ARTH 333 - Colonial Art Across the Americas

Credit Hours: 4
Frequency of Offering: Offered in alternate years, usually in the fall semester

This course explores the intertwined histories of American colonialism through the lens of art and material culture, from Christopher Columbus’s arrival in the Caribbean in 1492 to Haitian independence in 1804. Crossing the cultural and political borders that traditionally divide studies of art in North and South America, this class considers how objects were a site for cultural negotiation between the many peoples and empires crossing the continent. Of particular concern are the agency and contributions of Native American and African colonial actors. Examining a wide range of works including paintings, maps, architecture and the decorative arts, the course considers how artists blended European and indigenous styles, material, and techniques to create hybrid objects of the New World. The course will also focus on a recent history of exhibiting and interpreting colonial art in the museum setting. In emphasizing the movement of objects across time and space, students discover the entangled and multicultural history that distinguishes the early Americas.

Prerequisite(s): Prerequisite is one of the following: ARTH 100, one 200-level ARTH course, or consent of instructor.