History of Art I – ARTS 201

CG • Section 8WK • 11/08/2019 to 04/16/2020 • Modified 09/05/2023

Course Description

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.

Rationale

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, their 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.

 

 

Course Assignment

Textbook readings and lecture presentations

Course Requirements Checklist (1)

After reading the Course Syllabus and the Student Expectations at the beginning of the sub-term, the student will complete the Course Requirements Checklist (CRC).

Discussions (2)

Discussions are collaborative learning experience. An important part of online curriculum, they provide a way to explore course topics and exchange ideas. For each Discussion, the student is required to create a thread in response to the provided prompt. This initial post must demonstrate course-related knowledge and include a biblical principle. In addition, the student is required to reply to two posts by their classmates.

Virtual Tours and Journal Entry Assignments (4)

Virtual Tours allow the student to visit museums or cultural heritage sites via the Internet. After completing all facets of each Virtual Tour, the student will compose a Journal Entry based on the prompt. Each Journal Entry must contain a citation of an academic source (a scholarly book or a scholarly/peer-reviewed journal article).

Virtual Exhibition Project Assignment (1)

The student will complete Virtual Exhibition Project comprised of annotated images of the artworks from a museum or a gallery. This assignment assesses the student’s ability to describe, analyze, and organize the works of art in the form of a thematic art exhibition.

Case Study Assignments (2)

The student will learn more about Ancient Roman urban planning and the Early Christian art by completing Case Studies. Each Case Study will contain a hand-drawn or computer-generated design followed by a slide presentation. Each slide will contain an image and a written annotation.

Visual Analysis Assignment (1)

The student will learn more about Romanesque architecture by clicking on the various points on the on-screen image. No writing is required.

Quizzes (8)

Each open-text/open-notes multiple-choice quiz covers the Learn materials for the corresponding Module: Week and will have no time limit.