ARTS 201 History of Art I

This course is a chronological survey of Western art and architecture from Prehistoric times to the 15th century, with the goal of analyzing works of art from a Christian worldview. Emphasis is placed on vocabulary development with special emphasis on methods of critical analysis of works of art. Students are responsible for maintenance of portfolio assignments. This portfolio will be used for class discussion periodically and turned in at the end of the semester.

Note to student: This course requires the study of artworks and images that may include nudity, violence, sensitive content, and religious and political opinions that differ from your own Christian worldview. If you do not wish to engage with this material, it is suggested that you speak to your instructor and/or academic advisor as soon as possible to discuss how to proceed. There will be no alternative assignments offered in this course.

For information regarding prerequisites for this course, please refer to the Academic Course Catalog.

The purpose of this course is to broaden the student’s Christian worldview through the examination of archaeology, art, and visual culture. This course will enable the student to think critically about the nature of creativity and the notion of artistic genius. We live in a visual world. Art is everywhere—from graffiti on the streets, to architecture, monuments, film, advertisements, and museum exposition—and this course will help the student decode and understand the meaning of visual culture from prehistory through the Middle Ages, and in turn, his/her own culture. Understanding, looking at, and thinking about ways the images communicate meaning are important in comprehending the world. The critical study of the complex relationship between Christianity and the visual arts reveals a unique opportunity to combine faith and academics in a meaningful and enlightening manner. The student’s Christian worldview will be enriched by studying the history of divine-inspired human creativity.

Textbook readings and lecture presentations

No details available.

After reading the Course Syllabus and Student Expectations, the student will complete the related checklist found in the Course Overview.

Discussions (2)

Discussions are collaborative learning experiences. Therefore, the student will complete 2 discussions in this course. For each discussion, the student is required to create a thread in response to the provided prompt. The thread must be at least 200 words, demonstrate course-related knowledge, and include citations from at least 2 credible sources. In addition, the student is required to reply to 2 classmates’ threads. Each reply must be at least 100 words and include at least 1 citation. All sources must be cited in current MLA format.  

Virtual Tour and Journal Entry Assignment (3)

A virtual tour will allow the student to visit museums and cultural heritage sites via the Internet. After completing all facets of each virtual tour, the student will compose a 500–700-word journal entry based on the prompt. Each entry must contain at least 1 direct quotation from an additional scholarly source (an academic book or a scholarly journal article). Citations must be in current MLA format. 

The Parthenon Sculptures: Art, Ownership, and Repatriation Assignment

The student will practice visual and historical analysis, ethical reasoning, and evidence-based argumentation by writing a 500-word essay evaluating the controversy surrounding the Parthenon sculptures. The essay must cite at least 1 additional academic source that has not been assigned in current MLA format. 

Design an Ancient Roman Settlement Assignment

The student will demonstrate his/her understanding of Roman urban planning and historical analysis by creating a historically accurate Roman settlement for 10,000 inhabitants supported by research and evidence. The digital presentation will be 12-slides, approximately 1,650 words (excluding the bibliography). Each slide will combine visual evidence with written analysis that explains the structures represented in the town plan. See the assignment instructions document for the specific requirements for each slide.

Design Your Own Psalter Assignment

The student will choose a psalm to visualize and create an AI-generated image inspired by the Paris Psalter. The student will then write a 400-word devotional reflection. The project will be presented in a 5-slide PowerPoint presentation. All citations must be in current MLA format.

Virtual Exhibition Project Assignment

The student will choose 4 objects from the Medieval Art collection at the Cleveland Museum of Art and write museum labels (approximately 100-150 words) for each object. The student will present his/her exhibitions in a 5-slide PowerPoint presentation.

Quizzes (8)

Each quiz will cover the Learn material from the assigned Module: Week. Each quiz will be open-book/open-notes, will have 20 multiple-choice questions, will be limited to 1 attempt, and will have no time limit.