AH 144 World Art IV: Visual Culture of the Modern and Contemporary Periods

This survey focuses upon the development of art from the 18th Century until today. While the emphasis is on Western art, important examples of Asian, native American, African, and Oceanic art will be included. Where cross-cultural influences are evident, they will be noted. The most recent art is connected to globalization and to new technologies. In this broad context, students will come to understand new aesthetic languages, traditional cultural sources, and philosophical background of contemporary art. The course begins by reviewing artists associated with the Enlightenment, neoclassicism, romanticism, realism, impressionism, and post-impressionism, and continues with the myriad of movements of the twentieth century, up until today. All media are considered, including photography. The course will also assist students in cultivating basic art-historical skills, in particular description, stylistic analysis, and iconographic and iconological analysis.