ART H 524 – Topics in Baroque and Eighteenth Century Western Art

This course will examine the emergence of new forms of painting, sculpture, and architecture in Rome in the seventeenth century and the historical contexts and cultural ideals that informed these changes across diverse media. Particular attention will be given to the stylistic experimentation and competition that characterizes much of the century and its implications for understanding issues of religious and artistic reform, concepts of idealism and naturalism, and the contested relationship between word and image. Class sessions will emphasize discussion of course themes and readings and close visual analysis of works.
Learning Outcomes of the Course:
You will gain familiarity with the painting, sculpture, architecture, and ephemeral arts of seventeenth-century Rome and with the themes which have structured scholarly inquiry into these works.
You will build skills of visual analysis, critical reading, and evaluation of scholarly arguments in art history.
For those who choose the research track option, you will gain experience in the practice of art historical research and writing, including analysis of previous literature on a topic (“the state of the question”) and strategies for formulating original arguments.