Art History (ARTH)

See Course Description Symbols and Terms for an explanation of course description terminology and symbols, the course numbering system, and course credit units.

ARTH 100  Art Appreciation: Multicultural Perspectives  3 Units  GC, GE  
Typically Offered: Fall and spring  
An interactive discussion of art and visual literacy using related texts that focus on works from around the world, from ancient times to the present. This course fulfills General Education C1 requirements in the basic study of visual elements and concepts related to the arts. 3 hours lecture.  (000713)  
General Education: Arts (C1)  
Grade Basis: Graded  
Repeatability: You may take this course for a maximum of 3 units  
Course Attributes: Lower Division; Global Cultures  
ARTH 110  Art History Survey: Prehistory to Medieval  3 Units  GC, GE  
Typically Offered: Fall only  
Survey of the visual arts from prehistory through the Middle Ages. 3 hours lecture.  (000705)  
General Education: Arts (C1)  
Grade Basis: Graded  
Repeatability: You may take this course for a maximum of 3 units  
Course Attributes: Lower Division; Global Cultures  
ARTH 120  Art History Survey: Renaissance to 1800  3 Units  GC, GE  
Typically Offered: Spring only  
Survey of the major visual arts of Europe and the U.S. from the Renaissance to 1800. 3 hours lecture.  (021083)  
General Education: Arts (C1)  
Grade Basis: Graded  
Repeatability: You may take this course for a maximum of 3 units  
Course Attributes: Lower Division; Global Cultures  
ARTH 130  Art History Survey: 1800 to the Present  3 Units  GE, USD  
Typically Offered: Fall and spring  
Survey of the major visual arts of Europe and the U.S. from 1800 to the Present. 3 hours lecture.  (021084)  
General Education: Arts (C1)  
Grade Basis: Graded  
Repeatability: You may take this course for a maximum of 3 units  
Course Attributes: Lower Division; US Diversity  
ARTH 140  Asian Art Survey  3 Units  GC  
Typically Offered: Fall and spring  
Survey of the major visual arts of Asia from prehistory to the present, with an emphasis on Buddhist, Hindu, Taoist, and Shinto arts. 3 hours lecture.  (000707)  
Grade Basis: Graded  
Repeatability: You may take this course for a maximum of 3 units  
Course Attributes: Lower Division; Global Cultures  
ARTH 150  Survey of Arts of the Americas, Oceania, and Africa  3 Units  GC, GE  
Typically Offered: Fall and spring  
A survey of visual arts, including Pre-Columbian, Post-Columbian, Native American, Islamic, and African. These arts will be placed in their historical, social, and religious contexts. 3 hours lecture.  (000709)  
General Education: Arts (C1)  
Grade Basis: Graded  
Repeatability: You may take this course for a maximum of 3 units  
Course Attributes: Lower Division; Global Cultures  
ARTH 200  Art History Careers  3 Units  
Typically Offered: Spring only  
This course familiarizes students with career tracks for art historians in the academic, museum, and commercial spheres. Emphasis is placed on building professional skills such as writing, editing, curating, and documentation. 3 hours lecture.  (021900)  
Grade Basis: Graded  
Repeatability: You may take this course for a maximum of 3 units  
Course Attributes: Lower Division  
ARTH 400W  Art History Issues (W)  3 Units  W  
Typically Offered: Inquire at department  
In-depth investigation of special areas of interest in art history, based upon particular faculty competencies and student interest. Recent topics include Visual Cultures of the Mediterranean, 1-1000 CE; Art of the 1960's and 1970's; Monsters and the Monstrous; and Monster Movies. 3 hours lecture.  (000856)  
Grade Basis: Graded  
Repeatability: You may take this course for a maximum of 9 units  
Course Attributes: Upper Division; Writing Course  
ARTH 411W  Greek Art and Architecture (W)  3 Units  W  
Typically Offered: Inquire at department  
In-depth study of Greek art and architecture. The course is thematic, with emphasis on gender, sexuality, race, and cultural identity. 3 hours lecture.  (000858)  
Grade Basis: Graded  
Repeatability: You may take this course for a maximum of 3 units  
Course Attributes: Upper Division; Writing Course  
ARTH 412W  Roman Art and Architecture (W)  3 Units  W  
Typically Offered: Inquire at department  
In-depth study of Roman art and architecture. The course is thematic, with emphasis on the political, religious, and social elements of Roman art and architecture. 3 hours lecture.  (000860)  
Grade Basis: Graded  
Repeatability: You may take this course for a maximum of 3 units  
Course Attributes: Upper Division; Writing Course  
ARTH 413W  Medieval Art and Architecture (W)  3 Units  W  
Typically Offered: Inquire at department  
In-depth thematic study of medieval art and architecture. The course is thematic, with emphasis on religion, geography, sexuality, race, and monstrosity. 3 hours lecture.  (000843)  
Grade Basis: Graded  
Repeatability: You may take this course for a maximum of 3 units  
Course Attributes: Upper Division; Writing Course  
ARTH 433W  20th Century Art (W)  3 Units  W  
Typically Offered: Inquire at department  
An investigation of the history of modern art from the early-to-mid twentieth century. The course covers such movements as Cubism, Expressionism, Constructivism, Dada, Surrealism, Abstract Expressionism, Pop Art, and Minimalism. An emphasis is placed on understanding how art relates to critical debates and social and historical contexts. 3 hours lecture.  (000777)  
Grade Basis: Graded  
Repeatability: You may take this course for a maximum of 3 units  
Course Attributes: Upper Division; Writing Course  
ARTH 441W  Contemporary Art (W)  3 Units  W  
Typically Offered: Fall only  
An investigation of artists and issues in the global contemporary art world. 3 hours lecture.  (000838)  
Grade Basis: Graded  
Repeatability: You may take this course for a maximum of 3 units  
Course Attributes: Upper Division; Writing Course  
ARTH 451W  American Art (W)  3 Units  W  
Typically Offered: Inquire at department  
An investigation of the history of American art from the colonial period to the present. This course examines a range of media and critically analyzes the representation of race, gender, class, and power in the history of American art. 3 hours lecture.  (000835)  
Grade Basis: Graded  
Repeatability: You may take this course for a maximum of 3 units  
Course Attributes: Upper Division; Writing Course  
ARTH 471W  Ancient Mexican Art (W)  3 Units  W  
Typically Offered: Inquire at department  
A survey of ancient Mexican art and culture of formative, classic, conquest, including the Olmec, Teotihuacan, Zapotec, Mxtec, Classic Gulf Coast, Toltec, and Aztec. Sites discussed include El Tajin, La Venta, Monte Alban, Mitla, Tula, and Tenochtitlan 3 hours lecture.  (000841)  
Grade Basis: Graded  
Repeatability: You may take this course for a maximum of 3 units  
Course Attributes: Upper Division; Writing Course  
ARTH 472W  Maya Art (W)  3 Units  W  
Typically Offered: Inquire at department  
An investigation of the art of the ancient Maya of Mexico and Central America prior to European contact, from the Preclassic to Postclassic periods. The relationship of art to religious beliefs and practices will be explored, as well as the development of local styles associated with royal courts. Sites discussed include Tikal, Palenque, Copan, Uxmal, and Chichen Itza 3 hours lecture.  (020618)  
Grade Basis: Graded  
Repeatability: You may take this course for a maximum of 3 units  
Course Attributes: Upper Division; Writing Course  
ARTH 473W  Colonial and Modern Mexican Art (W)  3 Units  W  
Typically Offered: Inquire at department  
A survey of Mexican art and the architecture during the colonial, revolutionary, and modern periods. Aspects of European, Spanish-American, and colonial indigenous art will be addressed, as well as the work of individual artists such as Diego Rivera and Frida Kahlo. 3 hours lecture.  (000842)  
Cross listing(s): CHLX 473W  
Grade Basis: Graded  
Repeatability: You may take this course for a maximum of 3 units  
Course Attributes: Upper Division; Writing Course  
ARTH 474W  Ancient Andean Art (W)  3 Units  W  
Typically Offered: Inquire at department  
An investigation of the art of Peru and adjacent regions prior to European contact. The relationship of art to religious beliefs and practices, political ideologies, and the significance of styles and technologies are examined. Cultures surveyed include Chavin, Paracas, Nasca, Moche, Tiwanaku, and Inka, as well as the Northern Andean civilizations such as San Agustin. 3 hours lecture.  (020619)  
Grade Basis: Graded  
Repeatability: You may take this course for a maximum of 3 units  
Course Attributes: Upper Division; Writing Course  
ARTH 475W  American Indian Art (W)  3 Units  W  
Typically Offered: Inquire at department  
Investigation of the traditional and contemporary arts and cultures of the Amerindian and Eskimo of the continental United States, Canada, and Alaska. Six major culture areas will be examined: the Arctic, Pacific Northwest, California, the Southwest, and Eastern Woodlands, and the florescent cultures of the Plains and Intermontane. Such problems as a definition of Indian Art, transoceanic contact, acculturation, and the moral and ethical questions posed by Indian Rights will be considered. 3 hours lecture.  (000852)  
Grade Basis: Graded  
Repeatability: You may take this course for a maximum of 3 units  
Course Attributes: Upper Division; Writing Course  
ARTH 476W  African Art (W)  3 Units  W  
Typically Offered: Inquire at department  
An investigation of the arts of Africa and the African diaspora, focusing on key themes in art as well as how these arts are integrated with diverse aspects of life. The course covers archaeological cultures such as the Nok, the traditions of historic kingdoms such as Benin, non-centralized (village-based) societies such as Dogon, as well as contemporary African art. 3 hours lecture.  (000853)  
Grade Basis: Graded  
Repeatability: You may take this course for a maximum of 3 units  
Course Attributes: Upper Division; Writing Course  
ARTH 481  Modern History of Interiors, Furnishings, and Architecture  3 Units  
Typically Offered: Spring only  
Survey of the language of form and space and stylistic vocabularies related to interiors, furnishings, and architecture for 19th and 20th century European and American art from the Colonial period. Styles such as Arts and Crafts, Art Nouveau, Art Deco, Bauhaus, Memphis, and Postmodern addressed, and architects and designers such as William Morris, Frank Lloyd Wright, Eileen Gray, and LeCorbusier included. 3 hours lecture.  (000778)  
Grade Basis: Graded  
Repeatability: You may take this course for a maximum of 3 units  
Course Attributes: Upper Division  
ARTH 484  History of Photography  3 Units  
Typically Offered: Fall only  
The development of photography from roots in classical and medieval discoveries to the present, its role in historical documentation, its reciprocal influence upon the arts, its contribution to science, and its importance as an extension of human vision. Non-silver processes and fusion of photography with computer and other media will be examined. Ansel Adams, Imogen Cunningham, Alfred Stieglitz, and Edward Weston are among the photographers to be considered. 3 hours lecture.  (000773)  
Grade Basis: Graded  
Repeatability: You may take this course for a maximum of 3 units  
Course Attributes: Upper Division  
ARTH 500W  Art History: Theory and Research Methods (W)  3 Units  W, GW  
Prerequisite: GE Written Communication (A2) requirement.  
Typically Offered: Spring only  
This seminar investigates the history of the discipline and allows students to develop methodological skills needed for art historical research. 3 hours seminar.  (000869)  
Grade Basis: Graded  
Repeatability: You may take this course for a maximum of 3 units  
Course Attributes: Upper Division; Writing Course; Graduation Writing Assessment  
ARTH 600  Graduate Studies: Art History Theory and Research Methods  3 Units  
Typically Offered: Inquire at department  
Research, methods, and problems in art history. 3 hours lecture.  (020397)  
Grade Basis: Graduate Graded  
Repeatability: You may take this course for a maximum of 3 units  
Course Attributes: Graduate Division  
ARTH 610  Graduate Studies in Art History Issues  3 Units  
Typically Offered: Inquire at department  
In-depth, graduate-level investigation of certain special areas of interest in art history based upon particular faculty competencies and student interest. 3 hours lecture.  (021303)  
Grade Basis: Graduate Graded  
Repeatability: You may take this course for a maximum of 9 units  
Course Attributes: Graduate Division  
ARTH 611  Graduate Studies in Greek Art  3 Units  
Typically Offered: Inquire at department  
Research, methods, and topics in Greek art. 3 hours lecture.  (000936)  
Grade Basis: Graduate Graded  
Repeatability: You may take this course for a maximum of 3 units  
Course Attributes: Graduate Division  
ARTH 612  Graduate Studies in Roman Art  3 Units  
Typically Offered: Inquire at department  
Research, methods, and topics in Roman art. 3 hours lecture.  (000938)  
Grade Basis: Graduate Graded  
Repeatability: You may take this course for a maximum of 3 units  
Course Attributes: Graduate Division  
ARTH 613  Graduate Studies in Medieval Art  3 Units  
Typically Offered: Inquire at department  
Research, methods, and topics in Medieval art. 3 hours lecture.  (000922)  
Grade Basis: Graduate Graded  
Repeatability: You may take this course for a maximum of 3 units  
Course Attributes: Graduate Division  
ARTH 633  Graduate Studies Twentieth-Century Art  3 Units  
Typically Offered: Inquire at department  
Research, methods, and topics in twentieth-century European art. 3 hours lecture.  (000943)  
Grade Basis: Graduate Graded  
Repeatability: You may take this course for a maximum of 3 units  
Course Attributes: Graduate Division  
ARTH 641  Graduate Studies in Contemporary Art  3 Units  
Typically Offered: Fall only  
Research, methods, and topics in contemporary global art. 3 hours lecture.  (000914)  
Grade Basis: Graduate Graded  
Repeatability: You may take this course for a maximum of 3 units  
Course Attributes: Graduate Division  
ARTH 651  Graduate Studies in American Art History  3 Units  
Typically Offered: Inquire at department  
Research, methods, and topics in American art. 3 hours seminar.  (000911)  
Grade Basis: Graduate Graded  
Repeatability: You may take this course for a maximum of 3 units  
Course Attributes: Graduate Division  
ARTH 671  Graduate Studies in Ancient Mexican Art  3 Units  
Typically Offered: Inquire at department  
Research, methods, and topics in Ancient Mexican art. 3 hours lecture.  (000918)  
Grade Basis: Graduate Graded  
Repeatability: You may take this course for a maximum of 3 units  
Course Attributes: Graduate Division  
ARTH 672  Graduate Studies in Maya Art  3 Units  
Typically Offered: Inquire at department  
Research, methods, and topics in Maya Art. 3 hours lecture.  (020628)  
Grade Basis: Graduate Graded  
Repeatability: You may take this course for a maximum of 3 units  
Course Attributes: Graduate Division  
ARTH 673  Graduate Studies in Colonial and Modern Mexican Art  3 Units  
Typically Offered: Inquire at department  
Research, methods, and topics in Colonial and Modern Mexican Art. 3 hours lecture.  (000920)  
Grade Basis: Graduate Graded  
Repeatability: You may take this course for a maximum of 3 units  
Course Attributes: Graduate Division  
ARTH 674  Graduate Studies in Ancient Andean Art  3 Units  
Typically Offered: Inquire at department  
Research, methods, and topics in ancient Andean art. 3 hours lecture.  (020629)  
Grade Basis: Graduate Graded  
Repeatability: You may take this course for a maximum of 3 units  
Course Attributes: Graduate Division  
ARTH 675  Graduate Studies in American Indian Art  3 Units  
Typically Offered: Inquire at department  
Research, methods, and topics in American Indian art. 3 hours lecture.  (015530)  
Grade Basis: Graduate Graded  
Repeatability: You may take this course for a maximum of 3 units  
Course Attributes: Graduate Division  
ARTH 676  Graduate Studies in African Art  3 Units  
Typically Offered: Inquire at department  
An investigation of the arts of Africa and the African diaspora, focusing on key themes in art as well as how these arts are integrated with diverse aspects of life. The course covers archaeological cultures such as the Nok, the traditions of historic kingdoms such as Benin, non-centralized (village-based) societies such as Dogon, as well as contemporary African art. 3 hours lecture.  (020398)  
Grade Basis: Graduate Graded  
Repeatability: You may take this course for a maximum of 3 units  
Course Attributes: Graduate Division  
ARTH 684  Graduate Studies in History of Photography  3 Units  
Typically Offered: Fall only  
Research, methods, and topics in history of photography. 3 hours lecture.  (020399)  
Grade Basis: Graduate Graded  
Repeatability: You may take this course for a maximum of 3 units  
Course Attributes: Graduate Division