In recent years, the topic of Orientalism has emerged as an intellectual touchstone in the humanities. This broad critique of Orientalism has been imported into the history of art, particularly in the wake of the adoption on the part of art historians of so-called new methodologies, notably psychoanalysis, cultural studies, feminism, and historical anthropology. We will have the occasion to assess nature and scope of such efforts, and we shall seek to open still further avenues of inquiry into this understudied domain. Focus on recent problems of method and interpretation.
Major focus is on different methodologist approaches and issues as they have evolved.
Readings in such areas as Impressionism and formalism, Impressionism and gender, psychoanalytic approaches to Impressionism, Impressionism and the Social Art History. The seminar will involve weekly critical readings and an oral presentation Reading knowledge of French is an asset. An investigation of the wide spread cultural exchanges at the turn of century among such cities as New York, Barcelona, Vienna, Munich, Brussels and Glasgow. 1880 and ca. There exists a wealth of sources in the English language, however a knowledge of German and French is of considerable importance.