Seminar in Asian Art

Catalog description

This graduate-level seminar investigates the visual and material cultures of Asia through rotating themes that introduce students to key methodologies in art historical analysis. Students engage with a wide range of Asian image-making traditions--including painting, sculpture, architecture, and portable objects--analyzing them within their social, cultural, and historical contexts. Topics may include religion, politics, materiality, ecology, and other lenses of critical inquiry. Students will strengthen their skills in visual analysis, critical reading, scholarly interpretation, and independent research through seminar discussion, close textual engagement, and object-based study. The course emphasizes interdisciplinary inquiry and fosters respectful engagement with diverse cultural traditions.