Courses
Note: Professor Barnes will be on leave in Spring, 2010. The courses she regularly teaches are listed below.
103. History of Western Art. The visual arts of Europe and America provide a fascinating entry into a study of the history, religion, and ideas that have shaped our culture. In this course you will learn about some of the greatest masterpieces of the western tradition, and some exemplary, but lesser known works. You will learn the basic vocabulary used to discuss works of art, as well as some of the methods of analysis and interpretation used by art historians. At the end of the course you should have a good grasp of the development of western culture as it is manifest in the visual arts, and you should be a much more discriminating observer of the art and architecture in your community, in museums, and in places you may visit throughout the world.
104. Topics in World Art: Japan. From the art and regalia of the Imperial court to the quickest Zen ink painting, the visual arts provide a engaging way to learn about the rich culture of Japan. This course will be both a basic introduction to art appreciation and a study of the development of Japanese art, as well as an exploration of the relationship of art and architecture to religious and aesthetic codes. We will share ideas learned from readings, guest lectures, and demonstrations (and possibly some hands-on experiences) in this discussion-based class.258. The History of Prints. Beginning in the 15th century, printed images were seen by far more people than paintings or sculpture. As a result, prints deal with subjects not found in the “higher” art forms, and they are collected by different sorts of people for a variety of purposes. This course will trace the history of prints and printmaking from the Renaissance to the present day. You will learn about the various techniques of printmaking, the artists who made prints, and the subjects and uses of the prints themselves. The course consist of informal lectures, class discussion, and short exams, alternating with work on our print collection (including work on the catalogue), and demonstrations of printmaking techniques.
267. Early Italian Renaissance Art. A remarkable change in the way art was made and used occurred between the years 1300 and 1600, a period we now call the Renaissance. In Italy the change is often attributed to a return to classical styles, but there are other causes and other results. In this course we will study the discoveries and styles in the early part of that period, through about 1500. Since Italy was not a unified country in this period, there are many local variations. In the first half of the course we will focus on the art and architecture of Florence; in the second half we will consider developments in Venice, Rome, and some of the court cities like Ferrara and Urbino. We will also look at how Florentine developments spread to other centers, and the transition to the High Renaissance style.
268. High Renaissance and Mannerist Art The Italian Renaissance has long been considered one of the greatest periods in the history of art, with artistic developments that set a standard for western art until the modern period. Traditions that began in the 14th and 15th century reached the full development (and perhaps over-development) in the 16th century. In this class we will learn about the ideas and historical events that inform the works of artists like Leonardo da Vinci, Michelangelo, Raphael, Titian, and Palladio.
270. Northern Renaissance Art. The art of Northern Europe in the 15th and 16th century can be cool and elegant or wildly expressive; it can be almost hyper-realistic while yet being laden with symbolism. Historically, this is an age of discovery and of enormous change in both the economic and religious realms. In this course—which surveys the art of Burgundy, Flanders, the Netherlands, Germany, and France from about 1375 to 1550—we will discuss the change from courtly art to art for the middle class; religious symbolism and the development of devotional art; and the impact of the Reformation on the visual arts.
394. Issues in Art History. In this course we will learn about some of the scholarly tools and strategies that art historians use to analyze and interpret works of art. We will begin with some fundamentals of traditional art history (attributions and dating, style analysis, reconstructing original settings, iconography). Following this we will examine issues involving more recent critical theories (for example, feminism, viewer-response, semiotics, deconstruction). We will also have guest presentations by the art historians at Wake Forest, who will discuss their own research approaches (a special focus will be the various types of objects that art historians may deal with). Finally, we will discuss some of the ways that works of art are "canonized" and become part of art historical discourse, particularly in textbooks and museums.
396. Art History Seminar. Topics vary. Past seminar topics include “Cities of Art: Florence, Rome, Venice” and “Michelangelo.”