Art History After 1450 | Master Course Outlines | Academics

VAFA192 Art History After 1450

3 credits

2250

Writing Placement Test score of 6 or COMP107 (C or better)

None

Museum trip is mandatory.

This course meets the General Education requirement for Arts/Humanities.

This survey course covers painting, sculpture, and/or architecture from the Renaissance through Impressionism. Students gain a formal understanding of Western art by major artists of the fifteenth through nineteenth centuries. They interpret selected examples of art using a variety of analytic methodologies, including cultural, religious, social, political, and/or economic context.

Course Learning Goals

Students will:
1. recognize the major art historical periods and styles of the Western world from approximately 1450 A.D. to 1900 A.D.;
2. describe the forms of Western art from approximately 1450 A.D. to 1900 A.D., using appropriate art historical vocabulary (i.e., perform a formal analysis);
3. identify and explain the subject matter of a work of art;
4. interpret the possible meaning of a work of art within an appropriate and arguable context (e.g., historical, religious, political, economic, social, racial, gender roles, etc.) [Arts/Humanities]; and
5. apply research skills using library resources and/or scholarly Internet sites.
Planned Sequence of Topics and/or Learning Activities
Students study in class and through museum visits introductory level Renaissance, Mannerist, Baroque, Rococo, Neoclassical, Romantic, Realist, and Impressionist art with emphasis on the great innovators of these periods. They learn basic terminology used in the study of visual art forms and apply this vocabulary to the art created during each of these art historical periods. Students examine art as a reflection of its cultural origin and explore how art can be interpreted in the content of history, religion, politics, economics, social hierarchies, race relations, gender roles, etc. As appropriate, they examine how the art produced by these different European cultures has had an influence on American culture.
Assessment Methods for Course Learning Goals
1. required exams that include essay questions
2. required museum paper with proper use and citation of research materials
3. optional quizzes
4. optional writing assignments
Reference, Resource, or Learning Materials to be used by Student:
Slides, video, digital technology and supplementary readings are selected by instructor. Departmentally-selected textbook. See course syllabus.