Art History course added to spring schedule

AHIS 271 – American Art will be offered on Thursday evenings from 6:30-9 PM. In spring 2023 the course will focus on in-person visits to art collections in the state of Connecticut.

The course is an introduction to American Art, examining the long nineteenth-century (1776-1900) and focusing on art collections in the state of Connecticut, to examine the role that artistic production played in constructing American cultural identities. We begin with the rise of portraiture and history painting during the American Revolution, focusing on the work of John Trumbull at Yale University.  We then focus on genre as well as landscape painting, where we explore themes of politics, race, and reverence for the land at the Wadsworth Atheneum. The class will also consider the careers of Winslow Homer, Thomas Eakins, John Singer Sargent, and James McNeill Whistler to discuss the idea of the modern artist and European influences on the American art world at the end of the century. Throughout we will examine the historical circumstances surrounding works of art and engage problems of interpretation faced by art historians today. In addition to attending lectures, students will make visits to museums to view original works of art and connect with museum professionals.