DEPARTMENT OF ART HISTORY
85 Humanities
Instructional Building; (949) 824-6635
James D. Herbert, Department Chair
Faculty
George Bauer, Ph.D. Princeton University, Professor of Art History (Renaissance and Baroque)
Linda Freeman Bauer, Ph.D. Institute of Fine Arts, New York University, Professor of Art History (Renaissance and Baroque)
Bridget Cooks, Ph.D. University of Rochester, Assistant Professor of African American Studies and Art History (African American art and culture, Black visual culture, museum criticism, film, feminist theory and postcolonial theory)
Anna Gonosová, Ph.D. Harvard University, Associate Professor of Art History (Byzantine and Medieval art)
James D. Herbert, Ph.D. Yale University, Department Chair and Professor of Art History (modern European art)
Judy C. Ho, Ph.D. Yale University, Associate Professor of Art History (Chinese art, archaeology, common religion, Buddhist art)
Philip Leider, M.A. University of Nebraska, Senior Lecturer with Security of Employment Emeritus, Art History
Margaret M. Miles, Ph.D. Princeton University, Professor of Art History and Classics (Greek and Roman art, archaeology)
Sally A. Stein, Ph.D. Yale University, Associate Professor of Art History (American art, history of photography, feminist theory)
Dickran Tashjian, Ph.D. Brown University, Professor Emeritus of Art History (American art and literature, American and European avant-garde, art and technology)
Cécile Whiting, Ph.D. Stanford University, Associate Dean for Humanities Graduate Study and Research and Professor of Art History (American art and culture, feminist theory)
Bert Winther-Tamaki, Ph.D. Institute of Fine Arts, New York University, Associate Professor of Art History (Modern Japanese art, Asian American art, art and nationalism)
The Department of Art History offers a major and minor in Art History, and administers an interdisciplinary minor in Archaeology. Art History is the study of works of art and other visual artifacts from all regions of the world and all periods of history. Consequently, the undergraduate curriculum in Art History, with its global perspective, is one of the most diverse disciplines in the humanities. Through Art History students learn how to describe and interpret a range of objects including sculpture, painting, photography, architecture, and so-called "new media" such as video or performance art. These skills, along with the program's intense focus on writing and verbal expression, prepare students to think critically and to express themselves clearly at a time when visual communication is becoming ever more important. Because works of art are always created within a larger cultural context, Art History courses are a good way to understand what other places or times were like. Students may explore, for example, ancient Greece, nineteenth-century Japan, or even the twenty-first century United States. Majors in Art History are thus welcome to take related courses in other fields of the humanities. Students are encouraged to pursue the study of language beyond the minimum requirements, and because of its international perspective, Art History is a particularly good major for students interested in studying abroad. There are many study centers throughout the world associated with the University's Education Abroad Program. Special scholarships are available for the Pacific region program.
CAREERS FOR THE ART HISTORY MAJOR
Following their graduation, students with a B.A. in Art History have found employment in art galleries, auction houses, and museums, and they have entered graduate programs with a view to careers in university teaching, curatorial work, and art conservation. Moreover, with its strong emphasis on developing critical skills in writing, speaking, and analysis, Art History also provides an excellent preparation for many other careers. UCI graduates have pursued professional paths ranging from medicine and law, to business and education, to information technologies and architecture. As in the case of arts administration or intellectual property law, some of these professional pursuits have depended on and continue to make use of training in the arts.
REQUIREMENTS FOR THE BACHELOR'S DEGREE
University Requirements: See pages 57-62.
School Requirements: See pages 258-259.
Departmental Requirements for the Major in Art History
A. One year-long Art History introductory series: either 40A, 40B, 40C or 42A, 42B, 42C.
B. Eight upper-division Art History courses, with at least one course each in five of the following six areas: Ancient history (Art History 100-109), Medieval history (110-119), Renaissance/Baroque history (120-129), Modern history (130-149, 183), Asian history (150-163), and American history (163-169).
C. Art History 190, taken for upper-division writing credit.
D. Completion of one of the following:
1. Two quarters of Art History 198; or
2. One quarter of Art History 198 and one additional upper-division course selected from the list in requirement B above.
Students should enroll in Art History 190 (for upper-division writing) as early as possible in their junior year, after successfully completing UCI's lower-division writing requirement. Art History 190 is a prerequisite for Art History 198.
Residence Requirement for the Major: Five upper-division courses required for the major must be completed successfully at UCI.
Departmental Requirements for the Minor in Art History
A. One year-long Art History introductory series: either 40A, 40B, 40C or 42A, 42B, 42C.
B. Three upper-division Art History courses chosen from three of the following six areas: Ancient history (Art History 100-109), Medieval history (110-119), Renaissance/Baroque history (120-129), Modern history (130-149, 183), Asian history (150-163), and American history (163-169).
C. Completion of one of the following:
1. One quarter of Art History 198; or
2. One additional upper-division course, in one of the three areas already selected by the student in satisfaction of requirement B above.
Residence Requirement for the Minor: Four upper-division courses required for the minor must be completed successfully at UCI. By petition, two of the four may be taken through the UC Education Abroad Program, providing course content is approved in advance by the department chair.
Minor in Archaeology
The interdisciplinary minor in Archaeology introduces students to modern archaeological theory and practice. Students are exposed to different approaches and theoretical frameworks used in the reconstruction of cultures based on their material remains and examine the use of such approaches and frameworks in a comparative context that emphasizes one geographic area. Students also become familiar with the importance of understanding the historical, geographic, and environmental contexts in which a particular material culture develops and transforms. The minor helps to prepare students for advanced training in art history, the archaeology of specific geographical regions, cultural resource management, museum studies, and historical preservation. It emphasizes classical and historical archaeology of the last 5,000 years of human history.
Requirements for the Minor in Archaeology
Completion of seven courses (28 units). Only one course from requirements D-F may be lower division.
A. Anthropology 2C.
B. One lower-division survey course on the pre-modern world selected from: Anthropology 41A; Art History 40A, 42A; History 21A.
C. One upper-division social theory course selected from: Anthropology 125B, 136B; History 102B; Women's Studies 156B, 165A.
D. One course on the social study of scientific inquiry selected from: Anthropology 128A; History 60; Women's Studies 50A, 50B, 60A.
E. Geographic specialty: two courses focusing on one particular area from the requirement F list.
F. Geographic subspecialty: one course from the list below on an area outside the student's geographic specialty.
Africa and Asia: Art History 150, 152, 175; History 130A, 131, 134A, 170D.
Greece and Rome: Art History 100, 103, 107; Classics 36A, 36B, 36C, 37A, 37B, 37C, 140; History 105A, 105B, 105C.
Americas: Anthropology: 141A, 149, 162A, 162B; Art History 164A, 175; History 151A, 161A.
Residence Requirement for the Minor: Four upper-division courses required for the minor must be completed successfully at UCI. Two of the four may be taken through the UC Education Abroad Program provided course content is approved in advance by the Humanities Undergraduate Study Office.
In conjunction with the Department of Film and Media Studies, the Department of Art History offers a graduate program in Visual Studies. A program description and graduate courses may be found in the Program in Visual Studies section, toward the end of the School of Humanities section.
LOWER-DIVISION
Lower-division courses provide a comprehensive introduction to broad fields of art history, knowledge of some of the most influential monuments of human history, and an acquaintance with basic methods that art historians use to interpret artifacts in many media from many cultures.
40 History of Western Art. A year-long survey of art and culture in the West from prehistory to the present.
40A Ancient (4) F. An overview of prehistoric, Egyptian, Greek, and Roman art. Considers how and why the peoples of antiquity created art and architecture, as well as the significance within its social, religious, and historical contexts. (IV, VII-B)
40B Medieval and Renaissance (4) W. Focuses on the art of the Mediterranean area and Europe between ca. A.D. 350 and 1600. By means of movements and artists, examines the cultural identities of the Christian, Islamic, and early modern worlds. (IV, VII-B)
40C Baroque and Modern (4) S. The visual arts from the seventeenth to the twentieth centuries. Explores the changing social purposes and meaning of painting, sculpture, and architecture in relation to historical events and to the artists who made them. (IV, VII-B)
42A, B, C History of Asian Art (4, 4, 4) F, W, S. A one-year survey of painting, sculpture, architecture and other artifacts in various regions of Asia. Starts with prehistory in 42A (fall quarter) and concludes with modern art in the twentieth century in 42C (spring quarter). Topics include neolithic excavations, pan-Asiatic transmissions of art, developments of art in China and Japan. (IV, VII-B)
UPPER-DIVISION
Upper-division courses explore a wide variety of aims and methods-archaeological, historical, and critical-in the study of art. Deeper understanding is obtained by focusing on shorter historical periods, specific cultural contexts, developments in particular media, or certain theoretical problems.
100 Studies in Ancient Art (4). Topics in Egyptian, Prehistoric, and Etruscan art of the Mediterranean area treated with specific reference to relevant cultural and historical settings. Specialized courses in Greek and Roman art are also taught. May be repeated for credit as topics vary.
103 Studies in Greek Art (4) F, W, S. Topics in Greek art, architecture, and topography from the Prehistoric period through the end of the fourth century B.C.E. May be repeated for credit as topics vary.
107 Studies in Roman Art (4) F, W, S. Topics in Hellenistic and Roman art and architecture; stresses historical and political background. May be repeated for credit as topics vary.
110 Studies in Medieval Art (4) F, W, S. Specialized topics in Medieval art and architecture in Europe, the Mediterranean area, and the Near East between the fourth and fifteenth centuries. Examples: the art of the Migration Period, Medieval City. May be repeated for credit as topics vary.
112 Studies in Early Christian and Byzantine Art (4) F, W, S. Selected topics on the development of the art and architecture of the Later Roman and Byzantine Empires between ca. 300 and 1453. Examples: Early Christian architecture, Byzantine painting. May be repeated for credit as topics vary.
114 Studies in Western Medieval Art (4) F, W, S. Selected topics on the development of art and architecture in Western Europe between ca. 700 and 1400. Examples: Romanesque painting, Gothic architecture. Same as Humanities 110 when topic is appropriate. May be repeated for credit as topics vary.
118 Studies in Medieval Islamic Art (4) F, W, S. Selected topics on the development of art and architecture between the seventh and fifteenth centuries A.D. (first to ninth centuries A.H.) in the Eastern Mediterranean and the Near East after the rise of Islam. May be repeated for credit as topics vary.
120 Studies in Renaissance and Baroque Art (4) F, W, S. Selected topics on the art and architecture of Europe between the fifteenth and eighteenth centuries. Examples: Renaissance and Baroque prints, Bruegel to Rubens. May be repeated for credit as topics vary.
121 Studies in Southern Renaissance Art (4) F, W, S. Selected topics determined by individual faculty members exploring historical developments and individual artists of the fifteenth and sixteenth centuries in Italy and Spain. Examples: Renaissance Venice, Age of Michelangelo. May be repeated for credit as topics vary.
123 Studies in Northern Renaissance Art (4) F, W, S. Selected topics determined by individual faculty members exploring historical developments and individual artists of the fifteenth and sixteenth centuries in Northern Europe. Examples: Late Medieval art, painting from Van Eyck to Bosch. May be repeated for credit as topics vary.
125 Studies in Southern Baroque Art (4) F, W, S. Selected topics determined by individual faculty members exploring historical developments and individual artists of the seventeenth and eighteenth centuries in Italy and Spain. Example: Rome in the seventeenth century. May be repeated for credit as topics vary.
128 Studies in Northern Baroque Art (4) F, W, S. Selected topics determined by individual faculty members exploring historical developments and individual artists of the seventeenth and eighteenth centuries in Northern Europe. Example: the Age of Rembrandt. May be repeated for credit as topics vary.
130 Studies in Eighteenth-Century Art (4) F, W, S. Selected topics determined by individual faculty members exploring historical developments and individual artists of the eighteenth century. Examples: English art, Neoclassicism. May be repeated for credit as topics vary.
134 Studies in Modern European Art. F, W, S. Varying topics within the period 1643 to 1940. Works of art are studied as cultural, social, and political practices. May be repeated for credit as topics vary.
134A European Art: 1643-1789 (4)
134B European Art: 1789-1851 (4). Formerly Art History 133A.
134C European Art: 1851-1907 (4). Formerly Art History 133B.
134D European Art: 1907-1940 (4). Formerly Art History 133C.
134E Topics in Modern European Art (4). Varies with each offering. Consult with the instructor for specific topic. Formerly Art History 133D.
140 Studies in Contemporary Art. F, W, S. Varying topics within the period 1940 to the present. Works of art are studied as cultural, social, and political practices. May be repeated for credit as topics vary.
140A History of Contemporary Art (4)
140B Issues of Contemporary Art (4)
140C Theories of Contemporary Art (4)
145 Studies in the History of Modern and Contemporary Architecture. F, W, S. Varying topics from the late eighteenth century to the present. Architecture and related design practices are studied in relation to social, aesthetic, technological, and political questions. May be repeated for credit as topics vary.
145A Modern Architecture (4)
145B Architecture after 1945 (4)
145C Various Topics (4)
150 Studies in Asian Art (4) F, W, S. Topics include visual studies in China, Japan, Korea, and India. May be repeated for credit as topics vary.
152 Studies in Chinese Art and Religion (4) F, W, S. A study of the rich archaeological finds in mainland China (including tombs and temples) and the development of religious beliefs from the Neolithic through the imperial periods. May be repeated for credit as topics vary.
153 Studies in Early Chinese Painting (4) F, W, S. An examination of the major traditions in painting from the fourth through the thirteenth centuries and the parallel developments in art theory.May be repeated for credit as topics vary.
154 Studies in Later Chinese Painting (4) F, W, S. New developments in Yuan, Ming, and Qing, through modern periods. May be repeated for credit as topics vary.
162 Later Japanese Art and Design. Explores stylistic and technical developments in Japanese visual culture. A cross-section of media such as architecture, crafts, painting, photography, and sculpture are studied in relation to Japanese social and political history.
162A Japanese Art: 1615-1868 (4). (VII-B)
162B Japanese Art: 1868-1945 (4). (VII-B)
162C Japanese Art: 1945-Present (4). (VII-B)
163 Asian American Art History (4). F, W, S. Investigation of the Asian American experience expressed by art and visual culture through the twentieth century. Art by Asian Americans of diverse backgrounds as well as the history of visualization of Asian identities in American art/visual culture. May be repeated for credit as topics vary. (VII-A)
164 African American Art
164A African American Art: 1619-1929 (4). Investigates the history and aesthetics of African American art with an emphasis on the politics of cultural representation. Same as African American Studies 111A. (VII-A)
164B African American Art: 1930-Present (4). Investigates the history and aesthetics of African American art with an emphasis on the politics of cultural representation. Same as African American Studies 111B. (VII-A)
164C Topics in African American Art (4). May be repeated for credit as topics vary.
165 Studies in American Art. F, W, S. Varying topics within the period 1620 to 1950. Works of art are studied in their cultural, social, and political contexts.
165A American Art: 1620-1800 (4)
165B American Art: 1800-1900 (4)
165C American Art: 1900-1950 (4)
165D Topics in American Art (4). Varies with each offering. Consult instructor for specific topic. May be repeated for credit as topics vary.
167 Latin American Art History (4) F, W. S. Historical periods vary with each offering and may range from pre-Columbian societies, through the colonial era, to developments in modern and contemporary art. May be repeated for credit as topics vary. (VII-B)
175 Studies in Native and Tribal Art (4) F, W, S. Varying topics on the art and culture of native and tribal societies. For example, North American Indians. May be repeated for credit as topics vary.
180 Topics in the Criticism of Art (4) F, W, S. Selected topics discussed on the theoretical and/or practical dimensions of art historical criticism. May be repeated for credit as topics vary.
181 Topics in Museum Studies (4). F, W, S. Addresses the historical and contemporary function of the museum as an instructional device. The function of exhibitions in the public sphere, and the roles of curators, educators, and the public are analyzed. May be repeated for credit as topics vary.
183 Studies in the History of Photography. F, W, S. Varying topics within the history of photography from the early nineteenth century to the present. Photographic practice studied in relation to art history, cultural history, and social history. May be repeated for credit as topics vary.
183A Nineteenth-Century Photographic History (4)
183B Twentieth-Century Photographic History (4)
183C Selected Topics in Photographic History (4). Examples: documentary; pictorialism and art photography; photomontage, photographic books.
185 Topics in Visual Studies (4) F, W, S, Summer. Interdisciplinary topics on the cultural analysis of visual artifacts and practices. May be repeated for credit as topics vary.
190 Practicum for Majors (4) W. Theory and practice of art history with emphasis on formal and social models of analyzing and writing about art. Prerequisite: Art History major, junior standing, and completion of the lower-division writing requirement.
195A-B Senior Research. Students undertake a senior research project under the individual supervision of an Art History faculty member.
195A Senior Research (4) F, W, S. With consultation in regularly scheduled meetings, students select a topic, identify and study relevant texts and materials, and prepare a prospectus for an original thesis. In-progress grading. Prerequisite: Art History 190.
195B Senior Research (4) F, W, S. Students submit an outline and preliminary drafts of section of their paper to the instructor, on a schedule supervised by the instructor. Final 20-page paper includes revisions addressing the instructor's comments and criticisms. Prerequisite: Art History 195A.
198 Proseminar in Art History (4) F, W, S. Discussion and report-oriented seminar with emphasis on reading, writing, and thinking about problems in art history. Topics vary according to the faculty member in charge. Examples: Caravaggio and his followers, Dunhuang painting. Prerequisite: Art History 190 or consent of instructor. May be repeated for credit as topics vary.
199 Independent Study in Art History (1 to 4) F, W, S. Supervised, but independent reading or research on art historical topics. Prerequisite: consent of supervising instructor. May be taken for credit four times.
GRADUATE
Graduate courses satisfying the requirements of the graduate program in Visual Studies are listed in the Visual Studies section of the Catalogue. Graduate students may also enroll concurrently in any upper-division lecture class with the approval of the instructor.
399 University Teaching (4) F, W, S. Limited to teaching assistants. Satisfactory/Unsatisfactory grading only. May be repeated for credit.