Welcome to Art History. The fundamental goal of this course is to encourage a deeper appreciation of the visual arts. We are a visual culture. Television, film, magazines and newspapers bombard us with images, but how often do we see them critically? What messages do they carry? One goal of this course is to enable you to look more critically and to be able to express your views clearly, both orally and in written form. No previous knowledge of art history is expected.

Understanding the context in which a work of art was produced enhances our appreciation of it. Thus we will explore the cultural settings, political and economic conditions, and geographic implications as well as the stylistic characteristics of different periods from Prehistory through the Middle Ages around the globe. A knowledge of the past is essential for understanding the present and preparing us to cope with the future; the visual products of different civilizations provide us with an acutely tangible window into those cultures.  

Office Hours:

T 10:30-11:30

W 10:30-11:00

and by appointment