Art History is the study of the visual arts in civilization. It
examines changing values in all fields of visual culture,
including painting, sculpture, graphics, photography,
architecture, film, the mass media, and forms of popular
expression. Its interdisciplinary reach encompasses literature,
history, anthropology, sociology, philosophy, gender studies,
critical theory, and cultural studies. Art History emphasizes
visual as well as verbal and written literacy, providing more
than the standard advantages to a liberal arts education.
Students majoring in Art History will engage with the
wide-ranging opportunities its curriculum presents for learning
and research. Studying Art History develops visual
literacy, communication skills, critical/creative thinking and an
understanding of diversity.
Professor Heghnar Watenpaugh is participating in a
forum exploring issues of heritage — antiquities,
landscapes, sites, ancestral remains, or immaterial cultural
expressions – as “cultural assets” in Istanbul, Turkey from
Oct. 3-4, 2024.
Join PBS KVIE for a
screening of Leonardo
da Vinci, a new film by Ken Burns, followed by a
conversation with art studio alum Julia Couzens (M.F.A. ‘90) and
design Professor James Housefield as they discuss
the towering achievements of Leonardo da Vinci.
Threats to cultural heritage are on the rise globally, due to
factors ranging from war and intentional destruction to
unfettered development and climate change. International cultural
heritage institutions and their methods seem inadequate at best,
and abetting threats to culture at worst. Join two of the most
incisive voices in debates on cultural heritage today to explore
the stakes for the protection of cultural around the world.
Jan Shrem and Maria Manetti Shrem Museum of Art, Davis, CA
