This course considers concepts and histories of art. Students explore core issues in the discipline of art history: What is art? What is art history? What is a masterpiece? The course addresses cultural factors that shape canons of art history, including notions of originality, genius, skill, inspiration, complexity, beauty, and taste, as well as the roles of art professionals and institutions. Attention is paid to: patronage and the art market, the academy and the museum, and the development of modernism. Beyond engaging with central questions in art history, students learn to analyze the formal aspects of works of art and to interpret them within the historical contexts in which they were made.
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