ART 240 - NCH History of Japanese Art and Aesthetics (JA 240)

4.00 credits.

(Non-Western Cultural Heritage Core Course)
This course introduces students to the history of the art and aesthetic sensibilities of the Japanese people from prehistoric times to the modern period. Through this course, students will develop an appreciation for the major trends in Japanese art and the historical milieu in which these were produced. Major works of art from each historical era will be studied, including architecture, sculpture, painting and pottery, as well as some of the minor arts such as gardens, calligraphy, textiles, etc. Besides understanding the making of the actual works of art, students will also understand the aesthetic principles that inform the making of these objects, such as miyabi, yugen, wabi-sabi, that are central to Japanese cultural history. Spring semester.