Department of Fine Arts

Last updated: November 25, 2009 at 4:22 p.m.

Objectives

Undergraduate Major
 The Department of Fine Arts offers programs in studio art and art history for the undergraduate student who wishes to study the visual arts as a creative artist or as a humanist.

Art History
 Art is the visual record of human history (and the expression of our finest aspirations). The history of art is a discipline that critically examines that record and achievement in the broadest cultural and intellectual context. The art history program offers a wide array of courses. Some courses provide a survey of major developments in Western and Asian art, while others examine in greater detail major themes or movements in art (such as impressionism and post-impressionism, the age of cathedrals, and the history of photography). Students are able to complement these offerings by taking advantage of the proximity of the Rose Art Museum and the wealth of other art museums and cultural institutions in the surrounding area. This comprehensive program exemplifies the ideals of a liberal arts education and thereby enhances any individual course of study. It also prepares students to enter graduate programs in art history, museum studies, and arts administration, or to begin careers in the arts.

Studio Art
 Art is a language of its own making and by studing it, a student is educated in visual thinking and creativity through the fundamental process of direct experience. The studio department offers diverse approaches in painting, sculpture, printmaking, design, and drawing. The studio program fosters a student's ability to make an informed judgment; it is supplemented through a distinguished visiting artist program, a strong pedagogical link with the Rose Art Museum, and trips to important museums and galleries in New York City, Washington, D.C., and the Boston area. Through the core of studio classes, the student is able to realize, with excellence, his or her potential for expression and informed vision. Studio is an appropriate vehicle for an intellectual experience within the liberal arts context, and students are assisted in the preparation for BFA and MFA graduate programs.

Postbaccalaureate Program in Studio Art
 The Department of Fine Arts offers a postbaccalaureate certificate program for students with a bachelor's degree who are interested in extending their experience in studio art. The program's structure emphasizes independent work with assistance achieved through critical interaction with faculty and visiting artists. Students can prepare portfolios for admission to graduate school, or achieve the self-sufficiency necessary for continued studio work outside an academic environment.

Mortimer-Hays Brandeis Traveling Fellowship
 The department administers the Mortimer-Hays Brandeis Traveling Fellowship, which provides support to students in the visual and fine arts, including art history, conservation, studio art, and photography for travel and living expenses outside the continental United States, Alaska, and Hawaii. Support is provided only in accordance with a program of study or other activities approved by the fellowship selection committee. Brandeis is one of ten colleges and universities that participate in this program.

How to Become a Major or Minor

Art History
 Students who are art history majors are offered a variety of courses in ancient to contemporary Western art and Asian art. The student may specialize in a given area and choose a faculty adviser who will guide his or her work. The honors program in art history requires the completion of a senior thesis written under the close supervision of an adviser and a faculty committee. Students may also receive academic credit for internships taken in off-campus museums and art galleries.

Minor in Art History
 A minor in art history is offered in addition to the major. This gives the student majoring in another department the opportunity to flexibly construct a program of six art history courses that reflect his or her own personal or academic interests. Studio art majors may not minor in art history.

Studio Art
 It is recommended that students considering a studio art major enroll in a beginning painting or sculpture course in their sophomore year to allow time to develop their work in a sequence of courses taken over a period of three years. Studio majors are expected to take art history classes as an important component of their major requirement and to deepen their creative experience. Majors are encouraged to extend their intellectual and creative involvement through summer art programs and participation in full studio faculty reviews of their work during sophomore, junior, and senior years.

How to Be Admitted to the Postbaccalaureate Program

An undergraduate major in studio art is not required of applicants, but students should be working beyond the beginning level in painting or sculpture. Applicants will be required to submit a group of slides of their work. GMAT or GRE scores are not required. For more information, applicants should contact the Department of Fine Arts.

Faculty

Nancy Scott, Chair
 European and American art, from the French Revolution to World War II.

Chris Abrams
 Sculpture/media.

Gannit Ankori
 Israeli and Palestian art.

Markus Baenziger, Director ofStudio Art
Sculpture.

Graham Campbell
 Painting.

Sean Downey, Postbaccalaureate Coordinator
 Drawing and painting.

Tory Fair
 Sculpture.

Alfredo Gisholt
Printmaking.

Talinn Grigor
History of architecture.

Peter Kalb
Twentieth century/contemporary art.

Susan Lichtman
 Painting.

Charles McClendon
 Medieval art and architecture.

Jonathan Unglaub
 Renaissance and Baroque art.

Joseph Wardwell, Undergraduate Advising Head (Studio Art)
 Drawing and painting.

Aida Yuen Wong, Undergraduate Advising Head (Art History)
 Asian art.

Requirements for the Minor

Six courses are required for the minor in art history:

A. One course in pre-Renaissance or Asian art history.

B. Five additional art history courses.

All courses taken for the minor must receive a final grade of C- or better. No more than two courses taken in programs abroad, or as transfer credit, can be counted toward the minor.

Department majors in studio art cannot minor in art history, due to the overlapping core requirements of the major. In corollary manner, studio courses are not considered part of the art history minor.

Requirements for the Major

Students may major in either studio art or art history. In courses fulfilling the requirements for the major, students must have received a C- or higher. All students are required to maintain a GPA of 2.0 or higher in course work taken in the major. A minimum of twelve semester courses is required to fulfill each major. Students may also double major in studio art and art history if the requirements of each major are fully met with a minimum of eighteen semester courses total.

Studio Art
 Studio majors are required to take:

A. Four semesters of beginning and intermediate courses in either painting or sculpture or a combination of beginning and intermediate courses in a combination of media, selected by students in consultation with their department adviser and completed by the end of the junior year.

B. Two semesters of studio electives in drawing, design, sculpture, painting, printmaking or new media.

C. Two semesters of Senior Studio (FA 110a and b) in painting or sculpture.

D. Four semesters of art history, from among the fine arts and cross-listed courses, consisting of one course in ancient or medieval art, one course in Asian art, and two courses in Renaissance to modern art. Studio majors may take either FA 76a or FILM 100a for an elective, but not both.

Art History
 Art history curriculum general requirements: ten required courses from among the FA and cross-listed course offerings, plus two electives.

A. FA 17a and one elective from the fine arts and cross-listed courses or two courses—one course in ancient art and one course in medieval art.

B. FA 18b plus two electives in Renaissance through modern or three courses selected from the following four fields: Renaissance, baroque, modern, and architecture/American.

C. One course in Asian art.

D. FA 197b (Seminar in Methods and Approaches in the History of Art).

E. One research seminar. (FA 98a [Independent Study in Art History] may be substituted in certain cases with permission of the instructor).

F. Two semesters of studio work.

G. The remaining elective courses may be selected from other art history (not studio art) and cross-listed offerings for this department; or, with permission of the faculty adviser and the art history undergraduate advising head, courses may be taken in related areas outside of the department.

Prospective graduate students in the history of art are advised to acquire skills in foreign languages, which are necessary for graduate study.

Studio
 The studio faculty has developed the studio courses listed in the catalog in the belief that the artist-teacher stands at the center of the syllabus of the studio courses. Their presentation is structured through interaction with the individual student. In the best interest of the students' development it is advised that they utilize all the studio faculty, so as to enrich their educational experience through the diverse offerings of the department. In the event that a student wishes to enter a full-year course at mid-year and feels that work previously accomplished evidences a competency that is equivalent or superior to that course, the student may request that his or her work be viewed by the instructor. Enrollment prerequisite is the consent of the instructor.

Requirements for the Postbaccalaureate Program in Studio Art

Five courses are required; students usually enroll in two courses the first semester and three courses in the second semester.

A. Each semester students should enroll in FA 200a in the fall and FA 200b in the spring, a tutorial with an adviser from the studio faculty. Postbaccalaureate program faculty are available to meet each week with students for individual critiques. Participation in these studio visits, as well as group critiques, visiting artists' lectures, and field trips are considered part of the tutorial curriculum.

B. Students should enroll in three additional courses appropriate to their needs and interests. The courses are designed to cultivate independent studio work and to help build the student's portfolio. Courses recommended for postbaccalaureate students are:

  • FA 104a or b Advanced Drawing
  • FA 116a or b Intermediate Printmaking
  • FA 110a or b Senior Studio in Sculpture
  • FA 7b Life Painting
  • FA 8a Sculpture in the Age of New Media: Mutational Mayhem
Other courses are acceptable with approval of the course instructor and the student's adviser.

C. There is a one-year residency requirement that may be extended to an additional year with permission of the program chair.

Courses of Instruction

Studio Art Courses

FA 1a Basic Visual Concepts in Painting
[ ca ]
Beginning-level course. Preference to first-year students and sophomores. Studio fee: $30 per semester.
An exploration of two-dimensional visual concepts using oil paint. A semester-long course (intended for the beginner) in which students explore concepts of color, composition, drawing, and expression. Observations from still-lifes, models, and landscapes are translated into traditional and contemporary ideas as students learn the basic techniques of oil painting. Usually offered every year.
Mr. Downey

FA 1b Elements of Design in Art
[ ca ]
Beginning-level course. Preference to first-year students and sophomores. Studio fee: $30 per semester.
The theoretical and visual study of pictorial form in nonrepresentational drawing. This is a beginning-level practical studio course. Usually offered every year.
Staff

FA 3a Introduction to Drawing I
[ ca ]
Beginning-level course. No previous drawing experience necessary. Preference to first-year students and sophomores. May be repeated once for credit if taught by different instructors. Studio fee: $20 per semester.
A studio class that introduces a range of drawing materials and methods, intended for both studio majors and nonmajors. Students will draw from direct observation of still-life, landscape, and the human figure. Drawing media may include graphite, charcoal, ink, and collage, as well as watercolor and pastel. The drawings of great artists throughout history will be studied to provide examples of what is possible within this broad and expressive visual language.
Mr. Downey, Ms. Lichtman, and Mr. Wardwell

FA 3b Introduction to Drawing II
[ ca ]
Beginning-level course. No previous drawing experience necessary. Preference to first-year students and sophomores. May be repeated once for credit if taught by different instructors. Studio fee: $20 per semester.
An introduction to the materials and methods of drawing, intended for both studio majors and non-majors. A topics-based course. Each section will offer basic drawing instruction through focus on a particular theme, such as figure drawing, watercolor, or printmaking.
Mr. Downey, Ms. Lichtman, and Mr. Wardwell

FA 4a Three-Dimensional Design I
[ ca ]
Beginning-level course. Preference to first-year students and sophomores. May be repeated once for credit if taught by different instructors. Studio fee: $25 per semester.
Exploration of three-dimensional aspects of form, space, and composition utilizing a variety of materials and sculptural techniques. Emphasizes students' inventing of images through the use of modern materials and contemporary ideas about sculpture. Assignments are based on abstract thought and problem solving. The intent of this course is to give students a rich studio experience and promote a fresh and meaningful approach to visual concepts. Usually offered every semester.
Mr. Baenziger, Ms. Fair, and Mr. Abrams

FA 4b Three-Dimensional Design II
[ ca ]
Beginning-level course. Preference to first-year students and sophomores. May be repeated once for credit if taught by different instructors. Studio fee: $25 per semester.
See FA 4a for course description. Usually offered every semester.
Mr. Baenziger, Ms. Fair, and Mr. Abrams

FA 5b Blurring the Boundaries
[ ca ]
Studio fee: $25 per semester.
This studio course is an opportunity to work both in painting and in sculpture. Students are expected to create a dialogue between methods of collage, drawing, monotype, painting, and methods of constructing three-dimensional objects, including mixed media and installation. We use paintings as a source for sculpture, and sculpture as a source for painting. There will be an additional two hours of monitored shop time that students are required to attend weekly outside of scheduled class time. Usually offered every year.
Ms. Fair

FA 6a Implicating the Body in Sculpture
[ ca ]
Prerequisite: FA 4a. Studio fee: $25 per semester.
Explores how the body can be involved in the subject of making sculpture. Examines different ways in which the body is used as a source, including observation, process, fragmentation, narrative, and performance. Projects are introduced through slides from contemporary artists implementing the concepts put forth. Usually offered every year.
Ms. Fair

FA 7b Life Painting
[ ca ]
Prerequisite: Any studio art course. Studio fee: $25 per semester.
A semester-long course dedicated to the practice and study of the human form. Students work in oil paint from live models for the duration of the course. Students explore historical and contemporary painting issues surrounding art making from the model. Usually offered every spring.
Mr. Downey

FA 8a Sculpture in the Age of New Media
[ ca ]
Studio fee: $25 per semester. This course may not be repeated for credit by students who have taken FA 117b in previous years.
This course explores sculptural practices through new media techniques and materials, with an emphasis on projects inspired by science and technology. The course is organized to introduce the student to the very basics of 3D modeling with Cinema4D, rapid prototyping (3D printing with the Zcorp plaster printer), digital video with Final Cut Pro, basic electronics (soldering, motors, sensors) and some welding. Students will create projects that combine these media to produce performative sculptures and installations that draw from current developments in Alife, AI, biotechnology, and robotics. Usually offered every year.
Mr. Abrams

FA 9a Introduction to Digital Photography
[ ca ]
Prerequisite: One Brandeis studio art course. May be repeated for credit with permission of the instructor. Studio fee: $20. per semester.
An introduction to the visual forms and concepts of the photographic image. A range of digital techniques is covered along with aspects of the history of photography. Students must provide their own digital camera. Field trips and image presentations supplement the studio aspect of the course. Usually offered every semester.
Ms. Hechtman

FA 10a Context is Everything: Site Sensitive Photography
[ ca ]
Prerequisite: One Brandeis studio art course. May be repeated for credit with permission of the instructor. Studio fee: $20. per semester.
An intermediate level studio course in digital photography, designed for students with pre-existing interest/experience in photography or other art media. Various materials and methods of image making are employed with a focus on context: environment, relationship with other images/objects, scale, and form. Students must provide their own digital camera. Usually offered every semester.
Ms. Hechtman

FA 23b Architectural Drawing and Design
[ ca ]
Teaches basic architectural drawing, drafting, and modeling skills under the umbrella of a unifying theory and/or theme. It is structured as an introductory studio course requiring no previous knowledge or background in architectural design. Students learn how to build models, execute architectural drawings, and to approach architectural design problems. Special one-time offering, spring 2010.
Staff

FA 98a Independent Study in Studio Art
Prerequisites: Normally open only to studio majors in their junior and senior years. As the number of times FA 98a may be taken is limited by department regulations, the interested student should consult the department studio advising head and his or her adviser. Appropriate studio fees will be charged.
Usually offered every year.
Staff

FA 99b Senior Research in Studio Art
Prerequisites: A GPA in fine arts courses of 3.00. Interested studio students must take FA 98a in the fall semester of their senior year, in addition to FA 110a and 110b. At the beginning of the spring semester, students wishing to pursue honors will have their artwork reviewed by studio faculty. Based on this review, eligible students will be given permission to enroll in FA 99b for the spring semester. Appropriate studio fees will be charged for studio courses.
Usually offered every year.
Staff

FA 103a Intermediate Drawing I
[ ca ]
Recommended for students who have had previous drawing experience. Studio fee: $30 per semester.
Intended for students seeking drawing experience beyond FA 3a and for studio art majors. Various materials and methods of drawing are used, as historical and contemporary works are studied through slides and museum strips. Students hone basic skills and use drawing as an increasingly personal language.
Mr. Gisholt

FA 103b Intermediate Drawing II
[ ca ]
Recommended for students who have had previous drawing experience. Studio fee: $30 per semester.
See FA 103a.
Mr. Gisholt

FA 104a Advanced Drawing I
[ ca ]
Prerequisites: FA 103a and FA 103b or permission of the instructor. Studio fee: $30 per semester.
Offers a wide range of experience in drawing. Perceptual and conceptual issues will be pursued, and students will be encouraged to concentrate on the more complex personal and creative aspects of drawing. Course may be repeated for one semester. Usually offered every year.
Mr. Campbell

FA 104b Advanced Drawing II
[ ca ]
Prerequisites: FA 103a and FA 103b or permission of the instructor. Studio fee: $30 per semester.
See FA 104a for course description. A continuation of FA 104a. Course may be repeated for one semester. Usually offered every year.
Staff

FA 105a Introduction to Printmaking: Intaglio
[ ca ]
Prerequisite: Experience in drawing is strongly recommended. Studio fee: $50 per semester.
Using the etching press in the Printmaking Studio, this course is an introduction to basic intaglio processes of drypoint and etching as well as monotype, carborundum prints and collograph. Students will work on metal, plastic or cardboard plates and make experimental, painterly images in both black and white, and color. Usually offered every second year.
Ms. Lichtman

FA 105b Introduction to Printmaking: Woodcut and Relief
[ ca ]
Prerequisite: Previous drawing experience. Studio fee: $50 per semester.
Introduction to relief printmaking using linoleum and woodblock. Students become familiar with working in a print shop, how to use color in printmaking, planning images, direct drawing on wood, and how to critique printmaking in a group setting. Usually offered every second year.
Mr. Gisholt

FA 107a Beginning Painting
[ ca ]
Prerequisite: Previous drawing experience. Studio fee: $40 per semester.
FA 107a and FA 107b are two parts of a year-long experience, intended to begin in the fall and continue in the spring. This is a six-hour per week studio class recommended for freshman and sophomore studio art majors or other students desiring an in-depth painting course. Color theory and various methods of oil painting will be introduced while working from landscape, still life, and the figure. Museum trips and slide lectures will augment studio work.
Ms. Lichtman

FA 107b Beginning Painting II
[ ca ]
Prerequisite: FA 107a or permission of the instructor. Studio fee: $40 per semester.
FA 107a and FA 107b are two parts of a year-long experience, intended to begin in the fall and continue in the spring. This is a six-hour per week studio class recommended for freshman and sophomore studio art majors or other students desiring an in-depth painting course. Color theory and various methods of oil painting will be introduced while working from landscape, still life, and the figure. Museum trips and slide lectures will augment studio work.
Ms. Lichtman

FA 108a Intermediate Painting
[ ca ]
Prerequisites: FA 107a and FA 107b or permission of the instructor. Studio fee: $40 per semester.
An intermediate-level painting course emphasizing the plastic and formal means necessary to create work that will become an increasingly personal statement. Usually offered every year.
Mr. Campbell

FA 108b Intermediate Painting II
[ ca ]
Prerequisite: FA 108a or permission of the instructor. Studio fee: $40 per semester.
An intermediate-level painting course emphasizing the plastic and formal means necessary to create work that will become an increasingly personal statement. Usually offered every year.
Staff

FA 109a Introduction to Printmaking: Lithography
[ ca ]
Prerequisite: Previous drawing experience. Studio fee: $50 per semester.
Focus on using lithography to create fine art prints. Students start with direct drawing on plates using lithographic crayon and then move on to digitally generated images. Specific assignments are given to explore the visual possibilities of lithography. Usually offered every second year.
Mr. Gisholt

FA 109b Introduction to Printmaking: Silkscreen
[ ca ]
Prerequisite: Previous drawing experience. Studio fee: $50 per semester.
Explores silkscreen using photographic stencil techniques. Students learn how to create stencils that are handmade and computer-generated. The relationship between fine art and commercial printing is discussed. Usually offered every second year.
Mr. Gisholt

FA 110a Senior Studio
[ ca ]
Prerequisites: FA 108a and b, FA 112a and b, or permission of the instructor. Studio fee: $40 per semester.
FA 110a and FA 110b are considered two halves of a full-year experience required for studio art majors. Heuristic in nature, this course culminates in a final studio faculty review of the work produced. Review will take the form of an exhibition. Student work can be undertaken in sculpture or painting or a combination of both. Usually offered every year.
Mr. Baenziger and Mr. Wardwell

FA 110b Senior Studio II
[ ca ]
Prerequisites: FA 108a and b, FA 112a and b, or permission of the instructor. Studio fee: $40 per semester.
FA 110a and FA 110b are considered two halves of a full-year experience required for studio art majors. Heuristic in nature, this course culminates in a final studio faculty review of the work produced. Review will take the form of an exhibition. Student work can be undertaken in sculpture or painting or a combination of both. Usually offered every year.
Mr. Baenziger and Mr. Wardwell

FA 111a Sculpture Seminar
[ ca ]
Prerequisites: Two studio courses at Brandeis or permission of instructor. Studio fee: $50 per semester.
Brings studio fine arts majors together, or those who have fulfilled the prerequisite, to discuss advanced topics in sculpture in direct relationship with personal studio endeavors. Students engage in a wide variety of activities, including reading artists' writings, visiting current exhibitions, and using drawing as a conceptual tool in relationship to personal studio interest. Usually offered every year.
Ms. Fair

FA 112a Intermediate Sculpture
[ ca ]
Prerequisite: FA 4a or FA 4b or FA111a or FA 111b or permission of the instructor. Studio fee: $50 per semester.
Offers an in-depth examination of sculptural concepts ranging from objects to installations, site-specific works, and more. Students will be encouraged to develop their own visual vocabulary and to understand their ideas in the context of contemporary sculpture.
Ms. Fair

FA 112b Intermediate Sculpture II
[ ca ]
Prerequisite: FA 112a. Studio fee: $50 per semester.
Exploration of diverse sculptural concepts utilizing various materials and techniques. Emphasis on personal motivation and development. Usually offered every year.
Ms. Fair

FA 116a Intermediate Printmaking
[ ca ]
Prerequisite: Previous drawing experience. This course may not be repeated for credit by students who have taken FA 106a as Intermediate Printmaking in previous years. Studio fee: $50 per semester.
Seeks to develop a contemporary attitude toward printmaking. Familiarizes the intermediate printmaker with a range of printmaking techniques, such as intaglio, collagraph, relief, and lithography. Traditional and digital techniques are discussed. Intended for students who have taken FA 105a or b, FA 109a or b or postbaccalaureate students in studio art. Usually offered every semester.
Mr. Gisholt

FA 118b Drawing upon Literature
[ ca hum ]
Prerequisite: A studio art course taught at Brandeis. Studio fee: $20 per semester.
An interdisciplinary team-taught course bringing together the practice of studio art and the study of literature. Students use Russian fiction and poetry (and some critical theory) as source material for the creation of visual images: drawings in various media, watercolors, prints, and photographs. Usually offered every third year.
Ms. Lichtman and Ms. Miller

FA 119a Sound Art Studio
[ ca ]
Prerequisite: Any studio art or music course or permission of the instructor.
Students learn how to create a dialog between sonic and visual elements in creative works. The evolving practice of incorporating sound and image, digital and otherwise, is studies to provide models for individual and collaborative student works. Usually offered every third year.
Mr. Baenziger and Mr. Chasalow

FA 200a Postbaccalaureate Tutorial/Independent Study
Staff

FA 200b Postbaccalaureate Tutorial/Independent Study
Staff

History of Art Courses

FA 12a History of Asian Art
[ ca nw ]
A selective survey of the art of the three major Asian areas: India, China, and Japan. Usually offered every year.
Ms. Wong

FA 13b Buddhist Art
[ ca nw ]
The history of Buddhist art on the Silk Road. Usually offered every third year.
Ms. Wong

FA 15b Arts of the Ming Dynasty
[ ca nw ]
Examines a broad array of arts from the Ming Dynasty (1368-1644). The first half of the course focuses on activities in and around the Chinese court. The second half concentrates on monuments related to literati and popular cultures. Usually offered every three years.
Ms. Wong

FA 17a History of Art I: From Antiquity to the Middle Ages
[ ca ]
A survey of major styles in architecture, sculpture, and painting from prehistoric times to the Gothic cathedral. Usually offered every year.
Mr. Unglaub

FA 18b History of Art II: From the Renaissance to the Modern Age
[ ca ]
Open to all students; first-year students and sophomores are encouraged to enroll.
A study of the major styles in architecture, painting, and sculpture of the West from the Renaissance to the early twentieth century. Usually offered every year.
Mr. Unglaub

FA 19b Lives of the Artists
[ ca ]
Integrates the study of works of art with the literature of artists' lives, which serves as the foundation to understanding the genesis of human creativity. Diverse historical periods and varying levels of fame will be reflected in the choice of artists to be studied. Usually offered every third year.
Ms. Scott

FA 21b Survey of Western Architecture
[ ca ]
Especially recommended for first-year students, sophomores, and fine arts majors.
A historical survey of Western architecture from prehistoric times to the present. Traces the various stages of architectural development in Europe and America in a chronological format. Usually offered every third year.
Staff

FA 22b History of Boston Architecture
[ ca ]
A survey of the history of Boston architecture and urban planning from the first settlement in 1630 to the contemporary city. The presentation will be chronological and divided into four sections: colonial, federal, Victorian, and modern. Usually offered every second year.
Staff

FA 24b Twentieth-Century and Contemporary Latin American Art
[ ca nw ]
This course is a selective survey of the outstanding figures and movements that have made significant contributions to the history of Latin American art. Special focus will be on Mexican, Argentinean, Brazilian, Venezuelan and Cuban artists. Usually offered every third year.
Staff

FA 39b Islamic Art and Architecture
[ ca nw ]
Introduces architecture and arts of the Islamic lands from seventh-century Levant to post-modernism in Iran, India, and the Gulf states. Provides an overview of major themes and regional variations, and their socio-political and historical context. Usually offered every third year.
Staff

FA 40b The Formation of Jewish, Christian, and Islamic Art
[ ca ]
The origins and development of the synagogue, church, mosque, and related arts in the first millennium CE. Emphasis on the debate among these three great religions about the proper form and function of art and architecture. Usually offered every third year.
Mr. McClendon

FA 41a Art and the Origins of Europe
[ ca ]
Architecture, sculpture, and painting in eastern and western Europe from the decline of the Roman Empire to the Crusades. Usually offered every second year.
Mr. McClendon

FA 42b The Age of Cathedrals
[ ca ]
Architecture, sculpture, and painting (including stained glass) in Western Europe from the twelfth to the fifteenth century, with particular attention to the great churches of medieval France. Usually offered every second year.
Mr. McClendon

FA 43a The Art of Medieval England
[ ca ]
A survey of art and architecture from the end of the Roman Empire to the Renaissance. Particular concern for the synthesis of native and foreign cultures and their artistic styles, resulting from the barbarian invasions, the Norman conquest, and political rivalry with France. Usually offered every fourth year.
Mr. McClendon

FA 45a St. Peter's and the Vatican
[ ca ]
The history, growth, and development of Christendom's most famous shrine, with particular concern for the relationship between the design and decoration of the Renaissance/baroque church and palace complex and their early Christian and medieval predecessors. Usually offered every second year.
Mr. McClendon

FA 51a Art of the Early Renaissance in Italy
[ ca ]
Major painters, sculptors, and architects in Rome, Florence, and Venice from Masaccio to Leonardo da Vinci. Usually offered every second year.
Mr. Unglaub

FA 54b Renaissance Art in Northern Europe
[ ca ]
A survey of the art of the Netherlands, Germany, and France in the fifteenth and sixteenth centuries. Cultural developments such as the invention of printing, the Protestant Reformation, and the practices of alchemy and witchcraft will be considered through the work of major artists. Usually offered every fourth year.
Mr. Unglaub

FA 58b High and Late Renaissance in Italy
[ ca ]
A study of sixteenth-century painting, sculpture, and architecture from Leonardo da Vinci to Tintoretto. Usually offered every year.
Mr. Unglaub

FA 60a Baroque in Italy and Spain
[ ca ]
The artistic spectacle of papal Rome and Hapsburg Spain is explored. The works of Caravaggio, Bernini, and Velazquez capture the contradictions of the age: sensuality/spirituality, ecstasy/piety, degradation/deliverance, realism/idealism, exuberance/restraint, and statecraft/propaganda. Usually offered every second year.
Mr. Unglaub

FA 61b Inventing Tradition: Women as Artists, Women as Art
[ ca ]
The role of women in the history of art, as creators of art, and as the subject of it. Issues of gender and representation will be discussed, using the lives and art of women from the Renaissance to contemporary periods. Usually offered every fourth year.
Staff

FA 63a The Age of Rubens and Rembrandt
[ ca wi ]
Explores the major figures of seventeenth-century painting in the Netherlands and Flanders: Rubens, Van Dyck, Rembrandt, and Vermeer. During this time, the ideal of Renaissance painter/courtier gives way to the birth of the modern artist in an open market, revolutionizing the subjects, themes, and styles of painting. Usually offered every second year.
Mr. Unglaub

FA 70a Paris/New York: Revolutions of Modernism
[ ca ]
A chronological survey of painting and sculpture from the French Revolution to World War II. Emphasis on the rise of modernism with Manet and the impressionists, Picasso and the language of cubism, and the abstract expressionist generation in America. Usually offered every second year.
Ms. Scott

FA 71a Modern Art and Modern Culture
[ ca ]
A thematic study of modernism in twentieth-century painting and sculpture, emphasizing three trends: primitivism, spiritualism, and the redefinition of reality. Individual artists and art movements will be examined in the context of literature, politics, and aesthetic theory. Artists include Picasso, Matisse, Kandinsky, and Duchamp. Usually offered every third year.
Staff

FA 74a Art since 1945
[ ca ]
Survey of developments in painting and sculpture since World War II. Consideration of major trends of the period, including abstract expressionism, pop art, minimalism, color field painting, and realism. Usually offered every third year.
Mr. Kalb

FA 76b History of Photography
[ ca ]
The history of photography from its invention in 1839 to the present, with an emphasis on developments in America. Photography is studied as a documentary and an artistic medium. Topics include Alfred Stieglitz and the photo-secession, Depression-era documentary, Robert Frank and street photography, and postmodern photography. Usually offered every second year.
Mr. Kalb

FA 85b Museum Studies
[ ca ]
An experiential learning seminar focused on the art object in the context of the museum; the history of museums (architecture, educational mission, curatorial presentation); museum ethics and provenance studies; new theories of museums and their expanded role in the community. Usually offered every second year.
Ms. Scott

FA 92a History of Art: Internship and Analysis
Students may apply in the spring semester for internships, of one- and two-semester commitment, for the following academic year at the Rose Art Museum. Focus may center in the areas of education, registrar, exhibition installation, or curatorial work. All student applications, with preference given to upperclassmen, must be endorsed by a faculty recommendation. The Rose Art Museum staff interviews and decides upon the interns. Usually offered every semester.
Staff

FA 98b Independent Study in Art History
Prerequisites: Normally open only to art history majors in their junior and senior years. As the number of times FA 98b may be taken is limited by department regulations, the interested student should consult the art history advising head and his or her adviser.
Usually offered every year.
Staff

FA 99d Senior Research in History of Art
Prerequisite: A minimum GPA in fine arts courses of 3.00. Art history students petition at the beginning of their senior year.
Usually offered every year.
Staff

FA 102a American Avant-Garde Film and Video
[ ca ]
Prerequisite: FILM 100a.
The tradition of independent film and video art in the United States from 1920 to the present. Artists include Maya Deren, Stan Brakhage, Bill Viola, and Yvonne Rainer. Usually offered every second year.
Staff

FA 120a Modern Architecture
[ ca ]
Survey of nineteenth- and twentieth-century architecture. Usually offered every second year.
Staff

FA 121a Contemporary Architecture
[ ca ]
A study of stylistic and technological developments in post-World War II architecture. Usually offered every second year.
Staff

FA 122a Modern Architecture Gone Global
[ ca ]
Explores major architectural developments over the past century from a global perspective. While tracing European and American movements, links are made to the architectural implications of Western ambitions worldwide in places like the Indian subcontinent, Muslim heartland, and North Africa. Usually offered every second year.
Ms. Grigor

FA 123a American Painting
[ ca ]
A survey of American painting from the colonial period to the present. Usually offered every third year.
Staff

FA 130a Twentieth-Century American Art
[ ca ]
A chronological survey of American art from 1900 to 1990. Movements studied include social realism, abstract expressionism, and pop art. Usually offered every third year.
Staff

FA 152a Contemporary Art
[ ca ]
After theories of power and representation and art movements of pop, minimalism, and conceptual art were established by the 1970s, artists began to create what we see in galleries today. This course addresses art at the turn of the twentieth century with attention to intersections of art and identity, politics, economy, and history. Usually offered every third year.
Mr. Kalb

FA 153a Israeli Art
[ ca ]
An examination of the visual arts created in Israel since the beginning of the twentieth century. Combines a chronological overview of major trends with an in-depth examination of select case studies of individual artists and specific themes.
Ms. Ankori

FA 154b Art and Trauma: Israeli, Palestinian, Latin American and United States Art
[ ca ]
A comparative and critical examination of the various ways in which personal traumas (illness, death, loss) and collective traumas (war, the Holocaust, exile) find meaningful expression in the work of modern and contemporary artists from diverse regions. Special two-time offering, spring 2009 and spring 2010.
Ms. Ankori

FA 170b Nineteenth-Century European Painting and Sculpture
[ ca ]
A survey of movements in painting and sculpture from the French Revolution through the periods of romanticism, realism, and impressionism. Usually offered every second year.
Ms. Scott

FA 171a Impressionism: Avant-Garde Rebellion in Context
[ ca wi ]
Focuses on the major artists from the period 1863 - 1886, from the time of Manet and the Salon des Refusés through the eight group exhibitions of Monet, Renoir, Degas, Cézanne, Pissarro, Morisot, and Cassatt and company. The antithesis of impressionism, its academic rivals, the backdrop of the sociopolitical context, the Second Empire, and the Third Republic will be provided, as well as the roots of the movement's dissolution. Usually offered every third year.
Ms. Scott

FA 172a History of Modern Sculpture: Statue, Structure, and Site
[ ca ]
Charts the development of sculpture for nineteenth-century practice, best exemplified by the work of Auguste Rodin, to the conceptual art projects of contemporary times. Focus is on monumental sculpture, especially expressions of public art from statue to structure, up to site (environmental art and earthworks) and installation art. Usually offered every third year.
Ms. Scott

FA 173a Georgia O'Keeffe and Stieglitz Circle
[ ca ]
The focus of this lecture course will be the art of Georgia O'Keeffe, her stylistic evolution, sources, and collaboration with contemporaries, especially Stieglitz, Strand, Dove, Demuth, Marin, and Hartley. Their collective aesthetic aspirations will be set against early twentieth-century modernism and important recent trends from Europe. Usually offered every second year.
Ms. Scott

FA 173b Picasso and Matisse
[ ca ]
Examines the major contributions of all periods of Picasso's career, with special focus on the development of Cubism, counterbalanced with the color expression of Matisse and the Fauves. The larger circle of artists, poets, and patrons associated with both these masters--from Juan Gris, Fernand Leger, and especially Georges Braque, to Gertrude Stein and Guillaume Apollinaire--forms the core subject matter. Usually offered every second year.
Ms. Scott

FA 174b Postimpressionism and Symbolism, 1880-1910
[ ca wi ]
The course curriculum covers postimpressionist artists Seurat, Cézanne, Van Gogh, and Gauguin, and more broadly, symbolist trends, expressionism, and art nouveau at the end of the nineteenth century. These trends are followed through chronologically to the early twentieth century in the art of Matisse and the fauves, and in German expressionism. Usually offered every fourth year.
Ms. Scott

FA 177b Twentieth-Century European Art and Architecture in Berlin
[ ca ]
Course to be taught at Brandeis summer program in Berlin.
Survey and analysis of the most important trends in twentieth-century German and European art and architecture with an emphasis on the modernist period. Presented within their respective historical contexts with special emphasis on the role of Berlin. Usually offered every second year.
Staff

FA 181b The Art of Japan
[ ca nw ]
A survey of Japanese art from antiquity to the modern period. Usually offered every second year.
Ms. Wong

FA 182a The Art of China
[ ca nw ]
A survey of Chinese art from antiquity to the Ch'ing dynasty. Usually offered every second year.
Ms. Wong

FA 184a Studies in Asian Art
[ ca nw ]
Usually offered every third year.
Ms. Wong

FA 191b Studies in Renaissance and Baroque Art
[ ca wi ]
Open to fine arts majors and minors and medieval and Renaissance minors only. Topics may vary from year to year; the course may be repeated for credit as topics change.
Usually offered every third year.
Mr. Unglaub

FA 192a Studies in Modern Art
[ ca ]
Topics may vary from year to year; the course may be repeated for credit.
Usually offered every second year.
Ms. Ankori, Mr. Kalb, or Ms. Scott

FA 193a Studies in Modern and Contemporary Architechture
[ ca ]
Topics may vary from year to year; the course may be repeated for credit with permission of the instructor. Usually offered every third year.
Ms. Grigor

FA 194b Studies in American Art
[ ca ]
Usually offered every third year.
Staff

FA 197b Methods and Approaches in the History of Art
[ ca wi ]
Usually offered every year.
Ms. Scott

Cross-Listed in Fine Arts

ANTH 112a African Art and Aesthetics
[ ca nw ss ]
The visual arts and aesthetics of sub-Saharan Africa and the African Diaspora, with attention to the spiritual, social, and cultural dimensions of art and performance. Special emphasis on the historical dynamism and cultural creativity of "tradition-based" and contemporary African artists. Usually offered every third year.
Mr. Auslander

CLAS 133a The Art and Archaeology of Ancient Greece
[ ca hum ]
Surveys the main forms and styles of Greek art and architecture from the Bronze Age through the Hellenistic period in mainland Greece and on the islands of the Aegean. Archaeological remains and ancient literary evidence help explore the relationships between culture, the visual arts, and society. Usually offered every second year.
Ms. Koloski-Ostrow

CLAS 134b The Art and Archaeology of Ancient Rome
[ ca hum ]
Surveys the art and architecture of the ancient Romans from the eighth century BCE to the end of the empire in Sicily, mainland Italy (with focus on Rome, Ostia, Pompeii, and Herculaneum), and in the Roman provinces. Usually offered every second year.
Ms. Koloski-Ostrow

CLAS 145b Topics in Greek and Roman Art and Archaeology
[ ca hum ]
Topics vary from year to year and the course may be repeated for credit. Topics include women, gender, and sexuality in Greek and Roman text and art; daily life in ancient Rome; ancient technology; and Athens and the golden age of Greece. See Schedule of Classes for the current topic and description. Usually offered every second year.
Ms. Koloski-Ostrow

CLAS 150b Pompeii: Life in the Shadow of Vesuvius
[ ca hum ]
This course may not be repeated for credit by students who took CLAS 145b in spring 2005.
Examines Pompeii and Herculaneum, buried by Vesuvius in 79 CE, using the ancient cities' art, architecture, and wall writings to understand the social, political, economic, and religious realities of Roman life on the Bay of Naples, especially in the first century CE. Usually offered every third year.
Ms. Koloski-Ostrow

FILM 100a Introduction to the Moving Image
[ ca hum ]
An interdisciplinary course surveying the history of moving image media from 1895 to the present, from the earliest silent cinema to the age of the 500-channel cable television. Open to all undergraduates as an elective, it is the introductory course for the major and minor in film and visual media studies. Usually offered every year.
Staff

PHIL 113b Aesthetics: Painting, Photography, and Film
[ ca hum wi ]
Explores representation in painting, photography, and film by studying painters Rembrandt, Velázquez, and Vermeer, as well as later works by Manet, Degas, Cézanne, and Picasso; photographers Ansel Adams, Dorothea Lange, Edward Weston, Walker Evans, Alfred Stieglitz, and Diane Arbus; and filmmakers Renoir and Hitchcock. Usually offered every third year.
Mr. Teuber