Description

Art has been many things to many people. This class introduces students to the history of art and art-like things on Earth from prehistory to ca. 1800 CE. It covers canonical examples from older scholarship alongside works and contexts emerging in recent art histories. Students will learn to perform basic art historical analysis and research, and the course will prepare them to form personal art histories, applying such art histories to their own work. The course surveys historical art in a global scope, from the beginnings of known culture to the dawn of the Industrial Revolution. It introduces students to a range of interdisciplinary frameworks for parsing the production, reception, and conceptualization of art. And it challenges students to think about the relationships between past and present, highlighting how later artists and cultures have engaged earlier art and history. There is a small amount of required reading each week-on average about 20 pages. Written work includes weekly reading responses, two in-class quizzes, an annotated bibliography project, and a take-home final exam.

This course delves into the history of art and cultural production from prehistory to 1850 CE, fostering an understanding of diverse artistic traditions, contexts, and movements. Through lectures, discussions, museum visits, and assignments, students will develop skills in art historical research, formal analysis, and critical thinking. The course emphasizes exploring how art history has been constructed with cultural and national values and challenges students to connect historical practices to their own work as emerging artists.

What is Research in Art History?

Art historical research involves examining artworks within their cultural, historical, and material contexts, understanding their creators, purposes, and influences. Students will learn to investigate primary and secondary sources, analyze visual evidence, and interpret works using formal elements like line, space, form, texture, and color. This approach reveals the socio-political, religious, and personal power structures embedded in art.

How Students Learn Analyzing:

Students engage with formal analysis through structured assignments, starting with detailed visual observations and expanding to interpretive arguments supported by historical evidence. Weekly activities encourage hands-on learning, such as comparing artworks, drafting exhibition statements, and curating thematic collections.

Weekly Activities Include:

1. Introduction to Art History: Students reflect on how historical subject matter influences contemporary art and connect it to their own practice.  

2. Prehistoric Art: Research contemporary artists inspired by ancient forms like cave art, supporting interpretations with scholarly citations.  

3. Formal Analysis Practice: Develop theses using guided analysis of artworks and connect findings to personal exhibition checklists.  

4. Museum Analysis I: Perform a two-page formal analysis of a selected artwork at the Art Institute of Chicago.  

5. Exhibition Statement Drafting: Analyze exhibition texts and prepare initial ideas for a personal curatorial statement.  

6. Contemporary and Historical Connections: Research artists like Lakela Brown, exploring how historical art informs contemporary practices.  

7. Compare and Contrast Essays: Analyze Michael Rakowitz’s works, identifying thematic and stylistic differences.  

8. Medieval Gardens and Social Meaning: Research historical gardens and contemporary parallels, exploring their political and spiritual significance.  

9. Museum Analysis II: Further refine formal analysis skills with a focus on human representation in art.  

10. Material and Meaning: Examine how materials shape the meaning of both historical and personal artworks.  

11. Underrepresented Histories: Explore missing narratives in the Renaissance canon and brainstorm methods of reclamation.  

12. Curatorial Themes: Group works into themes for final exhibitions and draft labels and wall texts.  

13. Final Preparation: Consult with teaching assistants to finalize personal exhibitions, including artwork labels and thematic statements.

Final Assignment:

Students curate a personal exhibition of 20 artworks, combining historical and personal pieces, and present it in a format of their choice (e.g., PowerPoint, video, brochure). The exhibition includes a title, wall text, thematic descriptions, captions, and an analysis of how the works connect to broader cultural or historical contexts.

Grading:

- Attendance and participation (45%)  

- Museum assignments (30%)  

- Final exhibition project (25%)  

This course equips students with foundational art historical knowledge and analytical tools, enabling them to integrate historical insights into their creative practices and critically engage with art's role in society.