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Course Descriptions

ARTH 150 - Art, Culture, & Society I 
At a time when few people could read, human-made objects were the primary form of mass communication. Students will explore the architecture, sculpture, and painting of the ancient and medieval Mediterranean world (Ancient Near East, Egypt, Greece, Rome, and Medieval Europe) to discover how the visual arts shaped and reflected the values and concerns of different cultures.(1)  Global Credit.
Lecture/Discussion: 3 hrs/wk.

ARTH 151 - Art, Culture, & Society II
The rise of an increasingly literate urban middle-class leads to great changes in the history of art, starting with the birth of the Renaissance in Italy through to the influence of popular culture in 20th-century America. Students will explore the works of major figures in the history of painting, sculpture, and architecture from circa 1400-1980 within the context of radical cultural and societal change.  (1) 
Lecture/Discussion: 3 hrs/wk.

ARTH 201 - Research Practicum
Hands-on research conducted under the direction of a faculty member. (1/4)
Prerequisite: Permission of the instructor.

ARTH 218 - Introduction to Archaeology
An introduction to the theories and methods used by archaeologists to reconstruct the cultural practices of past human societies, from religion and authority to domestic life and trade. Case studies introduce students to archaeological sites in places such as Egypt, Greece, Mesoamerica, and North America. (1)
Lecture/Discussion: 3 hrs/wk plus lab 2 hrs/wk.

ARTH 220 - Ancient Egyptian Art and Archaeology
This course investigates the art and archaeology of ancient Egypt from the pyramids to the iconic art of 'King Tut.' We will discuss the art of pharaohs, gods, and mortals. Art and artifacts are placed within their archaeological, social, and historic context. (1)
Lecture: 3 hrs/wk

ARTH 222 - The Archaeology of Death in the Ancient Near East
This course investigates the range of objects, paintings, and tomb types found in ancient Egypt and the ancient Near East. The study of these objects provides us with a window to living traditions and social structures. Material covered will include the Royal tombs of Ur; tomb paintings; and human sacrifice. (1)
Lecture: 3 hrs/wk

ARTH 224 - The Encyclopedic Museum and Archaeological Ethics
Encyclopedic Museums, like the Metropolitan Museum of Art or the Virginia Museum of Fine Arts, have large collections representing cultures across the globe and spanning human history. This class will look at encyclopedic museums through their Egyptian and Near Eastern collections. We will investigate how such collections are formed, the ethics of collecting archaeological materials from Egypt and the Near East, and the controversy behind several famous pieces, from the bust of Nefertiti to the Elgin Marbles. (1)
Lecture: 3 hrs/wk

ARTH 236 – Medieval Art
An exploration of the art produced in Europe from the 4th to the 14th centuries.  The class will examine
how visual culture reflects the political, social, and religious needs of different communities throughout the period. (1)  
Lecture/Discussion: 3 hrs/wk.

ARTH 246 – Italian Renaissance Art
The study of Italian art from Giotto to Michelangelo. Aspects of Italian Renaissance culture and patronage will be explored in order to explain the styles and themes of the period. Where appropriate, the accomplishments of Northern Renaissance artists will be introduced. (1)
Lecture/Discussion: 3 hrs/wk.

ARTH 256 – Baroque: Popes, Kings & Businessmen
The 17th century was a period of extraordinary change, when the political, religious, and cultural life of Europe was in upheaval. This class will examine ways that status and power were fashioned, national identity was shaped, Catholics were distinguished from Protestants, and public and private life were defined through the work of artists such as Caravaggio, Bernini, Velazquez, Rubens, Rembrandt, and Vermeer.  (1)
Lecture/Discussion: 3 hrs/wk.

ARTH266 - From Courtly Art through Revolution
This course focuses on the major artists, stylistic traditions, and historical ideas of western art, architecture, and material culture from ca. 1700 through ca. 1850. Through the close study of works of art, students will be introduced to the role that art has played in engaging with national structures of power, imperial relationships, individual agency, and intellectual traditions.  (1)
Lecture/Discussion: 3 hrs/wk.

ARTH 276 - The Arts of the United States
A historical and conceptual survey investigating American architecture, painting, crafts, and sculptures. (1)
Lecture/Discussion: 3 hrs/wk.

ARTH286 - Modern Art and Architecture
This course focuses on the major artists, stylistic traditions, and historical ideas of western art, architecture, and material culture from ca. 1850 through ca. 1945. Through the close study of works of art and their contemporary theoretical texts, students will be introduced to the formal and conceptual rise of Modernism from Impressionism through abstraction. . (1)
Lecture/Discussion: 3 hrs/wk.

ARTH296 - Global Contemporary Art and Architecture
This course focuses on the major artists, stylistic traditions, and historical ideas of art, architecture, and material culture from 1945 through the present. Beginning with the advent of Abstract Expressionism and progressing through current art and criticism, this course introduces students to art and its discourses in the contemporary world. Reflecting the increasingly porous and trans-national nature of the contemporary art world, this course is global in scope.  (1)  Global Credit
Lecture/Discussion: 3 hrs/wk.

ARTH 291 – Special Topics
Selected studies in specialized art history areas. May be repeated for credit. (1)
Lecture/Discussion:  3 hrs/wk.

ARTH 336 – Issues in Medieval Art
An examination of issues important to the period.  Topics vary. (1)
Lecture/Discussion: 3 hrs/wk.
Prerequisite: ARTH 146 or permission.

ARTH 343 – Early Netherlandish Painting
Robert Campin, Jan van Eyck, and Rogier van der Weyden set the tone for the art of the Netherlands in the fifteenth century. This class will study each artist's oeuvre and how it reflected contemporary concerns, particularly the interrelationship between the historical context, religious life, and social standing of the artists who made the paintings and the patrons who commissioned and used them. (1)
Lecture/Discussion: 3 hrs/wk.

ARTH 346 – Issues in Renaissance Art
An examination of issues important to the period. Topics vary. (1)
Lecture/Discussion: 3 hrs/wk.
Prerequisite: ARTH 156 or permission.

ARTH 348 – Leonardo, Michelangelo, and Raphael
In the 21st century, Leonardo, Michelangelo and Raphael are considered the three artistic geniuses of Italian Renaissance Art. This class will study each artist's oeuvre and how it reflected contemporary concerns, examine the interdependence of career and biography, and consider notions of genius in the study of art. (1)
Lecture/Discussion: 3 hrs/wk.
Pre-requisite: ARTH 146 or permission.

ARTH 353 - The Dutch Golden Age: Rembrandt and Vermeer
Rembrandt and Vermeer are among the most popular "Old Master" painters. Exhibitions of their works and movies and books about their lives attract huge audiences. This course explores the oeuvres of these two painters, comparing what we know (and want to know) about them as art historians with how they have been seen by non-scholars in the past twenty-five years. (1)
Lecture/Discussion: 3 hrs/wk.
Pre-requisite: ARTH 146 or permission.

ARTH 356 – Issues in Baroque Art
An examination of issues important to the period. Topics vary. (1)
Lecture/Discussion: 3 hrs/wk.
Pre-requisite: ARTH 146 or permission.

ARTH 381 – Romanticism
An examination of European Art from 1795-1848, focusing on the cultural concept of Romanticism, which is a broad perspective characterized by drama, tension, and exoticism. (1)
Lecture/Discussion: 3 hrs/wk.
Pre-requisite: ARTH 156 or permission.

ARTH 386 – Issues in Modern Art
An examination of issues important to the period. Topics vary. (1)
Lecture/Discussion: 3 hrs/wk.
Prerequisite: ARTH 156 or permission.

ARTH 388 – Impressionism and Post-Impressionism
Explores in detail the work of major figures in French art during the second half of the 19th century, including: Monet, Degas, Van Gogh, Gauguin, and Cezanne. (1)
Lecture/Discussion: 3 hrs/wk.
Pre-requisite: ARTH 156 or permission.

ARTH 391 – Special Topics in Art History
Selected studies in specialized art history areas. May be repeated for credit. (1)
Lecture/Discussion: 3 hrs/wk.
Prerequisite: Permission.

ARTH 406 – Independent Study and Research
A program of advanced intensive study and experience in art history under the guidance of the art history faculty. (1)
Hours vary.
Prerequisite: Permission and submission of a written proposal, following departmental guidelines. 

ARTH 416 – Art Internship
Practical experience working in or with artistic organization as participant-observer, leading to the preparation of a report that describes and evaluates that organization's activities. (1)
Hours vary.
Prerequisite: Permission and submission of a written proposal, following departmental guidelines.

ARTH 420 - Exhibition Practicum
Designed for students aspiring to gallery or museum careers, this course offers the opportunity to acquire real-world curatorial experience. Students will work under the guidance of the Olin Gallery director to design an exhibition during the fall semester that will go on display in the gallery during the spring semester. Projects may only begin in the fall semester. Maximum of 2 students. (1) Internship, Minimum of 120 hours.
Prerequisite: Permission of the instructor

ARTH 456 – Research Seminar in Art History
A seminar approach to selected topics for advanced students. Topics vary. (1)
Discussion:  3 hrs/wk.
Prerequisite: Permission of the instructor.

ARTH 495, 496, 497 – Honors Project
A program of independent study culminating in the public presentation of a paper. (1/2, 1, 1/2)
Prerequisites: To qualify for consideration to receive honors in the major, a student in the senior year or in the Summer prior to the senior year, must work under the guidance of a faculty committee. A written proposal and application must be approved by the committee and department. A minimum GPA of 3.4 in the major is required. 495 Honors Project is prerequisite for 497 Honors Project.