Beyond the Frame: Understanding History through Art

While historians work primarily with documents, works of art are historical sources, too. They offer the viewer a glimpse of the past and can provide valuable social, economic, cultural and political context of the times. This course will explore history through the lens of art produced during particular moments. As a class, we will look, share, analyze and contextualize specific works of art. Then we will connect the works to the “moment” they were created, as well as broader societal and global processes.  
 
Specifically, we will examine, analyze, and reflect on works of Dutch Golden Age of Art; paintings and engravings from the Revolutionary Atlantic world; the Interwar era (between World War I and II); and the 20thcentury Chinese Communist Revolution. Highlighted artists will include but are not limited to: Diego Rivera; Fu Baoshi; Rembrandt, Vermeer, Gustav Klimpt, Jacques Louise-David, Francisco Goya. Note: A separate course on female artists will be offered as part of the Women in World History series (Fall 2024).