This course will introduce the student to the art and architecture of Africa from a Western art historical perspective. This course will emphasize the role of art as manifested in the lifestyles, spiritualities, and philosophies of particular African societies, while also broaching aesthetic principles and the study and display of African art. Upon successful completion of this course, the student will be able to: demonstrate an understanding of transitions in the national geography of the African continent from the 17th century to the present; demonstrate an understanding of the ethnic diversity and distinct cultural traditions among people of Africa; identify and discuss materials and techniques employed in the creation of a range of African artistic and architectural works; discuss the functions and meanings of a range of African art forms; identify traditional styles and forms strongly associated with particular cultural groups. (Art History 304)

This course asks students to consider the ways in which social theorists, institutional reformers, and political revolutionaries in the 17th through 19th centuries seized upon insights developed in the natural sciences and mathematics to change themselves and the society in which they lived. Students study trials, art, literature and music to understand developments in Europe and its colonies in these two centuries. Covers works by Newton, Locke, Voltaire, Rousseau, Marx, and Darwin.

This course surveys art of America from the colonial era through the post-war 20th century. The student will consider broad stylistic tendencies in various regions and periods and examine specific artists and works of art in historical and social contexts, with emphasis on the congruent evolution of contemporary American multi-cultural identity. Overarching issues that have interested major scholars of American art and its purview include the landscape (wilderness, Manifest Destiny, rural settlement, and urban development); the family and gender roles; the founding rhetoric of freedom and antebellum slavery; and notions of artistic modernism through the 20th century. Upon successful completion of this course, the student will be able to: Understand the historical (geographic, political) formation of the present United States of America; Be familiar with renowned influential American artists from the 18th through the 20th century; Be conversant in common stylistic designations used in Western art of the 17th through 20th centuries; Recognize subjects and forms in American art through history that mark its distinction; Be able to engage specific images, objects, and structures from different critical perspectives to consider their functions and meanings. (Art History 210)

This class investigates the theory, method, and form of collage. It studies not only the historical precedents for collage and their physical attributes, but the psychology and process that plays a part in the making of them. The class was broken into three parts, changing scales and methods each time, to introduce and study the rigor by which decisions were made in relation to the collage. The class was less about the making of art than the study of the processes by which art is made.

Fact-sheet with images about the Northern Renaissance artist Jan Van Eyck and one of his paintings, the Arnolifini Wedding.

This is an exploration of visual art forms and their cultural connections for the student with little experience in the visual arts. The course includes a brief study of art history and in depth studies of the elements, media, and methods used in creative process and thought. Visual and performing arts are part of the Humanities: academic disciplines that study the human condition and, in addition to the arts, include languages, literature, law, history and religion. This course will teach students to develop a five-step system for understanding visual art in all forms based on description, analysis, meaning, context and judgment.

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This course encourages students to develop an interest in and appreciation for art in all its variety, and promotes expression of this appreciation in an informed and critical way. Upon successful completion of this course, student will be able to: provide several different definitions of the term "Visual arts"; explain the debates that surround the act of defining art; list and discuss some of the roles that the visual arts have historically played; define and apply terms used to describe and analyze a work of visual art; describe and discuss works of visual art using appropriate vocabulary; define and explain in a technical fashion the different methods, mediums, and materials that artists use to create two-dimensional and three-dimensional works of visual art; compare and contrast different methods, mediums, and materials artists use to create two-dimensional and three-dimensional works of visual art; identify the important stylistic developments in the history of art; compare and contrast the artistic styles that have defined different historical eras and geographies; demonstrate an awareness of the importance of acknowledging cultural and historical contexts when approaching art. (Art History 101)

This course is an exploration of visual art forms and their cultural connections for the student with little experience in the visual arts. It includes a brief study of art history and in depth studies of the elements, media, and methods used in creative processes and thought. Upon successful completion of this course, students will be able to: interpret examples of visual art using a five-step critical process that includes description, analysis, context, meaning, and judgment; identify and describe the elements and principles of art; use analytical skills to connect formal attributes of art with their meaning and expression; explain the role and effect of the visual arts in societies, history, and other world cultures; articulate the political, social, cultural, and aesthetic themes and issues that artists examine in their work; identify the processes and materials involved in art and architectural production; utilize information to locate, evaluate, and communicate information about visual art in its various forms. Note that this course is an alternative to the Saylor Foundation’s ARTH101A and has been developed through a partnership with the Washington State Board for Community and Technical Colleges; the Saylor Foundation has modified some WSBCTC materials. This free course may be completed online at any time. (Art History 101B)

This course is an introduction to the major methodologies used by art historians. Although not a history of art history per se, it is organized in a roughly chronological order that traces major methodological developments within the discipline from the birth of art history in the nineteenth century through the late twentieth century. The course will also examine how artworks are displayed in modern art museums. Upon successful completion of this course, the student will be able to: Explain what art historians study and what kinds of questions they ask about works of art; Identify major art historical methodologies and their associated theories and theorists; Write a critical summary of a piece of art historical scholarship; Explain the major aspects of the methodological approaches outlined in this course and how they relate to the philosophical, historical, and social context in which they first appeared; Explain how different methodologies can be used to analyze works of art; Compare and contrast major art historical methodologies; Use different art historical approaches to interpret, analyze, and write about works of art. (Art History 301)

Recommendations of "Art History and Its Publications in the Electronic Age".

Artists are often particularly keen observers and precise recorders of the physical conditions of the natural world. As a result, paintings can be good resources for learning about ecology. Teachers can use this lesson to examine with students the interrelationship of geography, natural resources, and climate and their effects on daily life. It also addresses the roles students can take in caring for the environment. Students will look at paintings that represent cool temperate, warm temperate, and tropical climates.
In this lesson students will: Identify natural resources found in particular geographic areas; Discuss ways in which climate, natural resources, and geography affect daily life; Apply critical-thinking skills to consider the various choices artists have made in their representations of the natural world; Make personal connections to the theme by discussing ways they can be environmental stewards; Identify natural resources found in particular geographic areas; Discuss ways in which climate, natural resources, and geography affect daily life; Apply critical-thinking skills to consider the various choices artists have made in their representations of the natural world; Make personal connections to the theme by discussing ways they can be environmental stewards.

This site presents a program that places art in the context of people's lives so our students will understand how important and effective a tool art is in solving problems and overcoming adversity. The student will recognize that Africans sometimes face problems that are similar to his own, and while the solutions Africans create may look different than ours, they are logical and effective.

This site presents 31 paintings, bowls, and other objects that illustrate the Islamic world's influence on European art. Elements of Islamic art are identified in each of the European pieces, which date back to the Middle Ages.

This course serves as an introduction to the major artistic and architectural traditions of Ancient Egypt and the Ancient Near East. This course will explore how artifacts and monuments can be used to study the history and culture of the ancient world. It is divided into two units that chronologically focus on the art, architecture, and archaeology of each region. The first unit examines Ancient Egyptian tombs, monuments, and art from the Early Dynastic (c. 3100-2650 BCE) through the Roman (30 BCE- 4thcentury CE) periods. The second unit focuses on Ancient Near Eastern artistic and architectural traditions from the late Neolithic (c. 9500-4500 BCE) through the conquest of the Achaemenid Persian Empire (550-330 BCE) by Alexander the Great. Upon successful completion of this course, the student will be able to: Identify major ancient Egyptian and Near Eastern architectural sites, monuments, and works of art; Identify the general characteristics of ancient Egyptian and Near Eastern art and recognize the names and characteristics of the major art historical time periods of each region; Describe how art and architecture can be used to understand the politics, history, and culture of Ancient Egypt and the Near East; Explain ancient Egyptian and Near Eastern cosmology, conceptions of the afterlife, and kingship, as well as their relationship to architectural sites, monuments, and works of art. (Art History 201)

In this course, the student will study the art of Classical Antiquity. The different units of the course reflect the main chronological stages in art development in Ancient Greece and Rome, from the coming together of the Greek city-state and the emergence of Ňgeometric art (around 900 B.C.) to the fourth century A.D. shift that took place within Roman culture and art due to the growing influence of Christianity. Upon successful completion of this course, the student will be able to: Explain why ancient Greek and Roman art can be studied together as Ňthe art of Classical Antiquity; Trace the timeline of major events in Ancient Greece and Rome; Link important developments in the history of Ancient Greece and Rome to specific geographical contexts; Explain how important historical developments and social-historical contexts had an impact on artŐs evolution in Ancient Greece and Rome; Identify the important stylistic and technical developments of Ancient Greek and Roman art; Discuss important artworks, presenting relevant information on each workŐs historical context and constitution; Discuss important artists in terms of the style of their work. (Art History 202)

This course serves as an introduction to the pre-modern Islamic artistic traditions of the Mediterranean, Near East, and Central and South Asia. It surveys core Islamic beliefs, the basic characteristics of Islamic art and architecture, and art and architecture created under each dynasty and ruling party. Upon successful completion of this course, the student will be able to: identify the core beliefs of Islam, the major characteristics of Islamic art, and the major forms of Islamic architecture; identify major pre-modern Islamic works of art and monuments from the Middle East, Northern Africa, Spain, and South Asia; explain how the core beliefs of Islam contributed to the basic characteristics of Islamic art and architecture and the secular art works and architecture of the Islamic world; identify the succeeding dynasties that ruled the Islamic world; explain the important role that the patronage of art and architecture had played in definitions of kingship. (Art History 303)

This course serves as an introduction to the major pre-Modern artistic traditions of India, China, and Japan. It first examines Indian Art, focusing on Buddhist, Hindu, and Islamic art and architecture. Then, the student will cover the arts of China, detailing the interaction between art, politics, and culture throughout Chinese dynastic history. Lastly, the course discusses Japanese Art, exploring the effects that various sub-traditions and sub-cultures had on the art of Japan. Upon successful completion of this course, students will be able to: identify major pre-modern Indian, Chinese, and Japanese works of art and architecture; identify the major art historical time periods in India, China, and Japan and the important artistic developments that occurred during each of them; recognize how art and architecture can be used to understand the politics, history, and culture of India, China, and Japan; look at, analyze, and compare and contrast different types of Asian art. (Art History 305)

This course will examine the history of Western art from approximately 1600 to approximately 1800 period that bridges the gap from the Renaissance to the earliest days of the Modern era. Beginning with the Baroque in Counter-Reformation Italy and concluding with Neoclassicism in the late 18th century, the student will trace the stylistic developments in Europe and America through a variety of religious, political, and philosophical movements. Upon completion of this course, students will be able to: Identify works of art from the Baroque, Rococo, Enlightenment, and Neoclassical periods and be able to distinguish between these different periods; Discuss and identify the oeuvre of the major artists working in Western Europe from 1600-1800; Explain and identify the regional and cultural differences between works of art produced in the same period (i.e., Baroque, Rococo, Enlightenment, or Neoclassical); Recognize important works of art from the Baroque through Neoclassical periods, recalling such information as date of creation, artist, patron (if known), medium, and period; Recognize the features (stylistic and iconographic) typical of each period studied; Explain and discuss the general arc of Western history from approximately 1600-1800, as seen through the lens of the arts; Explain the forces influencing the change in style and subject matter in Western art from 1600-1800; Discuss the sources of influence (from previous historical periods as well as from neighboring geographical regions) that affected art produced from the Baroque to Neoclassical periods; Compare and contrast works of art from the Baroque through Neoclassical periods to those of other periods and cultures; Describe the methods and materials used to create works of art from the Baroque to Neoclassical periods; Explain the ways in which Baroque, Rococo, Enlightenment, and Neoclassical art reveal the social, religious, and political mores of their respective times and places. (Art History 207)

This site provides a brief history of painting in Britain during the 18th and 19th centuries, when English artists began developing their own styles in marine, allegorical, and landscape painting. Paintings are organized in online tours of British conversation pieces and portraits, landscapes of Constable and Turner, the Royal Academy of Art, British and American grand manner portraits, and British and American history paintings.