Course Outline for Art History 7
Multicultural History of American Art

Effective: Fall 2021
SLO Rev: 05/19/2016
Catalog Description:

ARTH 7 - Multicultural History of American Art

3.00 Units

A multicultural survey of American art from 1800 to the present. Special emphasis on art objects created by Native American, Asian American, African American, and Hispanic/Latino artists and artisans. Considers how art objects express the maker’s identity within the specific historical, social, and political circumstances of his or her life. Addresses how male and female artists and artisans from these groups have used various art forms to assert their gender and ethnic identity in response to historical change.
1002.00 - Art
Letter Grade Only
Type Units Inside of Class Hours Outside of Class Hours Total Student Learning Hours
Lecture 3.00 54.00 108.00 162.00
Total 3.00 54.00 108.00 162.00
Measurable Objectives:
Upon completion of this course, the student should be able to:
  1. recount an overview of the history of nineteenth-century European-American representations of other peoples;
  2. describe the origins and articulate the cultural meaning of landscape for nineteenth-century European-Americans;
  3. identify the style of Plains Indians artforms (circa 1800-1860) and articulate the meaning of that style for Plains peoples;
  4. identify examples of Hispanic/Latino architecture, sculpture, and painting; describe the origins of Hispanic style; and explain the meaning of that style for Hispanics living in the American Southwest in the nineteenth-century;
  5. identify the style, origins, and meaning of antebellum African American artforms for African Americans living in the North and South;
  6. discuss artistic opportunities presented to African American artists in post-bellum America;
  7. describe the emergence of tourist arts in the American Southwest at the end of the nineteenth century and describe the reception of those arts among European-Americans;
  8. explain the impact reservation life had on Plains Indian artforms;
  9. describe the origins of artistic styles associated with Harlem Renaissance and articulate the cultural and social objectives of those styles;
  10. identify the style of artwork produced at the Santa Fe Indian School in the 1930s, describe its origins, and articulate its meaning;
  11. discuss the style and meaning of art made by Asian American artists in the first part of the twentieth century;
  12. identify the artistic styles used by artists of the Mexican Mural Movement, identify the origins of these styles, and describe the political objectives of these artists;
  13. articulate the role art played for Japanese Americans during their internment;
  14. trace the origins of Modernism and describe how Native American, African American, Asian American and Hispanic/Latino artists responded;
  15. articulate the goals and objectives of activist artists working in the 1960s and 1970s;
  16. identify the styles used by Native American, Asian American, African American and Latino Postmodern artists; articulate the objectives of these artists; and discuss the politics of these artworks;
Course Content:
  1. History of nineteenth-century European-American representations of other peoples in:
    1. portraiture and/or
    2. caricature and/or
    3. popular prints and/or
    4. history painting and/or
    5. photography
  2. Origins and cultural meaning of landscape for nineteenth-century European-Americans
    1. Sublime landscapes and/or
    2. Romanitic landscapes and/or
    3. the manifest destiny landscape
  3. Style and cultural meaning of Plains Indians artforms (circa 1800-1860) for Plains peoples:
    1. ledger drawing and/or
    2. hide painting and/or
    3. beadwork
  4. Style, origin, and cultural meaning of Hispanic artwork for Hispanics living in the nineteenth-century American Southwest
    1. architecture and/or
    2. sculpture and/or
    3. painting
  5. Style, origins, and meaning of antebellum African-Americans artforms for African-Americans living in the North and South
    1. painting and/or
    2. ceramics and/or
    3. quilts
  6. Emergence of tourist arts in the American Southwest at the end of the nineteenth century and their reception among European-Americans
    1. pottery
    2. textiles
  7. Impact of reservation life on Plains Indian artforms
    1. beadwork
    2. ledger drawing
  8. Artistic styles associated with Harlem Renaissance and their cultural and social objectives
    1. Expressionism and/or
    2. Cubism and/or
    3. Modernism
  9. Style, origins, and meaning of the art produced at the Santa Fe Indian School in the 1930s
    1. the Pueblo style
    2. Modernism
  10. Style, origins, and meaning of art made by Asian American artists in the first part of the twentieth century
    1. Modernism
    2. Expressionsim
    3. Cubism
  11. Origins, style, and political objectives of the Mexican Mural Movement
    1. European fresco painting
    2. popular sign painting
    3. Modernism
    4. Cubism
    5. Communism/Socialism
  12. Role of art for Japanese Americans during their internment
  13. Responses to the rise of mid-century abstraction
    1. Native American artists
    2. African-American artists
    3. Asian American artists
  14. Goals and objectives of activist artists working in the 1960s and 1970s
    1. equality
    2. political representation
    3. self-actualization
  15. Style, objectives, and politics of Native American, Asian American, and African-American Postmodern artists
    1. deconstructuion of dominant paradigms
    2. foster dialog to enact political change
Methods of Instruction:
  1. Distance Education
  2. Illustrated lectures utilizing slides and video
  3. Large and small group discussion
  4. Viewing exhibits of original artworks by Euro-American, Native American, African American and Asian American artists and artisans
Assignments and Methods of Evaluating Student Progress:
  1. One-page descriptive essays on designated work(s) of art
  2. Three-page interpretive essay on designated work(s) of art
  1. Class discussion
  2. Exams/Tests
  3. Papers
  4. Oral Presentation
Upon the completion of this course, the student should be able to:
  1. Differentiate trends in American Art.
  2. Interpret American art in historical context
  3. Interpret to advantage  the visual qualities of American art.
Textbooks (Typical):
  1. Frances K. Pohl (2018). Framing America: A Social History of American Art (4th). Thames & Hudson.
Abbreviated Class Schedule Description:
A multicultural survey of American art from 1800 to the present. Special emphasis on art objects created by Native American, Asian American, African American, and Hispanic/Latino artists and artisans. Considers how art objects express the maker’s identity within the specific historical, social, and political circumstances of his or her life. Addresses how male and female artists and artisans from these groups have used various art forms to assert their gender and ethnic identity in response to historical change.