Art History: Ancient through Medieval

This course introduces the history of art from prehistory through the Middle Ages. Beginning with the cave paintings of prehistoric France and Spain, this course surveys the visual arts and architecture of ancient Egypt and the ancient Near East, the Classical Greek and Roman worlds, and finally medieval Europe. This course also provides comparative global examples to understand Western movements in context. We will consider a variety of media (sculpture, pottery, wall painting, mosaics, and manuscripts as well as architecture) as meaningful expressions of their historical contexts. The basic principles of visual analysis are taught and utilized; students are also introduced to fundamental methods of art history to question how art and architecture function in society. This course also includes a visit to and analysis of artwork at the Minneapolis Institute of Arts.

Image Credit: Unknown, Hatshepsut, 1479–1458 BCE. Red Granite.