Art History 397C - ST-Nineteenth Century Art

This undergraduate seminar explores the onset of modernity in sculpture from the late 18th- to the early 20th-century in works by Canova, Degas, Rodin, Picasso, Duchamp, and others. From Degas Little Dancer Aged Fourteen to Rodins Gates of Hell, what sort of specifically modern desires motivated the production of sculpture? What kinds of new experiences did modern sculpture offer? In a world where sensory perception was proven to be manipulable and easily stimulated by new technologies, how did art define aesthetic experience? Our overarching theme will be sculptural experimentation with form, color, and material in an effort to destabilize preconceived expectations of viewers. The course will culminate in a student-curated digital exhibition.

In addition to in-class seminars, we will have research trips to museum collections as well as artists studios