 205-04 Criticism and Theory in Art
Instructor: Melinda Schlitt
Course Description:
An intermediate-level study of selected topics in the history of art and architecture. Prerequisites: prerequisites as appropriate to topic.
10:30 AM-11:20 AM, MWF
WEISS 219
ARTH 206-01 Museum Studies
Instructor: Shannon Egan
Course Description:
Cross-listed with ARCH 206-01. Introduces students to the history, theory, practice, and politics of American museums. The course examines museums historical relationships with colonization and considers issues of nationalism, audience accessibility, curatorial activism, and social justice initiatives in the US. Case studies consider controversies and changes in museums, including: the creation of national museums, artists as activists, censorship and the culture wars, and art and identity politics, specifically how gender, race, class, sexuality, ethnicity, religion, feminism, and disability might determine inclusion in or access to exhibitions. This course is open to all students and is especially relevant to those studying the arts, history, archaeology, American Studies, and public policy. Offered every year. This course is cross-listed as ARCH 206.
01:30 PM-02:45 PM, MR
WEISS 221
ARTH 210-01 Buddhist Art in East Asia
Instructor: Wei Ren
Course Description:
Cross-listed with EASN 210-01. How are narratives transformed from texts into images? How are images brought to life, becoming more than mute blocks of stone or colors on paper? How can we best reconstruct and understand these past visual experiences? Through classroom discussion and close examination of key East Asian Buddhist artworks, this course introduces students to the unexpected conceptual interest within the cultural context of East Asia. Each week is devoted to the discussion of a particular keyword, beginning with the basics such as Buddha and bodhisattva and proceeding towards more specialized terms including pure land and mandala. In conjunction with the investigation of keywords in Buddhist art, we will also address theories of iconography, space, spectatorship, ritual, etc. The class will also view Buddhist artworks in the Trout Gallery. This course is cross-listed as EASN 210.
10:30 AM-11:45 AM, TR
WEISS 235
ARTH 216-01 Goddesses, Prostitutes, Wives, Saints, and Rulers: Women and European Art 1200-1680
Instructor: Melinda Schlitt
Course Description:
Cross-listed with WGSS 201-02. How has the representation of women been constructed, idealized, vilified, manipulated, sexualized, and gendered during what could be broadly called the Renaissance in Europe? How have female artists, such as Sofanisba Anguissola (1532-1625) or Artemisia Gentileschi (1593-1653), among others, represented themselves, men, and other familiar subjects differently from their male counterparts? How have female rulers, like Queen Elizabeth I of England, controlled their own political and cultural self-fashioning through portraiture? What role do the lives and writings of female mystics, like Catherine of Siena (1347-1380) or Teresa of Avila (1515-1582) play in depictions of their physical and spiritual identity? How was beauty and sexuality conceived through the imagery of mythological women, like Venus, or culturally ambivalent women, like courtesans and prostitutes? What kind of art did wealthy, aristocratic women or nuns pay for and use? Through studying primary texts, scholarly literature, and relevant theoretical sources, we will address these and other issues in art produced in Italy, France, Spain, Northern Europe, and England from 1200-1680. The course will be grounded in an understanding of historical and cultural contexts, and students will develop paper topics based on their own interests in consultation with the professor. A screening of the documentary film, A Woman Like That (2009), on the life of Artemisia Gentileschi and a trip to the National Gallery of Art, Washington D.C. will take place during the second half of the semester. Offered every year.
03:00 PM-04:15 PM, MR
WEISS 221
ARTH 221-01 Introduction to Photography
Instructor: Andy Bale
Course Description:
Cross-listed with FMST 220-03. An entry-level course in black-and-white photography emphasizing theory, history, and practice. Students learn how to create images, use cameras, develop film and make prints using conventional darkroom processes. Students will also be introduced to Photoshop as well as the basics of scanning and digital printing.
09:30 AM-11:30 AM, TR
GDYRST 101
ARTH 224-01 Wheelwork Ceramics
Instructor: Rachel Eng
Course Description:
A studio course exploring expressive possibilities offered by the potters wheel. Students will examine both utilitarian and sculptural aspects of the medium. A variety of clays, glazes and firing approaches will be examined.
09:30 AM-11:29 AM, MW
GDYRST CERAMICS
ARTH 230-01 Life Drawing
Instructor: Emily Lehman
Course Description:
The course will be devoted to working from the human form during which the students will be expected to develop a sense of two-dimensional line and three-dimensional illusionistic form through the use of such graphic media as pen and ink, pencil, charcoal, Cont crayon, etc. Prerequisite: 122 or permission of the instructor.
01:30 PM-03:29 PM, TR
GDYRST UPST
ARTH 235-01 Post Studio Projects
Instructor: Anthony Cervino
Course Description:
This course explores contemporary artistic methods that compliment traditional studio practices. Emphasizing interdisciplinary and non-media specific approaches, students will engage in site-specific, collaborative, and conceptual projects that challenge the boundaries of medium, material, and space. Through a combination of research, discussion, critique, exhibition, performance, and documentation, students will develop creative works that respond to diverse contexts ranging from public spaces to digital platforms. The course encourages critical thinking about the role of the artist in a dynamic cultural and visual landscape. Repeatable, with permission of instructor.
01:30 PM-04:30 PM, M
GDYRST DOWN
ARTH 300-01 Artists, Audience, Patrons: Art & Architecture of the Italian Renaissance
Instructor: Melinda Schlitt
Course Description:
This course examines painting, sculpture, and architecture in Italy from 1250 to 1570. The work of Giotto, Lorenzetti, Donatello, Masaccio, Brunelleschi, Ghiberti, Botticelli, Leonardo, Raphael, Titian, and Michelangelo, among others will be addressed. Students will study the significance of style, subject-matter, function, patronage, and artistic practice within historical and cultural contexts, and will also address Renaissance interpretations and responses to works of art. Discussion of art-historical theory and criticism as well as Renaissance theory and criticism based in primary texts will be an intrinsic part of the course. Students will acquire the ability to analyze and interpret works of art from the period within the framework outlined above, and will gain a working knowledge of the most significant works and the meaning(s) they have acquired over time. Analysis of primary and secondary sources will be a central focus of the research project, and students will be expected to construct a clear and well-supported interpretive argument over the course of the semester. The course includes a field trip to the National Gallery of Art in Washington, D.C., which has the largest collection of Italian Renaissance painting outside of Europe. Prerequisite: 101 or 102 or permission of the instructor. Offered every year.
09:00 AM-10:15 AM, TR
WEISS 221
ARTH 320-01 Advanced Photography & Imaging
Instructor: Andy Bale
Course Description:
An advanced course enabling students to explore advanced photo-based techniques, experimental problems, and aspects of contemporary and historical practice in photographic-based image making. Prerequisite: 221, or permission of the instructor.
01:30 PM-03:29 PM, TR
GDYRST 101
ARTH 322-01 Digital Studio 2: Time-Based Process
Instructor: Emily Lehman
Course Description:
Cross-listed with FMST 320-02. This course will allow students to explore time-based approaches to making art with a focus on the moving image and sound. Topics will include short film, animation, experimental film, and installation art. This course will be beneficial to students working at an advanced level and are interested in the possibilities time-based mediums can bring to their process. The work of artists and media specific art trends, from the 20th century to the present, will provide a working model for the course. Process and making will be the main focus, and students will be encouraged to consider the relationship between digital processes and traditional mediums such as drawing and sculpture. Students will gain a thorough understanding of editing in Apples Final Cut Pro. Prerequisites: ARTH 122 and one studio course at the 200-level or higher, or permission of instructor.
09:30 AM-11:29 AM, MW
GDYRST 101
ARTH 326-01 Intaglio Printmaking
Instructor: Todd Arsenault
Course Description:
An in-depth exploration of etching, engraving, aquatint and other techniques of drawing on, and printing from metal plates. Photo-etching and working in color will also be covered. Prerequisite: 122 or permission of the instructor.
03:30 PM-05:30 PM, TR
WEISS 340
ARTH 327-01 Advanced Painting
Instructor: Todd Arsenault
Course Description:
A second-level studio painting course concentrating on the figure, and covering advanced techniques, alternative materials, and aspects of contemporary and historical practice. Prerequisite: 227.
09:30 AM-11:30 AM, TR
WEISS 342
ARTH 330-01 Advanced Life Drawing
Instructor: Emily Lehman
Course Description:
Advanced problems and issues in drawing the human form. Prerequisite: 230 or permission of the instructor.
01:30 PM-03:29 PM, TR
GDYRST UPST
ARTH 360-01 Contemporary Ceramic Practices
Instructor: Rachel Eng
Course Description:
Selected advanced studio techniques and concepts. The content of each course will be altered periodically. Prerequisites: two studio art courses at the 100- or 200-level, or permission of the instructor.
09:30 AM-12:30 PM, F
GDYRST CERAMICS
ARTH 391-01 Global Avant-Gardes
Instructor: Ty Vanover
Course Description:
In this course, we will seek to critically examine and decenter the European avant-garde by locating its attendant movements within a global context. We will begin by developing a theoretical grounding for our conception of the avant-garde: what do we mean when we use the term "avant-garde," and what associations do we attach to it? We will then explore a series of key movements traditionally associated with the European avant-garde and situate them in relation to contemporary global correlates. Topics will include the reception of Symbolism and Surrealism in the Middle East; Cubism in Mexico; Dada and the Japanese Mavo movement; the development Bauhaus ideologies in Germany and India; Constructivism between Russia and Latin America; and Socialist Realism in the USSR and its "Third World" periphery. Drawing on canonical texts and recent interventions in postcolonial theory, we will tend to these nodes of mutual artistic and ideological exchange and identify points of dissonance between these movements to arrive at a deconstructed image of avant-garde movements from the mid-nineteenth century through the first half of the twentieth century.
01:30 PM-02:45 PM, MR
WEISS 219
ARTH 411-01 Senior Studio, Part 2
Instructor: Rachel Eng
Course Description:
Second half of the required, yearlong capstone for senior studio art majors. This course will continue with the critique-based model of independent studio practice as established in the first semester. The main focus of this course will be completing a fully developed body of thesis work for exhibition in the Trout Gallery, and the production of a supporting catalog. Prerequisite: 410
01:30 PM-04:30 PM, W
GDYRST DOWN