Art History
Updates for the 2022-2023 academic year are not reflected here. These updates are available on undergraduatecatalog.richmond.edu.
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Department Information
Art History
Department of Art and Art History
Elena Calvillo, Chair
Professors Sjovold, Softić
Associate Professors Calvillo, Drummond
Assistant Professors Driscoll, Nelson, Szymanska
University Museums Executive Director Waller and Deputy Director Schlatter
Visual Resources Librarian Keefer
Professionals from the fields in art are also employed as adjunct faculty members.The Department of Art and Art History offers programs in the studio arts, Western and non-Western art history, and museum studies. Students work in an environment where they can develop their intellectual and creative abilities to the fullest potential. In addition to a rigorous and stimulating curriculum, students also participate in the activities of the University Museums. The museums present exhibitions of both historical and contemporary art with related lectures, workshops, and symposia with visiting artists, critics, and art historians. A study abroad program allows students to study art and art history in approved programs under the direction of the Office of International Education.
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Major
The Art History Major
Note: A grade of not less than C (2.0) is required in each course comprising the major.
10 units, including:
Survey I: Prehistory through the Middle Ages
Survey II: Renaissance to the Present
Four 200 or 300-level electives in Art History from each of the following areas. One of the electives must be
Advanced Seminar:Late Antique and Medieval Art
Renaissance and Baroque Art (1300-1700)
The History of Art after 1700
Non-western Art History
(Note:
Museum Studies, and Philanthropy in the Arts, do not meet one of these electives)One studio art course
Art Theories and Methodologies
Thesis: Research Seminar
Thesis: Research Project
Students propose their thesis topics in the spring of their junior year, completing their thesis research and preliminary research writings in
and the final text of their thesis and associated oral presentation in .Majors should take
- before enrolling in 300-level art history courses. Independent studies cannot be substituted for required courses in the art history major.In addition to the above, the following are strongly recommended to supplement the major:Individual Internship
Introduction to Archaeology
Greek Art and Archeology
Roman Art and Archeology
Archaeology of the Middle East
PHIL 281 Philosophy of Art
Sacred Arts of India
REGL 262 Sacred Arts of Native America
Note: These courses cannot be substituted for major requirements, which must be fulfilled through art history department offerings. No more than two courses taken abroad will count for the major.
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Minor
The Art History Minor
Note: A grade of not less than C (2.0) is required in each course comprising the minor.
Six units, including:
Survey I: Prehistory through the Middle Ages
Survey II: Renaissance to the Present
One studio art course
Three art history electives at the 200 or 300-level from the following areas:
Non-Western Art
Late Antique and Medieval Art
Renaissance and Baroque Art (1300-1700)
History of Art after 1700
Two of the three courses must be in two different areas.
(Note: Neither Museum Studies, nor Philanthropy in the Arts, meets these electives requirements.)No more than one course taken abroad will count for the minor.
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Related
Related Fields
Interdisciplinary concentration in arts management for visual and media arts practice, art history, music, theatre, and dance majors or minors
Courses
Updates for the 2022-2023 academic year are not reflected here. These updates are available on undergraduatecatalog.richmond.edu.
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ARTH 121 Survey I: Prehistory through the Middle Ages
Units: 1
Fulfills General Education Requirement (FSHT)
DescriptionSurvey of Western art, with some attention given to non-Western art, from prehistoric times through the Middle Ages. Intended as introductory course for general student as well as art majors and minors. 121 and 122 may be taken independently and in any sequence.
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ARTH 122 Survey II: Renaissance to the Present
Units: 1
Fulfills General Education Requirement (FSHT)
DescriptionSurvey of Western art from the Renaissance in the 15th century to the late 20th century. Introduces basic historical and formal methodologies for general student and art major.
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ARTH 210 Late Antique Art
Units: 1
Fulfills General Education Requirement (FSHT)
DescriptionSurveys artistic developments in the Mediterranean basin from the first to eighth centuries. Concerned with continuities as well as changes and innovations in visual culture associated with the rise of Christianity in the Roman Empire.
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ARTH 213 American Art, 1700-1900
Units: 1
DescriptionExamines the production of art and architecture from the eighteenth through the nineteenth centuries. Considers city plans, buildings, paintings, sculpture and other objects as works created under specific historical, social and cultural conditions.
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ARTH 217 Nineteenth-Century Art in Europe
Units: 1
DescriptionOverview of the major artistic developments of the period, yet allows for closer study of particular issues. For example, how does a work of art become politically charged? How does a landscape painting become a religious painting? Why are the most famous artists male?
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ARTH 218 Modern Art, 1900-1960
Units: 1
DescriptionStudies the major movements and developments of modern art in Europe and America. Examines the theoretical bases of modern art, such as the concept of the avant-garde, and considers the public's relationship to modern art.
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ARTH 223 Studies in the History of Photography
Units: 1
DescriptionCombines a chronological survey of the developments in photography since its invention in 1839 with an examination of issues dealing with how photography has informed modern attitudes and perspectives. It carefully considers certain claims made on behalf of photography, such as its objectivity, truthfulness, and ability to be an agent of social change.
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ARTH 225 Art and Asia
Units: 1
Fulfills General Education Requirement (FSHT)
DescriptionArt, architecture, and material cultures of South, Southeast, and East Asia--premodern and modern. Provides an overview of the vast artifactual record of this segment of the world and engenders a series of fundamental art-historical skills such as description, compare-and-contrast, critical viewing, slow looking, and close reading. Calls into question the Euro-centrism of "art" and its histories. No prior coursework or experience is necessary.
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ARTH 226 Art and Culture of Japan
Units: 1
Fulfills General Education Requirement (FSVP)
DescriptionA chronological introduction to the art and culture of Japan beginning with the prehistoric period, moving through the introduction to Buddhism and varieties of Buddhist art, the influence of China and Korea, the art of the court, the art of samurai, the art of townsmen (such as Japanese prints), and finally a look at contemporary trends in Japanese culture. Social and historical elements will be integrated with specific studies of visual arts, and literature will also be examined in context. Assignments will include creative work.
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ARTH 227 Gender and the Arts of Japan
Units: 1
Fulfills General Education Requirement (FSHT)
DescriptionRepresentation, construction, and politics of gender in the visual and performing arts of Japan. Topics of analysis include medieval stories of gender transformation, gender's relationship to Buddhist salvation, the patronage and artistic practice of women, the gendering of script and clothing, the inter-war visual culture of hyper-masculinity, and the theatricality of gender performance in kabuki. Also addresses the gendering of abstract concepts--especially that of the nation state--in modern discourse. Concludes with a look at the stakes of gender in postwar and contemporary Japanese art. No previous experience with Japan, art, feminist theory, or gender theory is necessary.
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ARTH 228 Graphic Arts of Japan
Units: 1
DescriptionAddresses the long history of image-making in two dimensions in Japan--a field of inquiry that includes calligraphy, painting, rubbing, print-making, book-making, manga, photography, film, and new media. A unifying theme throughout will be the intersections of words and images (i.e., depicting and inscribing) in Japanese visual culture. Begins in the Heian court and ends in postmodernity. No prior coursework or experience is necessary.
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ARTH 279 Selected Topics
Units: 1
DescriptionExamples include African art, history of architecture, and other specialized topics. May be repeated for credit if topics differ.
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ARTH 309 Image and Icon in Medieval Art
Units: 1
DescriptionFocuses on role of the panel painted image in Medieval world. Explores the conventions, aesthetics, and ideology of Medieval images, as well as their production, use and restoration. Provides introduction to techniques of medieval panel painting, and asks students to try their hand at the creative process.
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ARTH 312 Medieval Art in Western Europe, 8th-15th Centuries
Units: 1
DescriptionSurveys the rich and varied production of visual culture in Western Europe from early Middle Ages to beginning of the Renaissance. Considers the changing visual experiences associated with the Early Medieval, Carolingian, Ottonian, Romanesque, and Gothic periods.
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ARTH 315 Art of the Italian Renaissance
Units: 1
DescriptionA survey of Italian painting, sculpture, and architecture between 1250 and 1500, with emphasis on the historical context of particular objects or monuments. Students will examine primary sources whenever possible and consider issues related to the systems of patronage, spirituality, intellectual life, and art criticism of the period.
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ARTH 316 Art in the Age of Reform
Units: 1
DescriptionBeginning with the Italian High Renaissance and ending with baroque art in early 17th-century Europe, this course considers artistic production during a period of religious, political, and cultural crisis. Lectures, readings, and discussions evaluate the agents, ideas, and circumstances that brought about the practical and theoretical developments in the art of the period.
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ARTH 319 Advanced Seminar
Units: 1
DescriptionHighly focused in-depth studies on topics of art history related to departmental course offerings. Topics to be chosen by instructor. Representative topics: Zen art, Surrealism, Artists' Biographies and Art Criticism in early Modern Europe. May be repeated for credit if topic differs.
Prerequisites300-level art history course in the area of the seminar or permission of instructor.
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ARTH 322 Museum Studies
Units: 1
DescriptionHistory, philosophy, functions, and future of museums; collection research, evaluation, publications, and museum procedures and education. Does not satisfy major or minor requirements.
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ARTH 345 Philanthropy in the Arts
Units: 1
DescriptionSurvey of strategies, tools and techniques involved in generating contributed income for arts organizations from private individuals, foundations, corporations, business, and government agencies. Central issues include underlying psychological and practical bases of fundraising in the arts and exposure to research and methods involved in developing donor prospects. Fundraising techniques, including direct mail, telemarketing, grant writing, personal appeals, major gift solicitation, special events, capital campaigns, endowment campaigns, sponsorships, and planned giving. Does not satisfy major or minor requirements. (Same as Music 345; same as Theatre 345.)
PrerequisitesARTH 322 or permission of the instructor.
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ARTH 365 Art Theories and Methodologies
Units: 1
DescriptionStudy of theoretical approaches and methods used in discipline of art history. Required for art history majors, recommended before the senior year.
PrerequisitesPermission of instructor required for non-art history majors.
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ARTH 388 Individual Internship
Units: .25-1
DescriptionSupervised work experience at approved museum, gallery or other art institutions. May be repeated for credit at a different institution. No more than 1.5 units of internship in any one department and 3.5 units of internship overall may be counted toward required degree units.
PrerequisitesPermission of instructor and departmental approval.
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ARTH 395 Independent Study
Units: .25-1
DescriptionIndividually designed program under faculty supervision. Independent studies cannot be substituted for required courses in the art history major.
PrerequisitesPermission of instructor.
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ARTH 406 Summer Undergraduate Research
Units: 0
DescriptionDocumentation of the work of students who receive summer fellowships to conduct research [or produce a creative arts project] in the summer. The work must take place over a minimum of 8 weeks, the student must engage in the project full-time (at least 40 hours per week) during this period, and the student must be the recipient of a fellowship through the university. Graded S/U.
PrerequisitesApproval for summer Arts and Sciences fellowship by faculty mentor
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ARTH 465 Thesis Research Seminar
Units: 1
DescriptionThe first half of a one-year capstone experience for the senior major in art history. Serves to strengthen those research and critical thinking skills introduced in First Year Seminars and further developed in upper-level seminars in art history. Assignments center on identifying, evaluating and presenting primary and secondary sources for the senior thesis proposed during the preceding spring term. Completion of thesis research, production of annotated bibliography and beginning of thesis draft for the spring semester seminar, ART 466.
PrerequisitesARTH 365
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ARTH 466 Thesis Research Project
Units: 1
DescriptionRequired for art history majors in their senior year.
PrerequisitesARTH 465.