How do mechanisms of perception structure responses to visual art? What is at stake when words describe images? By means of intensive looking, thinking, speaking, and writing, this course introduces the student to a series of problems and issues in the description and analysis of works of art. Because the course is also an introduction to the historical study of art, it is intended for students with no previous course work in the field. Satisfies the second half of the Reading and Composition requirement.

Situated along major trade routes, stretching from Europe to East Asia, Medieval Armenia was in constant interaction with the Byzantine, Islamic, Mongol, and Crusader worlds. This course explores the role of visual material in shaping cultural, religious, and political identity in medieval Armenia. Through the study of churches, monasteries, and manuscripts from the early Christian period to the 14th century, you will examine how images and monuments communicated ideas about faith, memory, power, and identity. By close examination of objects and monuments, you will develop methods of visual analysis. With critical writing–including visual analysis and comparisons–that situates medieval Armenian art and architecture within broader historical contexts, you will reflect on the relationship between art, architecture, memory, and identity. We will also discuss and examine the modern afterlives of monuments and objects, considering questions of preservation, memory, and cultural heritage in the present day. This course centers on a selection of case studies, which will be explored through discussion, close analysis, and writing. You will conduct independent research throughout the semester to identify additional monuments and objects for your assignments.

Throughout the semester, we will consider questions such as: What role does artistic exchange play in the development of regional identity? What is the relationship between text, image, and architecture in medieval Armenia? How does architecture function as a site of cultural memory? What happens when cultural heritage is displaced, destroyed, or politically contested? And what role do archives, museums, photography, and digital reconstruction play in preserving the past?

You will develop writing and research skills through scaffolded writing assignments, progressively increasing in length and complexity. There are two main research projects—a midterm assignment (4-6 pages) and a final undergraduate term paper (10-12 pages). Smaller assignments will support the development of both the midterm and final projects. We will annotate texts, analyze and discuss them together in class, and approach writing in a collaborative, feedback-focused setting.

Requisites

• UC Entry Level Writing Requirement, English 1A, or equivalent. Previously passed an R_A course with a letter grade of C- or better. Previously passed an articulated R_A course with a letter grade of C- or better. Score a 4 on the Advanced Placement Exam in English Literature and Composition. Score a 4 or 5 on the Advanced Placement Exam in English Language and Composition. Score of 5, 6, or 7 on the International Baccalaureate Higher Level Examination in English.

Repeat Rules

Course is not repeatable for credit.

Requirements class fulfills