University Bulletin
Undergraduate Degree Programs
ART H 100
(GA;IL)
Introduction to Art (3) An approach to the understanding of art through a critical analysis of selected works of architecture, painting, and sculpture. Students who have passed ART H 110 may not schedule this course.
ART H 100 Introduction to Art (3)
(GA;IL)
(BA) This course meets the Bachelor of Arts degree requirements.
Art History 100 provides an introduction to the history of art from prehistory to the present, through selected topics, rather than a comprehensive survey. Areas covered usually include prehistoric art, art of the Near East and Egypt, ancient Greek and Roman art, medieval art culminating with the Gothic, Renaissance art both in Italy and northern Europe, Baroque and Rococo art, and modern developments often highlighting Romanticism, Impressionism, Cubism, Dada, Surrealism, Abstract Expressionism, Pop, Feminist, and contemporary art. The course also introduces selected artistic traditions in Africa, Asia and the Americas. The course is designed to meet two principal goals. The first is to increase students' powers of visual analysis and to help them build a critical vocabulary for discussing an art object's medium, composition, style, and iconography. The second is to foster an understanding of the deep implication of the visual arts in their social and cultural contexts, both historical and contemporary. The course therefore involves significant material relating to political, economic and religious issues. It investigates problems in patronage, function, reception and censorship. It considers such intra- and cross-cultural issues as representations of gender and the incorporation of non-European art forms into the Western tradition. Requirements typically include examinations combining short answer and essay questions, and one paper based library research or intensive examination of an actual work of art. As a general education course in the arts, this course provides an introduction to selected themes in the broad history of art for students in any major. It has no prerequisite and presumes no prior exposure to fine art. This course is not a requirement of Art History major or minors, and is therefore directed essentially to students outside the field.