American Art

Abstract:: 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)

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Gilbert Stuart: Works

Abstract:: Stuart portrayed virtually all the notable men and women of the Federal period in the U.S., and was declared the Father of American Portraiture by his contemporaries. Stuart portrayed American and European figures, including George Washington, John and Abigail Adams, John Jay, and Robert Liston. In 1805 he painted the Gibbs-Coolidge Set, the only surviving depiction of the first five presidents.

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Abstract:: Painting in the Dutch Golden Age: A Profile of the Seventeenth Century examines the culture and art of one of the world's greatest periods of creativity. The sheer volume—and outstanding quality—of the paintings produced can scarcely be paralleled. A 164-page book provides background information about the newly independent Dutch Republic and the nexus of its art and civics. Chapters look at landscape, still life, portraiture, and genre and history painting. Also included are artist biographies and resource information. Among artists featured are Rembrandt, Vermeer, and Frans Hals.