ART 351 Ancient and Classical Art
This upper-level seminar offers an in-depth exploration of Ancient Near Eastern, Egyptian, and ancient Greek and Roman art and architecture within their broader material, intellectual, and cultural contexts. The course is focused around key interdisciplinary themes in ancient history, such as the use and exploration of myths; the artistic development and philosophical implications of the human figure; the role and representation in art of women; the construction of the trope of the hero; the formation and exploration of the classical ideal; daily life in ancient Greece and Rome; the art and political culture of Alexander the Great; the artistic and political significance of the development of Roman painting, portraiture, and architecture, especially the Roman construction in art of identity. We will also address some of the countless ways in which ancient art influenced Renaissance and modern art. Work in the course is experiential in that it is based closely on objects at the Metropolitan Museum of Art. We will gain even greater exposure to ancient objects and to contemporary issues in the field by speaking with experts about protecting antiquities, selling antiquities, and bio-archaeology. Through these meetings, students will gain first-hand exposure to professional applications of their classroom education and research.