History of Art
Course Description
This course teaches students how to look at works of art and architecture, offering them the skills to distinguish basic elements of artistic and architectural composition and different styles (formal approach) as well as to relate the works to their historical, socio-political, or religious context (contextual-historical approach). The course explores the art of the main and late modern period (19th and 20th centuries) focusing on issues related to the ideological functions of art (political power, religion, identity, historical consciousness) as well as issues related to body and space, concepts of beauty, realism, innovation, and creativity. The course can benefit students by offering them the opportunity to develop the visual and critical skills needed to understand and productively engage with art and architecture as a cultural discourse that informs their lives. No prior knowledge of art or art history is expected for this course.
Syllabus
suggested bibliography
- Calinescu, Matei. “Five faces of modernity: Modernism, avant-garde, decadence, kitsch, postmodernism.” (1987).
- Bürger, Peter. Theory of the Avant-garde. Manchester University Press, 1984.
- Foster, H., Krauss, R., Bois, Y. A., Buchloh, B. H., & Joselit, D. Art Since 1900: Modernism, Antimodernism. Postmodernism. London, 2004.
- De Micheli, Mario. Le avanguardie artistiche del Novecento. Feltrinelli Editore, 1988.
- Charalambidis, Alkis, The art of the twentieth century, University Studio Press, Thessaloniki, 2018.
- Daskalothanasis, Nikos, History of Art 1945-1975, futura, Athens, 2021.
