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Selected Topics in Art History

Every four years, the Department of Art offers Selected Topics in Art History (ART435), which concludes with a study-abroad trip. The 2007 course, which focused on Italian Renaissance, was used to investigate major artistic traditions in greater depth than can be achieved in the art history survey courses. In Western society the renaissance period is seen as one of the cornerstones of our civilization. Weekly lectures during the semester provide students with an understanding of the time period, the religious and political atmosphere, and of course, its artists. Then, for 15 days participants traveled throughout Italy. There students stepped back in time to tour the streets of Milan, Verona, Venice, Florence, Siena and Rome, as well as view artworks created by Giotto, Donatello, Michelangelo, Raphael and others. Course grade is based upon a written term paper or creative project and a daily travel journal or sketchbook.