Baroque and the Beginnings of Globalism

ARTH

236

Baroque and the Beginnings of Globalism

This course traces the seventeenth-century Baroque style, characterized by dynamism and theatricality, from its origins in Italy, through Spain and the Netherlands. It extends the study of the European Baroque style across the globe, following Spanish, Portuguese, and Dutch trade routes to the Americas, Western Africa, Goa, Japan, China, and the Philippines with critical attention to the impacts of colonization and trade. In each context, the Baroque style is defined and redefined by religious movements such as the Reformation and Counter-Reformation, and by colonial governments, missionaries, and early corporations. The course includes a combination of intensive artist case studies, including Artemisia Gentileschi (1593-1653), Diego Velázquez (1599-1660), and Rembrandt van Rijn (1606-69), as well as broader themes, including artistic exchange, architectural meaning, and the concept of the global. The course will emphasize painting, sculpture, architecture, and design including textiles, ceramics, and more. Throughout the course, the concept of the Baroque will be continually and comparatively examined, with attention to the fundamental ways this era and its art have shaped the modern world. Pre-Requisites / Co-Requisites: One art history course prior to enrolling, or the permission of the instructor.

Undergraduate

Yes