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Department of Art History
Skidmore College
815 North Broadway
Saratoga Springs, New York 12866
518-580-5053 (tel)
518-580-5028 (fax)
Katherine Hauser, Department Chair
518-580-5054
Scribner Library Room 227
Please see Prof. Hauser for signature on study abroad forms, major/minor forms, AP credit
Terri Brandt, secretary
Scribner Library Room 230
tbrandt@skidmore.edu
Courses
AH 100. SURVEY OF WESTERN ART 4A survey of Western art from ancient times to the present that places monuments of art in social, historical, and cultural contexts. (Fulfills humanities requirement.) K. Hauser, M. Hellman, P. Jolly
AH 103. THE ARTS OF AFRICA, OCEANIA, AND THE AMERICAS 4
A survey of the arts of Africa (south of the Sahara), Oceania (the South Sea Islands), and native North, Central and South America. This course examines a variety of styles, techniques and socioreligious functions of the arts and architecture of these non-Western cultural areas. (Designated a non-Western culture course; fulfills humanities requirement.) L. Aronson
AH 105. SURVEY OF ASIAN ART: SOUTH AND SOUTHEAST ASIAN AND HIMALAYAN 4
An overview of the art and material culture of India, Southeast Asia, and Tibet. Works of art and culture will be examined with an emphasis on style as cultural expression, the meaning of the arts in a religious context, and the impact of cross-cultural exchange. (Designated a non-Western culture course; fulfills humanities requirement.) R. Linrothe
AH 106. SURVEY OF ASIAN ART: EAST ASIA 4
Survey of the art and material culture of China, Korea, and Japan. Works of art and culture will be examined with an emphasis on style as cultural expression, the meaning of the arts in a religious context, and the impact of the cross-cultural exchange. (Designated a non-Western culture course; fulfills humanities requirement.) R. Linrothe
AH 111. INTRODUCTION TO ART 3
A focus on a variety of monuments and traditions of art and architecture, with the goal of exploring issues concerning style, function, technique, and meaning. Attention will be paid to topics such as creativity, the artist and society, sacred and secular art, gender and art, crafts and popular art vs. the fine arts, and the body in art. May not be counted toward a major in art or art history. (Fulfills humanities requirement.) Summer only. Art History Faculty
AH 200. HINDU ART 3
An introduction to the arts of Indian Hinduism as expressions of religious ideas and experiences. The course emphasizes the evolution of ritual practice, devotional narratives, symbols and architecture of Hinduism, taking note of the religious underpinnings of the tradition, its popular manifestations and images of the goddess (Devi). The interdisciplinary nature of the course will highlight the necessity to understand the religious experience behind the works of art, and witness the translation into visual expressions of abstract ideas and religious emotions. (Designated a non-Western culture course; fulfills humanities requirement.) R. Linrothe
AH 203. NATIVE AMERICAN ART 3
A study of the prehistoric, historic, and contemporary arts of Native American peoples of North America. This course will study the arts of mainly Southwest, Woodlands, Great Plains, and Northwest Coast cultures with particular attention to their historiography, style, technique, symbolic meaning, and place in ritual. A wide range of media will be covered including sculpture, painting, architecture, pottery, textile arts, jewelry, and body decoration. Recommended: AH103 (Designated a non-Western culture course; fulfills humanities requirement.) L. Aronson
AH 204. JAPANESE ART 3
A chronological survey of Japanese arts (painting, prints, sculpture, ceramics, textiles, architecture, and gardens) from the neolithic period to the present. The course emphasizes historical, religious, and aesthetic contexts. Special attention will be given to the stimulus of contacts with China and Korea in the evolution of Japanese visual art, and to Buddhist art. (Designated a non-Western culture course; fulfills humanities requirement.) R. Linrothe
AH 207. AFRICAN ART 3
A survey of the arts of sub-Saharan Africa. Focusing on selected groups from the sub-Saharan region, this course considers a wide range of media giving primary attention to sculpture and masquerades but also including ceramics, metallurgy, textiles, body arts and architecture. These arts will be examined in terms of their styles, symbols, technologies, histories, and socioreligious importance. (Designated a non-Western culture course; fulfills humanities requirement.) L. Aronson
AH 208. ART AND THE ENVIRONMENT IN ANCIENT MESOAMERICA AND SOUTH AMERICA 3
A survey of selected art traditions in ancient Mesoamerica and Andean South America from 2000 BCE to 1600 CE, focused around the theme of nature and the environment. The course covers art and architecture of the Olmec, Maya, Aztec, Chavin, Moche and Inca, and the people of Teotihuacan, looking particularly at how nature and the environment have informed and shaped their styles, meanings, functions, and underlying ideologies. Prerequisite: AH103 recommended. (Designated a non-Western culture course; fulfills humanities breadth requirement). L. Aronson
AH 209. ISLAMIC ART 3
Survey of the history of visual arts in Islamic cultures. The course will examine architecture, painting, ceramics, and textiles in Arab, North African, Turkish, Persian and Indian contexts. Special consideration will be given to the interaction between local visual traditions and Islamic values. (Designated a non-Western culture course; fulfills humanities requirement.) R. Linrothe
AH 210. CHINESE PAINTING 3
Chronological survey of Chinese painting from fourth century B.C. to eighteenth century A.D. Topics may include technical issues, ornament and pictorialism, figure painting, landscape, calligraphy, ink painting and its relationship with Chan (Zen), social backgrounds of artists, painting and poetry, and Chinese critical writings. (Designated a non-Western culture course.) R. Linrothe
AH 211. TIBETAN ART 3
A survey of Tibetan Buddhist art, from its origins in the eighth century to the present. Attention is given to Indian Buddhist art which provided the foundation for Tibetan integration of formal and ritual influences from a number of Asian cultures. Painting and sculpture will be considered, both as markers of cultural and period style, and as expressions of Buddhist ideals. (Designated a non-Western culture course.) R. Linrothe
AH 217. AMERICAN ART 3
A survey of art produced in the United States from the Colonial period to the present. Recurring themes will include the roles of artists in American society, the relationship of U.S. and European cultures, the contrast and connection between popular and elite artistic traditions, the building of an infrastructure of art institutions, and government involvement in art patronage. Art History Faculty
AH 221. PRACTICES OF ART HISTORY 4
A survey of the practices and methods of the discipline of art history, intended for majors or potential majors. Examines the key questions, interpretive approaches, institutional structures, and modes of dissemination that shape the work of the art historian. Students develop skills that are essential to advanced art historical study, such as visual literacy, research, critical reading, and writing. Should be taken by the end of second year. Offered Fall only: Art History majors are encouraged to take the course their sophomore year. Prerequisite: one AH course. Art History Faculty
AH 222. GREEK ART AND ARCHAEOLOGY 3
An exploration of the major developments in architecture, sculpture, and painting from Minoan and Mycenaean civilizations through the Hellenistic period. Attention is given to the influences on Greek art from the East and to the influence of Greek art on other cultures. (Fulfills humanities requirement.) L. Mechem
AH 223. ROMAN ART AND ARCHAEOLOGY 3
An examination of architecture, sculpture, and painting beginning with the Villanovan and Etruscan cultures and continuing through the Republic and Empire (fourth century A.D.). Topics covered include wall painting, narrative sculpture, and city planning. (Fulfills humanities requirement.) L. Mechem
AH 232. LATE ANTIQUE, EARLY MEDIEVAL, AND BYZANTINE ART 3
An examination of the origins of Christian art in the Late Antique world and its subsequent development in the Byzantine world and early Medieval Europe. Areas studied include the Early Christian catacombs, Ravenna mosaics, the animal style and Hiberno-Saxon manuscripts, Carolingian Europe, and Byzantine mosaics, icons and decorative arts. Prerequisite: AH100 or 111 or permission of instructor. P. Jolly
AH 233. ROMANESQUE AND GOTHIC ART 3
European art from the tenth through the fourteenth centuries, with a focus on painting, manuscript illumination, sculpture, stained glass, and the decorative arts. Prerequisite: AH100 or 111 or permission of instructor. P. Jolly
AH 241. RENAISSANCE EUROPE 3
Renaissance art in fifteenth- and sixteenth-century Italy, Flanders, and Germany. Artists include Masaccio, Donatello, Botticelli, Michelangelo, Leonardo, Raphael, Jan van Eyck, Bosch, Dürer, and Bruegel. (Fulfills humanities requirement.) P. Jolly
AH 251. SPECIAL TOPICS IN ART HISTORY 1–4
A topically organized course, with the specific topic varying according to program. Course may be repeated for credit on a different topic. (AH251N is designated a non-Western culture course.) Art History Faculty
AH 253. SEVENTEENTH-CENTURY EUROPEAN ART 3
An examination of the production and reception of art in Europe during the century traditionally known as the baroque period. Artists discussed will include Caravaggio, Bernini, Velazquez, Poussin, Rubens, Rembrandt, and Vermeer. Special attention will be paid to Counter-Reformation spirituality, patronage, conceptions of the artistic process, and the ways in which art engaged ideas about power, gender and social identity. Prerequisite: AH100 or 111. M. Hellman
AH 254. EIGHTEENTH-CENTURY EUROPEAN ART 3
An examination of the production and reception of art in Europe at the beginning of the modern era. Special attention will be paid to the ways in which visual representation both expressed and actively shaped the aesthetic, social, political, economic, and intellectual preoccupations of the period. Artists discussed will include Watteau, Chardin, Gainsborough, Reynolds, and David. Themes explored will include shifting conceptions of public and private life, engagements with nature and antiquity, the status of the artist, and the role of portraiture in the construction of identities. Prerequisite: AH100 or 111 or permission of instructor. (Fulfills humanities requirement.) M. Hellman
AH 257. NINETEENTH-CENTURY EUROPEAN ART 3
An examination of critical moments and monuments in the history of European art during a century of radical cultural change. Artists discussed will include Ingres, Delacroix, Friedrich, Turner, Courbet, Manet, Monet, van Gogh and Cezanne. Special attention will be paid to shifting conceptions of the artistic enterprise and the ways in which the production and circulation of art engaged issues of history, modernity, politics, nationality, spectatorship, gender and social identity. Prerequisite: AH100 or 111. M. Hellman
AH 261. TWENTIETH-CENTURY ART 3
A survey of European and American modern and contemporary art beginning in the late nineteenth century and concluding with contemporary trends. We will consider a range of movements including postimpressionism, cubism, surrealism, abstract expressionism, minimalism, and conceptual art in their cultural and art historical contexts. Prerequisite: AH100 or 111 or permission of instructor. K. Hauser
AH 265. HISTORY OF MODERN DESIGN 3
A history of modern design from 1750 to the present, with an emphasis on design movements in the twentieth century. We will focus on modern European and American design, surveying objects made from a wide range of materials, including textiles, metals, ceramics, and the print media. We will situate movements such as Arts and Crafts, Art Nouveau, and Bauhaus in their cultural and art-historical contexts. Recommended preparation: AH100 or 111. (Fulfills humanities requirement.) K. Hauser
AH 268. AD/DRESSING THE BODY: EUROPEAN FASHION, RENAISSANCE TO THE PRESENT 3
A survey of the stylistic evolution and meaning of dress, hair and body accessories in Europe and America from c. 1400 to the present. Through analysis of both artifacts of material culture and representations of dress and hair in works of art, this course focuses on the role of men's and women's fashion in constructing identity, for example, to signify gender, political ideals, and social class. Further, it investigates the religious, economic, and political institutions that work to shape fashion. Additional themes, such as the relationship of fashion design to the fine arts and to craft, the rise of haute couture, the undressed body, and the history of specific items of dress such as the corset, the periwig, and the suit will be explored. Prerequisite: AH100 or permission of instructor. P. Jolly
AH 310. THE ARTS OF NIGERIA 3
An in-depth study of the arts of Nigeria (West Africa) from its earliest archaeological sites through the post-Colonial period. The course considers the breadth and range of Nigeria's artistic traditions from traditional masquerades, textiles, ceramics, and body arts to contemporary urban trends in painting, printmaking, and sculpture. Prerequisite: AH103 or 207 or permission of instructor. L. Aronson
AH 311. BUDDHIST ART OF EAST ASIA 3
Buddhist art (sculpture, painting, architecture, calligraphy, graphic arts, and ritual implements) between the third and fifteenth centuries in East Asia. The course examines the religious and aesthetic principles underlying Buddhist art of East Asia, and analyzes works of art as expressions of Buddhist values interacting with local cultures. Special attention is paid to the site of Dunhuang, and to three modes of Buddhist art: Esoteric, Pure Land, and Zen Buddhist. Prerequisites: AH105 or 106 or 210 or HI241 or permission of instructor. R. Linrothe
AH 312. ANCIENT CHINESE ART 3
A focused study of a small number of Chinese archaeological sites distributed between the Neolithic (ca. 3000 B.C.E.) and the end of the Han dynasty (220 C.E.). The sites and the works of art found in the sites will be placed within their aesthetic, social, and political contexts. These sites are mainly newly discovered tombs, and special attention will be paid to the evolving attitudes to the afterlife in ancient China. Prerequisites: AH106 or 210, HI241, or permission of instructor. R. Linrothe
AH 314. BUDDHIST ART OF SOUTH ASIA 3
A study of the evolution of Buddhist art in its original context of India. The course will survey the primary sites of Buddhist art production, with an emphasis on sculpture within architectural settings. Issues include aniconism, patronage, the impact of ritual practice on artistic format, pilgrimage, narrative, internationalism, and the relationship between texts and images. Prerequisites: AH105 or 106 or 210 or HI241 or permission of instructor. R. Linrothe
AH 315. CONTEMPORARY AFRICAN ART 3
An in-depth study of African art since the early twentieth century. Focused mainly on the sub-Saharan region, the course begins by examining the impact that colonialism, with its appropriation, exploitation, and reshaping of Africa, had on the arts in Africa. It then analyzes a broad spectrum of modern and contemporary African art forms (painting, printmaking, sculpture, textiles, photography, performance, and film) and related literary works from the 1950s to the present, with an emphasis on such issues as patronage, the commodification of art, urbanism, national consciousness, and the effects of globalization. Prerequisite: AH100 or 103 or 207 or permission of instructor. (Designated a non-Western culture course.) L. Aronson
AH 321. HISTORY OF PHOTOGRAPHY 4
An introduction to the history of the medium from its "invention" in 1839 to the present. This course looks at such forms of photography as pictorialism, straight-photography, montage, documentary, and photojournalism, situating them in their social, cultural, and art-historical contexts. A significant theme of the course will be how, or even whether, photographs depict reality. Prerequisite: AH100 or 111. K. Hauser, M. Hellman
AH 322. INSIDE THE MUSEUM 4
An examination of the history, theory and practice of modern museums from the turn of the century to the present day, with a focus on the relationship between living artists and the museum. Students will gain experience in many aspects of museum operation including exhibition, education, and conservation. Guest speakers will join with the Tang Museum staff to present case studies and facilitate discussions on a variety of topics such as architecture, audience, tourism and administration. Prerequisite: AH100. I. Berry
AH 330. LATE GOTHIC SCULPTURE AND PAINTING 3
Sculpture and painting in fourteenth-century Europe, with special focus on the "Proto-Renaissance" painters in Italy and manuscript illumination and sculpture in France and Germany. Topics include the revolutionary art of Giotto, the rise of late Medieval devotional art, Art and the Black Death, and the Limbourg Brothers and International Gothic art. Prerequisite: AH100 or 111 or 233. P. Jolly
AH 342. ART OF EARLY RENAISSANCE ITALY 3
An exploration of the origins of Italian Renaissance art in the fifteenth century, from Ghiberti, Masaccio and Donatello, to Botticelli and the Bellini. Prerequisite: AH100 or 111 or 241. P. Jolly
AH 345. ROCOCO ART AND DESIGN 3
An examination of a controversial artistic style that generated heated debate among artists, critics, and consumers in eighteenth-century Europe. With their sensuous forms and pleasing motifs, rococo images and artifacts were appreciated by many elites, but they were also widely criticized for their non-classical style, eroticism, and associations with femininity, fashion, and decoration. The rococo idiom continued to be disparaged throughout the modern period, and is only beginning to be taken seriously as a significant mode of visual expression. Students will explore how this style engaged the social values of eighteenth-century elites; why it generated a legacy of negative responses; and what its critical fortunes can tell us about the shifting values of artists, viewers, and art historians between the nineteenth century and the present. Prerequisite: AH100 or 111 or 254. M. Hellman
AH 347. NORTHERN RENAISSANCE PAINTING 3
Painting in France, Flanders and Germany in the fifteenth and sixteenth centuries, with particular emphasis upon the art of Jan van Eyck, Rogier van der Weyden, Dürer and Bruegel. Prerequisite: AH100 or 111 or 241. P. Jolly
AH 348. SEVENTEENTH-CENTURY DUTCH PAINTING 3
A study of the images produced during the "golden age" of Dutch painting and the social, economic, and cultural conditions from which these images spring. In examining the lives and works of artists such as Rembrandt, Vermeer, Hals, and Ruisdael, the course seeks to understand the relationship between Dutch painting and Dutch society. Prerequisite: AH100 or 111 or 252 or 253 or permission of instructor. M. Hellman
AH 351. TOPICS IN ART HISTORY 1–4
A topically organized course that addresses problems and issues of special interest at the advanced level. Course may be repeated for credit if on a different topic. (AH351N is designated a non-Western culture course.) Art History Faculty
AH 354. NINETEENTH-CENTURY ART: LONDON AND PARIS 3
A study of the artistic cultures of the two capitals of imperial power in the nineteenth century, London and Paris. We will focus on artistic developments that both supported and critiqued this imperialist age, including the art competitions at the world's fairs of 1855 and 1889, the fashion for orientalism, the medieval nostalgia of the pre-Raphaelite brotherhood, and the self-conscious modernity of the Impressionists. Prerequisite: AH100 or 256 or 257 or 261 or permission of instructor. M. Hellman
AH 355. VISUAL CULTURE OF THE FRENCH REVOLUTION 3
A study of visual culture in France between 1785 and 1815, with a focus on the French Revolution. Students will explore how visual representation contributed to the development of revolutionary ideologies and the nature of social and political experience during a turbulent period of radical change. Students will examine paintings, caricature, and designs for festivals and clothing, giving particular attention to the display and dissemination of art and design; modes of spectatorship; issues of class, gender, and citizenship; and the role of the artist in revolutionary culture. Prerequisite: AH100 or 111 or 254. M. Hellman
AH 361. TOPICS IN GENDER AND VISUAL CULTURE 3
A study of the role of gender in the images, artifacts, or built environments of a particular culture, area, or time period. Students explore the construction of gender identities through factors such as artistic training, subject matter, style, patronage, collecting, display, spectatorship, and/or theoretical discourses on art. Content of the course will vary depending on the specialty of the instructor. May be repeated for credit with permission of the department.
A. Ancient and Medieval Art in the West
B. 15th to 18th Century Art in the West
C. Modern and Contemporary Art in the West
D. Arts of Africa and the Americas (NW)
E. Asian Art (NW)
F. Special Comparative Topics
Prerequisite: One Art History course or permission of the instructor. Art History Faculty
AH 364. CONTEMPORARY ART 4
Recent developments in American and European art from the 1960s to the 1990s. We will situate a range of contemporary art movements and practices, including pop, earthworks, performance, video, and the more traditional forms of painting, sculpture, and photography, in their cultural and art historical contexts. The course will explore such issues as the status of art institutions, the connections between high art and popular culture, theoretical readings of art works, and the new trend toward artists' self-conscious expression of an identity politics. Prerequisite: AH100 or 111 or 217 or 261. K. Hauser
AH 371, 372. INDEPENDENT STUDY 1–4
Guided by the instructor, the student does independent reading and research in a specific area of art history. Permission of the instructor required. Art History Faculty
AH 375. SEMINAR 4
Advanced courses where students explore specialized topics in depth. Seminars rely predominantly upon the discussion of challenging readings, with students bearing primary responsibility for their own achievements in the classroom. Typically, seminars include both oral and written components; require individualized, substantial research projects; and rely on extensive independent work.
A. Ancient and Medieval Art in the West
B. 15th to 18th Century Art in the West
C. Modern and Contemporary Art in the West
D. Arts of Africa and the Americas
E. Asian Art
F. Special Topics in Art History
Prerequisite: Open to junior and senior majors or minors in studio art or art history. All others by permission of instructor. Art History Faculty
AH 380. CAPSTONE IN ART HISTORY 1
The culminating experience of the art history major. Students explore potential career paths, develop pre-professional skills, engage current issues in the art and art history world, and complete the required senior portfolio. Must be taken S/U. Must be taken spring semester, senior year. Prerequisite: Senior standing as an art history major. The Department
AH 381. SENIOR THESIS IN ART HISTORY 3
An advanced research and writing project for qualified senior art history majors, on any topic of special interest within the discipline of art history, supervised by a member of the art history faculty and a second reader. The student will further develop and refine a substantial research project that he or she had previously begun in a 300-level art history course. The final project should be a rigorous critical analysis, incorporating original research and/or insights. Recommended for those working toward graduate study in the field of art history. Those students interested in pursuing a senior thesis should obtain further information from the Art History office. Prerequisite: Approval of the faculty sponsor and the director of Art History.
AH 399. PROFESSIONAL INTERNSHIP IN ART HISTORY 3 or 6
Professional experience at an advanced level for juniors and seniors with substantial experience in art history. With faculty sponsorship and department approval, students may extend their educational experience into such areas as museums, art galleries, art auction houses, private art collections, arts administration, art conservation, and architecture and historic preservation. Unless prior permission is given by the department, only three credits will count toward a major in art history. Must be taken for S/U only. Prerequisite: AH100 plus adequate preparation for the proposed internship through advanced course work in the history of art.
