Art History: How to Look at Art

Introductory courses or seminars on topics beyond the scope of existing departmental offerings. See Schedule of Courses for specific titles.

Asynchronous online course

 In this course, you will learn various approaches to looking at art.  Why should we look at art? What can we learn about who, why, or when it was made? Why are there different periods and styles in the history of art?  What tools can you use to analyze a work of art? For each unit, you will have a series of readings and videos that will teach you about specific approaches to looking and studying art.  Over the course of the semester, you will create a digital project, examining one work of art and using the new tools for looking and analysis as you go, and a research paper.

Students will learn the major approaches used by art historians to analyze art.  Students will read and view art historians’ analyses of particular artists and art objects and then use what they have learned to do their own analysis on the object of their choice.  The end goal is for students to feel confident viewing art and identifying the multiplicity of its cultural, aesthetic and personal values. Understanding how and why art can be viewed and analyzed engenders a greater and more sophisticated appreciation for the importance of art and its history and the great joy and intellectual stimulation to be had from viewing and thinking about art.

Students must complete all contents of each week's module by Sunday at midnight. Students may work at their own pace, as long as the deadlines are met.   3 journal entries (15%) Object project (65%): Visual analysis (5%); Iconography (5) Artist Biography (5); Patronage (5), Connoisseurship (5); Context (5); Patronage/Commission history (5); Technical Analysis (5); Provenance (5) ; Bias (5); Digital project (15%) Museum visit (5) Final project/essay on public monuments (20%)