Course Outline for Art History 8
Art History - A Global Perspective

Effective: Fall 2022
SLO Rev: 09/12/2021
Catalog Description:

ARTH 8 - Art History - A Global Perspective

3.00 Units

This course offers an overview of the rich visual cultures of Africa, Asia, Oceania, and the Americas. Our focus is on perspectives, philosophies, and aesthetics developed before and/or outside the European tradition, thereby providing students visual and intellectual lessons from civilizations with distinctive and exceptional non-white worldviews. Each unit of study addresses a non-Western civilization’s visual cultures and the aesthetics associated with that civilization’s periods/kingdoms, religions, and favored art types. This course is especially appropriate for visual learners.
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. discern the aesthetics in African artwork, and establish an argument that connects those aesthetics to the African cultural values of ritual, process, and power;
  2. discern the aesthetics in artwork from South Asia and Southeast Asia, and establish an argument that connects those aesthetics to the South and Southeast Asian cultural values of spirituality, ritual, and duality;
  3. discern the aesthetics in East Asian artwork, and establish an argument that connects those aesthetics to the East Asian cultural values of naturalism, vitality, and simplicity;
  4. discern the aesthetics in artwork from Mesoamerica, and establish an argument that connects those aesthetics to the Mesoamerican cultural values of cosmology, ritual, and identity;
  5. discern the aesthetics in Oceanic artwork, and establish an argument that connects those aesthetics to the Oceanic cultural values of nature, cosmology, and tribal identity.
Course Content:

1. Introduction

A.     Defining "global": worldwide minus one continent

B.     terms and definitions

a. art

b. "non-western"

c.  human universals

d.  society

e.  culture

f.  visual culture

2. Art of African Cultures

A. key topics:

a.  ritual

b.  process

c.  power

B. kingdoms and religions

a.  kingdoms: Egypt, Ghana, Mali, Yoruba, etc.

b.  religions: animism, divination, voudou, etc.

C. art types

a.  sculpture

b.  masks

c.  costume

d.  textiles

D. aesthetics/philosophies

a.  beauty = goodness

b.  nature as teacher

c.  power objects

d.  anthropomorphism   

e.  masquerade and transformation

3. Art of South Asia

A. key topics:

a.  spirituality

b.  ritual

c.  duality

B. kingdoms and religions

a.  kingdoms: Harappa, Mohenjo-daro, Mauryan, Gupta,

              Mughal,  etc.

b.  religions:  Buddhism, Jainism, Hinduism, Islam, Sikhism

C. art types

a.  sculpture

b.  stupas

c.  cave temples

d.  mosques

e.  mandalas

D. aesthetics/philosophies

a.  iconography

b.  transcendence

c.  Islamic aniconicism

d.  calligraphy and pattern

4. South-East Asia

A. key topics:

a.  spirituality

b.  ritual

c.  duality

B. kingdoms and religions

a.  kingdoms: Bang Chiang, Dong Son, Sulawesi, Fu-Nan-

             Chenla, Khmer, etc.

b.  religion: Buddhism

C. range of art types

a.  stupas

b.  temple-mountains

D. aesthetics/philosophies

a.  Indianization

b.  balanced union of opposites

c.  asceticism

d.  hybridity

5. Art of East Asia: China

A. key topics:

a.  naturalism

b.  vitality

B. periods and religions:

a.  periods: prehistoric, ancient, imperial, Mongol, republican

              (PRC)

b.  religion: Buddhism, Taoism

C. art types

a.  woodblock printing

b.  cave sculpture

c.  nature painting

d.  calligraphy

e.  porcelain

D. aesthetics/philosophies

a.  Mandate of heaven

b.  Confucianism

c.   Taoism

d.  nature as retreat

6. Art of East Asia: Japan

A. key topics:

a.  naturalism

b.  simplicity

B. periods and religions

a.  periods: Jomon, Heian, Edo, Meiji, etc.

b.  religions: Shinto, Buddhism, Zen Buddhism

B. range of art types

a.  sculpture

b.  pagoda temple

c.  scroll (monogatare emaki)

d.  screen and scroll painting

e.  porcelain

C. aesthetics/philosophies

a.  Zen

b.  wabi-sabi

c.  amato-e versus kara-e

d.  kigo (seasons)

e.  nature as elemental force

7. Art of East Asia: Korea

A. key topics:

a.  naturalism

b.  identity

B. kingdoms and religions

a.  kingdoms: Nangnang, Goguryeo, Baekje, Silla, Joseon, etc.

b.  religions: Buddhism, neo-Confucianism

C. art types

a.  pottery

b.  woodcuts

c.  bronze temple bells

d.  tomb painting

e.  jade gobeunok

D. aesthetics/philosophies

a.  ”true view” landscape (jingyeong sansu)

b.  minhwa folk art

c.  nature as “first under heaven”

8. Art of Mesoamerica

A. key topics:

a.  cosmology

b.  ritual

c.  identity

B. kingdoms and religions

a.  kingdoms: Olmec, Mayan, Aztec

b.  religions: indigenous cosmologies

C. art types

a.  relief carving

b.  ball courts

c.  codices

d.  pyramid temples and other temple architecture

D. aesthetics/philosophies

a.  cosmology

b.  anthropomorphism and zoomorphism

c.  axis mundi quincunx

e.  sun cycle regeneration

9. Art of Oceania

A. key topics:

a.  nature

b.  cosmology

c.  tribal identity

B. groups and religions

a.  groups: Maori, Tongan, Fijian, Palau, Samoan, Rapa-Nui,

              Hawaiian

b.  religions: ancestor worship, hero cults, nature spirits

C. art types

a.  panaramittee rock design

b.  tapa cloth

c.  body modification

d.  meetinghouse

e.  monumental sculpture

f.  totems

D. aesthetics/philosophies

a.  transformation

b.  gender roles

c.  wehi (awe and fear, Maori)

Methods of Instruction:
  1. Lecture/Discussion
  2. Case Study
  3. Research Report
  4. Group Activities
  5. Distance Education
Assignments and Methods of Evaluating Student Progress:
  1. Choose a work of non-Western art on view at the de Young Museum, and write a four-page essay assigning it to a culture and a function or role based on its style, date, materials, and form.
  2. Define the following concepts and cite specific artworks in which they can be found: power object, anthropomorphism, aniconic, Confucianism, wabi-sabi, yamato-e, codices, cosmology, totem, wehi.
  1. Slide- and video-illustrated lecture
  2. Written assignments
  3. Art museum visit assignment
  4. Research Projects
  5. Final Examination or Project
Upon the completion of this course, the student should be able to:
  1. Discern the aesthetics in African artwork, and establish an argument that connects those aesthetics to the African cultural values of ritual, process, and power;
  2. Discern the aesthetics in artwork from South Asia and Southeast Asia, and establish an argument that connects those aesthetics to the South and Southeast Asian cultural values of spirituality, ritual, and duality;
  3. Discern the aesthetics in East Asian artwork, and establish an argument that connects those aesthetics to the East Asian cultural values of naturalism, vitality, and simplicity;
  4. Discern the aesthetics in artwork from Mesoamerica, and establish an argument that connects those aesthetics to the Mesoamerican cultural values of cosmology, ritual, and identity;
  5. Discern the aesthetics in Oceanic artwork, and establish an argument that connects those aesthetics to the Oceanic cultural values of nature, cosmology, and tribal identity.
Textbooks (Typical):
  1. Kelker, Nancy Lee (2021). Art of the Non-Western World: Asia, Africa, Oceania, and the Americas Oxford University Press.
  • When taken online, students will require a computer with internet access, and they must be registered for the Canvas MLS, which is provided free for students.
Abbreviated Class Schedule Description:
This course offers an overview of the rich visual cultures of Africa, Asia, Oceania, and the Americas. Our focus is on perspectives, philosophies, and aesthetics developed before and/or outside the European tradition, thereby providing students visual and intellectual lessons from civilizations with distinctive and exceptional non-white worldviews. Each unit of study addresses a non-Western civilization’s visual cultures and the aesthetics associated with that civilization’s periods/kingdoms, religions, and favored art types. This course is especially appropriate for visual learners.