ARTH 200   Women, Art, and Society (3 Hours)

This course examines the various roles women have played in the history of Western art – as artists, patrons, teachers, subjects and activists. We will investigate (chronologically and thematically) the ways in which women have been depicted in art (religious, mythological and secular images of women) – beginning with the prehistoric and Egyptian periods and continuing to the present day. Additionally, we will study prominent women in history who have had significant impact on the arts as active participants in the art world from the Middle Ages to the present. Lastly, we will investigate activism of contemporary women artists working today. Artists will be studied in slide and video format in class, through the reading of primary sources, and in site visit opportunities to local museums.