This course is an introduction to the study and analysis of Western art, architecture, and creative works from the Renaissance to present day. Focusing on major artists and artworks from the so called “West” (Europe and the Americas), we will examine and discuss art historical concepts such as style, form, and technique. We will also explore social, political, economic, and religious contexts that reflect the power of making and meaning of art in the past, present, and for the future. We will investigate the recurring themes and issues in the history of Western art including: the artistic legacy of Greco-Roman antiquity, definitions, and representations of ‘aesthetics,’ the role of art in religious practices, art as a form of political expression, censorship and iconoclasm, and art as an agent of social and political change. Over the semester we will assess and develop our understanding of art’s wide-ranging functions and value in Western visual culture.

By the end of the course, students will: • Identify artworks from the canon of Western art (ca. 1400 – present) • Master fundamental concepts and terminology related to major artistic and architectural styles, periods, media, materials, and techniques • Develop reading, writing, critical thinking, and communication skills via assignments, activities, and discussions. • Explore and debate current issues surrounding the content or context of artworks • Demonstrate understanding of the relationships between artists art production, and social, political, economic, and/or religious contexts that frame art’s production and viewership.

Your final grade will be based on: • Two exams (each 15% of your final grade totaling 30%) • Two short papers (10% each of your final grade totaling 20%) • Weekly object files (10 of 11 at 5pts each) Your final grade also takes into account improvement over the course