History of Art
History
of Art courses
History of Art department home page
Director of undergraduate studies: Sandy Isenstadt, 115 DC, 432-2847, sandy.isenstadt@yale.edu
FACULTY OF THE DEPARTMENT OF HISTORY OF ART
Professors
Brian Allen (Adjunct), Carol Armstrong, Tim Barringer, Judith Colton (Emeritus), Edward Cooke, Jr., David Joselit (Chair), Diana Kleiner, Mary Miller, Amy Meyers (Adjunct), Robert Nelson, Alexander Nemerov, Jock Reynolds (Adjunct), Vincent Scully (Emeritus), Robert Thompson, Christopher Wood, Mimi Yiengpruksawan
Associate Professors
Anne Dunlop, Noa Steimatsky
Assistant Professors
Milette Gaifman, Sandy Isenstadt, Jacqueline Jung, Christine Mehring, Kishwar Rizvi, Lillian Tseng
Lecturers
Cassandra Albinson, Theresa Fairbanks, Karen Foster, Patricia Garland, Katherine Haskins, Michael Hatt, Patricia Kane, Susan Matheson, Youngsook Pak, Roderick Whitfield, Scott Wilcox
Art history is the study of all forms of art, architecture, and visual culture in their social and historical contexts. The History of Art major can serve either as a general program in the humanities or as the groundwork for more specialized training. Unless otherwise indicated, all courses in History of Art are open to all students in Yale College.
Requirements of the major. All majors are encouraged to take two 100-level courses, and are required to take at least one. These courses are broad introductory surveys of the European, American, pre-Columbian, African, and Asian traditions. Prospective majors are encouraged to take these two surveys as early in their course of study as possible. Students who have taken the Advanced Placement test in art history may be able to receive acceleration credit and should consult with the director of undergraduate studies. Students are also required to take two seminars in History of Art. These are advanced courses with limited enrollment and are numbered 402–497 (HSAR 498a or b and 499a or b are not considered seminars). All majors must take HSAR 401a or b, Critical Approaches to Art History, during either the fall or the spring term of the junior year.
Intermediate courses, usually lecture courses, are numbered 200–399. Majors must take at least one 200-, 300-, or 400-level course in each of the following four areas: (1) African, African American, Native American, pre-Columbian, Islamic, and Asian; (2) ancient and medieval; (3) Renaissance, baroque, and eighteenth century; (4) nineteenth- and twentieth-century European and American. Students may propose an alternative distribution in the African, Asian, or pre-Columbian traditions. History of Art majors are encouraged to take a course in studio art, which may count toward the major.
On graduation, the student must have no fewer than twelve course credits in History of Art. Under certain circumstances, and only with the permission of the director of undergraduate studies, two of the twelve courses may be taken in other departments. Normally, these substituted courses address subjects closely linked to art history, for instance, archaeology, history of religion, aesthetics, or visual culture. For the Class of 2010 and subsequent classes, courses taken Credit/D/Fail may not be counted toward the requirements of the major.
History of Art majors are urged to study foreign languages. Students considering graduate work should take German and another modern language (usually French or Italian). Those planning to do graduate work on the art of non-European cultures should make special arrangements about language courses with their advisers.
Senior essay. The senior essay is a research paper written usually in one term (HSAR 499a or b). Students choose their own topics, which may derive from research done in an earlier course. The essay is planned during the previous term in consultation with a qualified instructor or with the director of undergraduate studies. In certain cases, a student may be given permission to write a two-term senior essay.
Procedures. The schedules of all majors must be approved and signed by the director of undergraduate studies. Students may consult the following members of the faculty about the major:
| BK | A. Dunlop | MC | A. Nemerov | |
| BR | M. Gaifman | PC | D. Kleiner | |
| CC | B. Ewald | SY | C. Mehring, M. Miller, C. Wood | |
| DC | E. Cooke | SM | S. Isenstadt | |
| TD | R. Thompson | ES | N. Steimatsky | |
| JE | S. Isenstadt | TC | T. Barringer | |
REQUIREMENTS OF THE MAJOR
Prerequisites: None
Number of courses: 12 course credits
Distribution of courses: 1 course at 100 level; 2 sems at 400 level; at least 1 course at 200, 300, or 400 level in each of 4 areas; 1 studio art course recommended
Specific course required: HSAR 401a or b
Substitution permitted: With DUS permission, 2 related courses from other depts
Senior requirement: Senior essay (HSAR 499a or b)
