Online courses directory (78)

With the failure of the French Revolution (Napoleon crowned himself Emperor, and after his defeat, a King was restored to power in France), there was a turn away from public, political life, toward personal, subjective experience. In large part, this turn characterizes the new style of Romanticism (don

The art of this period is familiar, since the world of the Realists, Impressionists and Post-Impressionists is much like our own. More and more people lived in cities and worked in factories or shops for wages. Scientific and technological advances increased dramatically during this period and although there was dislocation and privation, standards of living increased sharply. In essence, modern mass culture was born. Artists responded sometimes by embracing these radical changes, and at other times by resisting them. Key here is understanding the authority of the various art academies in Europe, which controlled matters related to taste and art, and which were, to some extent, always connected to the government. A small number of artists rebelled against the strictures of the academy, and against the demand for art to tell clear stories for a middle class audience, and formed what we know as the

An Introduction to Contemporary Art. Why is this Art? Andy Warhol, Campbell's Soup Cans. Art as Concept: In Advance of the Broken Arm. Why Is That Important? Looking at Jackson Pollock. Art & Context: Monet's Cliff Walk at Pourville and Malevich's White on White. Representation & Abstraction: Millais's Ophelia and Newman's Vir Heroicus Sublimis. Interpreting Contemporary Art. Big Questions in Modern & Contemporary Art. Matisse, Luxe, calme et volupt

The Art of Our Time. Bacon, Triptych - August 1972. Freud, Standing by the Rags. Diane Arbus, Boy with a Toy Hand Grenade. William Eggleston, Red Ceiling, or Greenwood, Mississippi, 1973. Ed Kienholz and Nancy Reddin Kienholz Useful Art #5: The Western Hotel, 1992. Warhol, Gold Marilyn Monroe. Warhol, Campbell's Soup Cans. Oldenburg, Floor Cake. Lichtenstein, Rouen Cathedral Set V. Gerhard Richter, Betty. Gerhard Richter, The Cage Paintings (1-6). Gerhard Richter, September. Donald Judd, Untitled. Dan Flavin, Untitled (To Donna) II. Smithson, Spiral Jetty. Hesse, Untitled. Hesse, Untitled (Rope Piece), 1970. Chicago, Pasadena Lifesaver, Blue Series, No. 4 & Benglis, Omega. Winsor, #1 Rope. Joseph Beuys, Table with Accumulator. John Baldessari, I Will Not Make Any More Boring Art. Hans Haacke's Seurat's 'Les Poseuses' (small version). Interpreting Contemporary Art. Colescott, Beauty is in the Eye of the Beholder. Sherman, Untitled Film Still #21. Sherrie Levine, Untitled (After Edward Weston, ca. 1925). The Art of Our Time. Bacon, Triptych - August 1972. Freud, Standing by the Rags. Diane Arbus, Boy with a Toy Hand Grenade. William Eggleston, Red Ceiling, or Greenwood, Mississippi, 1973. Ed Kienholz and Nancy Reddin Kienholz Useful Art #5: The Western Hotel, 1992. Warhol, Gold Marilyn Monroe. Warhol, Campbell's Soup Cans. Oldenburg, Floor Cake. Lichtenstein, Rouen Cathedral Set V. Gerhard Richter, Betty. Gerhard Richter, The Cage Paintings (1-6). Gerhard Richter, September. Donald Judd, Untitled. Dan Flavin, Untitled (To Donna) II. Smithson, Spiral Jetty. Hesse, Untitled. Hesse, Untitled (Rope Piece), 1970. Chicago, Pasadena Lifesaver, Blue Series, No. 4 & Benglis, Omega. Winsor, #1 Rope. Joseph Beuys, Table with Accumulator. John Baldessari, I Will Not Make Any More Boring Art. Hans Haacke's Seurat's 'Les Poseuses' (small version). Interpreting Contemporary Art. Colescott, Beauty is in the Eye of the Beholder. Sherman, Untitled Film Still #21. Sherrie Levine, Untitled (After Edward Weston, ca. 1925).

Birth of the Gothic: Abbot Suger and the Ambulatory at St. Denis. Two Royal Figures (Saljuq Period). Last Judgment Tympanum, Cathedral of St. Lazare, Autun. Sutton Hoo Ship Burial. Virgin from Ger. Wise and Foolish Virgins, Sant Quirze de Pedret. Coronation Mantle. Sarcophagus of Junius Bassus. Basilica of Santa Prassede (Praxedes). Santa Sabina. Byzantine Art: Justinian and His Attendants. Historiated Capitals, Church of Sant Miquel, Camarasa (Noguera). Santa Maria Maggiore. Ivory panel with Archangel. Berlinghieri's St. Francis Altarpiece. Cathedral of Notre Dame de Chartres. Ilkhanid Mihrab. Hebrew Astrolabe. Pre-Columbian Cup.

Were the Middle Ages really all that dark? Hardly! How could we call the period that saw the building of Chartres Cathedral with its stunning stained-glass windows, dark? Sure, the Roman empire collapsed, but with the Christianization of Europe came magnificent churches, illuminated bibles, and intricately designed broaches. This period also saw the birth of Islam, the third great monotheistic religion. Introduction. Medieval and Byzantine Art. A New Pictorial Language: The Image in Early Medieval Art. Iconoclasm. Medieval Manuscripts. The Bestiary. Beginner's Guide to Medieval Art. An Introduction to Christianity. Standard Scenes from the Life of Christ in Art. An Introduction to Early Christian Art. Early Christian Art & Architecture after Constantine. Sarcophagus of Junius Bassus. Santa Sabina. Santa Maria Maggiore. The Mausoleum of Galla Placidia, Ravenna. Early Christian. Sutton Hoo Ship Burial. The Lindesfarne Gospels. Medieval and Byzantine Art. San Vitale. Sant'Apollinare in Classe, Ravenna, Italy, c. 533-49. Hagia Sophia. Ivory panel with Archangel. Icon of Saint George (the "Black George"). Icon of the Triumph of Orthodoxy. Byzantine Art. Introduction to Islam. The Five Pillars of Islam. Arts of the Islamic World. Two Royal Figures (Saljuq Period). Coronation Mantle. Ilkhanid Mihrab. Hebrew Astrolabe. Qa'a: The Damascus Room. Carolingian Art: An Introduction. Charlemagne: An Introduction (1 of 2). Charlemagne and the Carolingian Revival (part 2 of 2). Saint Matthew from the Ebbo Gospel. Lindau Gospels Cover. Santa Prassede (Praxedes). Carolingian. Ottonian Art: An Introduction. Bronze doors, Saint Michael's, Hildesheim, commissioned by Bishop Bernward, 1015. Pilgrimage Routes and the Cult of the Relic. Pentecost and Mission to the Apostles Tympanum, V

New to art? If so, this is a good place to start. We often think we should understand what we see and that we know what we like, but art can be challenging. It has meant different things at different moments in history. Art gives us access to the way other people have seen the world. Jump in and explore!. A Beginner's Guide to the History of Western Culture. Common Questions about Dates. Why Look at Art?. The Skill of Describing. The Skill of Describing. The Classical Orders. How One-Point Linear Perspective Works. Art History Basics. Woodcuts and Etchings. Tempera Paint. Oil Paint. Oil Paint in Venice. Bronze Casting. Quarrying & Carving Marble. Art History - Media. A Beginner's Guide to the History of Western Culture. Common Questions about Dates. Why Look at Art?. The Skill of Describing. The Skill of Describing. The Classical Orders. How One-Point Linear Perspective Works. Art History Basics. Woodcuts and Etchings. Tempera Paint. Oil Paint. Oil Paint in Venice. Bronze Casting. Quarrying & Carving Marble. Art History - Media.

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 thought and processes. In this course, you will learn how to develop a five-step system for understanding visual art in all forms, based on the following: Description: A work of art from an objective point of view its physical attributes, and formal construction. Analysis: A detailed look at a work of art that combines physical attributes with subjective statements based on the viewer’s reaction to the work. Context: Historical, religious, or environmental information that surrounds a particular work of art and which helps to understand the work’s meaning. Meaning: A statement of the work’s content. A message or narrative expressed by the subject matter. Judgment: A critical point of view about a work of art concerning its aesthetic or cultur…

Please note: Our faculty members have indicated that several important changes need to be made in order to improve the course and your experience as a student. In 2013, we will be re-releasing this course under the simplified title: ARTH101: Art Appreciation and Techniques. Until then, you are welcome to work through this course at your own leisure; there

Please note: Our faculty members have indicated that several important changes need to be made in order to improve the course and your experience as a student. In 2013, we will be re-releasing this course under the simplified title: ARTH101: Art Appreciation and Techniques. Until then, you are welcome to work through this course at your own leisure; there

In this course, we will study the history of Western art, beginning with the first objects created by prehistoric humans around 20,000 years ago and ending with the art and architecture of the High Gothic period in fourteenth-century Europe.  The information presented in this course will provide you with the tools to recognize important works of art and historical styles, as well as to understand the historical context and cultural developments of Western art history through the end of the medieval period.  Introductory readings paired with detailed lectures will provide you with a well-rounded sense of the history, art, and culture of the West up through the medieval period. At the end of this course, you will be able to identify key works of art and artistic periods in Western history.  You will also be able to discuss the development of stylistic movements and relate those developments to important historical events.  Completion of this course will prepare you for ARTH111, which surveys the history o…

In this course, we will study important movements and some influential artists in Western art history.  We will begin with the “Proto-Renaissance” in Italy in the 13th century and continue through to the late 20th century.  You will become acquainted with certain regional and personal styles of art through this period, as well as a number of renowned works of art and architecture. Art forms and imagery are influenced by the surrounding world, the biography of the artist who produced the artwork, and other circumstances of artistic production.  This course provides a framework for considering how and why certain artistic movements emerged in certain places at certain times.  Some of the names and works we will look at might already be familiar to you, while others will be new.  The ultimate goal of this course is not to provide data on individual works of art, although that is part of art history, but to act as a sort of springboard.  You will gain tools for looking at and analyzing not only art by…

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. After completing this course, you will be able to identify the major characteristics of Egyptian and Near Eastern art and architecture, more specifically what types of objects and buildings were made and used by Egyptians and Ancient Near Eastern peoples.  You wil…

In this course, we 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 “geometric 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.  We will begin by underlining the unity of our subject matter: Rome not only conquered Greece, but it assimilated Greece’s cultural and artistic accomplishments.  In fact, much of what we know of Greek art today we learned through Roman copies. We will also explore the development of Greek architecture, sculpture, and painting up to the Hellenistic period, when Greek art began to influence new parts of the globe through the conquests of Alexander the Great.  We will also study the ways in which naturalism and idealism came together as Greek art developed over time.  Next, we will turn our atten…

In this course, we will focus on becoming “literate” in the art of the Italian Renaissance, on identifying the effects that the Renaissance had on the arts of Italy, and discovering the ways in which specific historical developments impacted those arts from the end of the thirteenth century to the end of the sixteenth century.  The Renaissance, a European phenomenon that began to develop in the late thirteenth century, refers to a marked shift in the ways in which individuals perceived their world.  A new outlook was emergingone that was characterized by, among other things, increased humanism and a renewed interest in the cultures of Classical Antiquity (and all within a Christian framework).  There is no specific date that marks the beginning of the Renaissance, but its burgeoning effects on art can be detected earlier in Italy than in other areas.  The late thirteenth and fourteenth centuries in Italy are consequently referred to as the “Proto-Renaissance” and will constitute our first unit of…

This course will examine the history of Western art from approximately 1600 to approximately 1800a 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, we will trace the stylistic developments in Europe and America through a variety of religious, political, and philosophical movements. The class begins with the Baroque, which was the immediate successor to the Renaissance and to Renaissance humanism, and we will examine this period by regions (Italy and Spain, the Netherlands, and France and England). Next, the course moves on to explore the development of two opposing styles that emerged in the 18th century: Rococo and Enlightenment art. The course culminates with Neoclassical art, its development in a politically turbulent France, and its spread into other Western cultures, including Italy, England, and the United States. Crucial to this course is the emer…

In this course, you will study the various artistic movements that comprise 19th- and 20th-century modern art. You will examine several dozen artists, all of whom helped define their respective artistic styles and eras through their innovative approaches to representation, artistic space, and the role of the artist in society. Each unit will cover a significant period in the history of modern art and explore the ways in which both the principal figures from each period and the corresponding movements challenged the limits of art through the incorporation of modern life, as each artist addresses the political, philosophical, and personal implications of “modernity” and how it relates to the production of artwork. This course will begin with a brief review of the artists and movements that immediately preceded French Impressionism and will then take an in-depth look at the key artists and characteristics of Impressionism, widely considered the first “modern” art movement. You will then spend time read…

This course explores the history of the artistic developments of the 20th century in Western Europe and the United States. The art of this period is characterized by extraordinary experimentation and innovation in styles, materials, techniques, and modes of dissemination. In addition to painting and sculpture, the 20th century witnessed the rise in popularity of photography, collage, montage, installations, earth art, performance, and conceptual art. Artists were sometimes inspired by the works of past masters but also often by contemporary changes in intellectual thought and social conditions. Therefore, we will examine the intellectual and cultural beliefs that this art both reflects and helped shape. Despite the great variety of artistic styles and theories that we will examine, a number of important themes consistently recur. If you keep them in mind as you progress through the course, you will find it easier to organize your thoughts and make meaningful comparisons among various artists, movements, and…

This course surveys art of America from the colonial era through the post-war 20th century.  We 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.  We will move chronologically, more or less, with many overlaps and cross-chronological, thematic diversions that will help shape this overview and offer different perspectives on the notion of an “American art,” per se. 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.  A background in the basic concepts and terms of art history and art practice, and/or American studies in other disciplines, w…