Survey: Materials and Meanings

Catalog description

Students will be introduced to the methods, vocabulary, and practices of art history through the study of specific artistic materials, including stone, wood, bronze, ceramics, glass, textiles, and pigments, considering how these materials are used to create expressive works of art. Students will expand their skills in the visual and cultural analysis of works of art while examining the techniques used to work with various artistic materials; the manipulation of material properties to create meaningful artistic effects; the symbolism and significance of particular materials within their cultural contexts; and the circulation of such materials through exchange, colonization, and conquest. Examples for analysis will be chosen from a broad chronological and geographical span. **Fee: A course fee applied via student account**