What is Art History?
How often have you walked through a museum or art gallery and asked the question: is that art? Art History is the study of the objects considered to be art across a variety of cultures and times. We look at paintings, sculptures, modern works of art that can’t really be called either of these, Aboriginal Art and the art of the Asia-Pacific region. We look at films, and in the more advanced courses answer that famous question: what is art?
Art History addresses itself not only to the history of painting and sculpture but offers undergraduate courses on a diverse range of topics. The interest in various aspects of visual culture, not just traditional 'fine arts', is reflected in the variety of courses available within the School. These cover Renaissance and Baroque art right up to Contemporary Art, as well as the History of Photography, Cinema Studies, Indigenous Art, the Art Museum, New Media, Asia Pacific Contemporary Art, Art and Popular Culture, Critical Theory and Aesthetics.
Study Opportunities in Art History
The BA offers a major in Art History. For more information about this plan and the courses that you can study if undertaking an Art History major or extended major contact Associate Professor Rex Butler.
Art History is also offered as an Honours degree, and research based higher degrees (Masters degree by thesis, PhD by thesis, and PhD by thesis and exhibition).