Introduction to Art History/Criticism

This writing-intensive course introduces key figures, ideas and works in the history of the visual arts from the Industrial Revolution to the present. It covers painting, sculpture, photography and design and discusses them in their broader social, cultural and political contexts. It addresses the role of patronage, art market, mass-production, avant-garde currents, exhibitions, museums and media, and introduces the theoretical foundations of art criticism with selected readings and short written assignments and visits to local museums.