Art History: Indian and Islamic Art

Study of visual arts of the medieval period with variable themes and/or geographic lenses. Students will develop skills as visual investigators and responsible interpreters of the art. Representative topics: Global Middle Ages; Indian and Islamic Art. May repeat for credit with different content. Topics vary by offering; periodic offering at intervals that may exceed four years. Prerequisite: ARTH 1016 or ARTH 1410.

Prereqs enforced by the system: ARTH 1016 or 1410 PACE students by permission and override

This course will introduce students to art produced in the Indian subcontinent and Middle East in the medieval and early modern periods. After tracing the origins and history of Buddhist, Jain, Vedic, and Islamic religious and visual traditions, we will study the artistic flourishing of the Mughal empire in the late medieval and early modern period. Focusing on paintings, books, luxury objects, and architecture, we will examine developments in style and iconography within religious and secular artistic production of medieval Islamic cultures.

After completing this course, students will be able to better identify and understand Indian and Islamic and works of art in their social and cultural contexts. Regular attendance at lectures, completion of reading and writing assignments, and participation in discussions will allow students to develop the critical visual and textual language necessary for recognizing, thinking critically, and discussing important themes of Indian and Islamic art.

Regular attendance is expected, and students will be evaluated through writing assignments.