Art History (ARTH)

This is an archived copy of the 2018-2019 catalog. To access the most recent version of the catalog, please visit http://catalog.wofford.edu.

ARTH 201. History of Western Art I. 3 Hours.

An introductory survey of Western art and its major monuments, artists, techniques, styles, and themes which encompass the art of prehistory, the Ancient World, the Middle Ages and the Renaissance.

ARTH 202. History of Western Art II. 3 Hours.

An introductory survey of Western art and its major monuments, artists, techniques, styles and themes. This course surveys the art of the Baroque and the 18th, 19th and 20th centuries.

ARTH 210. Principles & Types of Architecture. 3 Hours.

An introduction to the study of architecture through an examination of the principles that underlie architectural design and their use in outstanding historic examples of residential, religious, and civic architecture.

ARTH 220. Survey of Asian Art History. 3 Hours.

An introduction to the arts of Asia, including India, China, Japan, Korea, and Southeast Asia. This course addresses the distinctive styles, forms, and aesthetics of Asian art and their expression of Asian cultures and values. An emphasis will be placed upon indigenous traditions and transmissions of culture that motivated the creation of works of art. Successful completion of this course satisfies the Cultures and Peoples requirement for graduation.

ARTH 225. Islamic Art. 3 Hours.

A survey of the art and architecture of Islamic cultures throughout the world. Emphasis in this course will be placed on understanding works of art within their social and religious contexts, including ritual use and/or cultural meaning, underlying aesthetic principles, and the social and political motivations shaping artistic production. Additional Issues addressed include the use of art to express political power and Western attitudes towards Islamic art and civilization. Successful completion of this course satisfies the Cultures and Peoples requirement for graduation.

ARTH 241. African Art: Gender, Power & Life-Cycle Ritual. 3 Hours.

A survey of the arts of sub-Saharan Africa. This course examines examples of sculpture, architecture, painting, pottery, textile art, and body adornment in their religious, political, and social contexts. Successful completion of this course satisfies the Cultures and Peoples requirement for graduation.

ARTH 280. Selected Topics in Art History. 1 to 4 Hours.

Selected topics in Art History at the introductory or intermediate level.

ARTH 301. Ancient & Classical Art. 3 Hours.

A study of the major developments in ancient Greek and Roman art and architecture, including a consideration of the Aegean and Etruscan cultures that preceded them. This course places objects in their cultural context, with emphasis on the use of art as a tool for political propaganda.

ARTH 302. Medieval Art. 3 Hours.

A study of the major developments in the visual arts during the Middle Ages, including the art of Constantinian Rome and Byzantium, the pre-Christian art of the North and its assimilation into the Christian tradition, the artistic expression of monasticism and pilgrimage, and the Gothic flowering of art in cathedral construction, sculpture, and manuscript illumination.

ARTH 303. Italian Renaissance Art. 3 Hours.

An examination of the arts of painting, sculpture, and architecture as practiced in Italy between 1300 and 1600, with emphasis on artistic techniques that were invented and/or perfected during this period. Topics discussed include humanism and the revival of antiquity, the changing social status of the artist, and the relation between the visual arts and literature.

ARTH 304. Baroque & Rococo Art. 3 Hours.

A study of the various individual, national, and period styles practiced during the 17th and 18th centuries, a period encompassing the artistic expression of absolute monarchy, Catholic encouragement vs. Protestant rejection of liturgical art, the foundation of academies of art, and the revelatory works of Bernini, Rubens, Velazquez, and Rembrandt.

ARTH 305. 19th-Century Art. 3 Hours.

A study of the principal styles and artists that distinguish the art produced just prior to and throughout the 19th century, seen against the background of significant cultural developments: political and industrial revolutions, the establishment of mass cultural venues such as the museum and the world's fair, the influence of music on the visual arts, and the waning influence of the academies vs. the emergent concept of the avant-garde.

ARTH 308. Art of the American South. 3 Hours.

This comprehensive survey course offers an overview of art of the American South. This course explores art of the American South from later European settlement through the present day, with the goal of exposing and understanding historical trajectories and myths as they play out in the visual arts. This seminar provides a broad overview of selected topics, including: natural history illustration; maps; architectural and decorative arts history; geographical spotlights (Charleston in particular); visual responses to war (the Civil War in particular); landscape painting; sonic approaches; photography; New Deal visual arts programs; regionalism; self-taught art and vernacular traditions; modernist impulses; and critiques and legacies of racism.

ARTH 310. 20th Century Architecture: Modernism & Post-Modernism. 3 Hours.

An exploration of the architecture of the twentieth century and the various architects, styles, and theories of design encompassed by the broad labels Modern and Post-Modern. These topics will be studied from a variety of perspectives-political, economic, social, technological, and aesthetic-in an effort to understand how recent architecture reflects the circumstances which surrounded its making and what the architects of the time tried to achieve and to express with its creation.

ARTH 311. African American Art. 3 Hours.

An introduction to African American art and artists and their social contexts from early slavery to the present day. The course will examine the roots, main currents, forms, styles, content, aesthetics, and ideological dimensions of African American art. Also considered will be the advantages and disadvantages of framing African American art as a distinct category and the ?black experience? as a distinct type of background. An emphasis will placed on visual acuteness and identification, proper art historical terminology and concepts, and developing analytical writing skills.

ARTH 321. Art of South Asia. 3 Hours.

A study of major developments in the visual arts of the Indian subcontinent from the protohistoric era through the seventeenth century. Topics discussed include the political, economic, social, and cultural conditions that shaped the direction of visual arts and architecture in South Asia. Fundamental to this course will be the meaning and symbolic content of the arts in relation to regional indigenous religious traditions, namely Hinduism, Buddhism, and Jainism. Successful completion of this course satisfies the Cultures and Peoples requirement for graduation.

ARTH 322. Art of China. 3 Hours.

An examination of topics in the visual arts of China from its protohistoric river cultures to the contemporary era. This course traces the development of Chinese art in the fields of painting, sculpture, calligraphy, architecture, and ceramics. Of special interest are the functional aspects of art, whether for ritual, expressive, or propagandistic purposes, and the shifting roles of artist and patron in Chinese civilization. Successful completion of this course satisfies the Cultures and Peoples requirement for graduation.

ARTH 323. Art of Japan. 3 Hours.

An examination of topics relating to the visual arts of Japan, ranging from pottery and clay technologies in the protohistoric era to developments in the manufacture of nineteenth-century multicolored woodblock prints. Issues to be addressed include the impact of cultural interactions with continental Asia, the transmission of Buddhism and Buddhist art to Japan, and the growth of indigenous aesthetics and artistic practices. Successful completion of this course satisfies the Cultures and Peoples requirement for graduation.

ARTH 411. Art Historiography. 3 Hours.

An exploration of the theory and methodology of art history, intended to develop critical thinking skills, to further the student's ability to write persuasively about art, to develop research and bibliographic skills, and to cultivate an awareness of some of the approaches employed by historians of art, including biography, connoisseurship, style criticism, iconology, and feminist criticism. The test of Art Historical Proficiency will be administered as part of this course. A score of 70% or better is required for all Art History majors.

Prerequisite: ARTH 201 with a minimum grade of D or ARTH 202 with a minimum grade of D or ARTH 210 with a minimum grade of D or ARTH 220 with a minimum grade of D or ARTH 225 with a minimum grade of D or ARTH 241 with a minimum grade of D.

ARTH 412. Gender & Art of the Early Modern Period. 3 Hours.

This seminar examines gender as it relates both to the creation and study of early modern art. Historical gender norms are investigated in relation to the content, artists, viewers and patrons of art of the period c. 1480-1630. Alongside the visual investigation of artworks, students will read, discuss, and write about a body of interconnected primary and secondary sources and develop the skill of evaluating scholarly arguments.

ARTH 415. Empires & Antiquities. 3 Hours.

A seminar investigating the development of Asian and Islamic art history, with emphasis on the changing attitudes of Western culture and scholarship towards the arts of Asia and the Islamic world. Among major topics of the course are Orientalism, European colonialism, nationalism in the nineteen and twentieth centuries, post-colonialism, and issues surrounding the presentation and collecting of objects from Asia and the Islamic world.

ARTH 448. Senior Capstone in Art History. 3 Hours.

An optional capstone experience for senior majors and minors, facilitating the synthesis of knowledge and skills encountered across the major program and the completion of an extended research project. Taught in seminar format, it is strongly recommended for students intending to pursue graduate study. Open only to seniors majoring or minoring in Art History.

ARTH 470. Independent Study in Art History. 1 to 3 Hours.

Study of a specific art historical topic under the direction of a faculty member in Art History. The readings, program of research, and written work to be undertaken by the student will be determined in consultation with the instructor.

ARTH 480. Advanced Topics in Art History. 0 to 4 Hours.

Offered periodically as announced. Recent topics have included: Vincent van Gogh and Rome: A City in History. Advanced standing required.

ARTH 481. Advanced Topics in Art History. 3 Hours.

ARTH 500. Honors Course. 3 Hours.

At the discretion of the faculty, students may undertake a six-hour independent course of study in the senior year in order to broaden their educational experience within their major area of study. Students must meet specific GPA standards and arrange a faculty sponsor. The honors course criteria are outlined in the Academic Honors portion of the catalog.