The Department of Art offers a rich menu of historical courses covering the visual culture of most of the world's regions. Beginning with 100-level introductory courses, students may progress through lecture courses, colloquia, and seminars encompassing art and architecture from ancient to modern times. Courses are regularly offered on the art of Europe, the Americas, Asia, the Middle East, and Africa.
Courses in the history of art are prefixed ARH. Some art history courses (colloquia and seminars) have limited enrollment. Students planning to major in art history will find courses in literature, philosophy, religion, and history taken in the first two years valuable. A reading knowledge of foreign languages will be helpful for some historical courses. Each of the historical courses may require one or more trips to Boston, New York or other places in the vicinity for the study of original works of art.
Advisers
Martin Antonetti, Brigitte Buettner, John Davis, Craig Felton, Laura Kalba, Barbara Kellum, Dana Leibsohn, John Moore, Marylin Rhie, Frazer Ward
Art History Adviser for Study Abroad
John Moore
Areas of Study
Courses in the history of art are divided into areas that reflect breadth in terms of both geography and chronology. The geographical divisions of the curriculum are: the Americas; Asia/Islamic World; and Europe. The chronological divisions are: Group I (before 1200); Group II (1200-1800); and Group III (after 1800).
- Group I: 204, 212, 216, 222, 226, 230, 232,285
- Group II: 205, 220, 224, 228, 234, 240, 242, 244, 246, 250, 252, 254, EAS 270, EAS 279
- Group III: 264, 265, 272, 273, 276, 281, 282,283, 284
No course counting toward the fulfillment of the major or minor may be taken for an S/U grade, except ARS 398 and ARS 399.
Students entering Smith College in the Fall 2009 semester (or after) are subject to the following requirements. All others have the option of following this set of requirements, or the one in effect when they arrived at the College or declared their major.
Requirements
Eleven courses, at least one of which must address the Americas, one Asia/Islamic World, and one Europe. Requirements thus include:
-
Two 100-level courses, to be taken before the junior year:
a. One survey course [Introduction to Art History: Asia (ARH 120), Introduction to Art History: Western Traditions (ARH 140), or Introduction to Art History: Architecture and the Built Environment (ARH 150)]
and
b. One Colloquium in Art History (ARH 101) or a second survey course. First Year Seminars taught by members of the art history faculty will count towards the 100-level art history requirement.
ARH 150, because it does not focus on one historical period or geographic setting, does not fulfill any geographic or chronological requirement. Students who take additional 100-level courses may count ARH 120 Introduction to Art History: Asia towards their Asia/Islamic World requirement.
- One course in studio art.
- Seven courses in the history of art at the 200-level, such that:
- two courses are from Group I: Before 1200
- two courses are from Group II: 1200-1800
- two courses are from Group III: After 1800
- one is a methodological colloquium, at the ARH 290-level; to be taken in the sophomore or junior year (before the seminar)
- One seminar in the history of art (to be taken at Smith). Seminars do not count toward chronological or geographical distribution requirements.
