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The Department of Art & Design offers a combined degree in Studio Art with Enhanced Art History (BA & BFA) for students equally interested in the creative aspects of art and its history. Additionally, Art History is offered as a minor for non-studio art majors and may also be selected as one of the concentrations for both the Liberal Arts and Integrated Studies majors.

These degree options are intended for students seeking future careers in galleries, museums, arts organizations, etc, as well as for students who desire to pursue graduate study in Art, Art History and/or Visual Culture.

In Art History courses, students become familiar with the global history of art. Art & Design students gain important knowledge of art historical and critical debates as well as theories of art and design. Additionally, students have an opportunity to use the Clara M. Eagle Gallery, and other university galleries, as a lab or extended classroom through workshops with practicing contemporary artists and designers. This affords our students the hands on experiential opportunity to study art objects, installation practices, etc. The Eagle Gallery also offers credit-earning internships for students seeking in-depth immersion in curatorial practice and collections management.

Courses cover a wide variety of traditions and media in the global history of art (for specific course offerings, see below). Art history courses cover a breath of topics in small class environments that fosters student engagement.

Facilities

The Art History facility includes two lecture halls with auditorium seating. The principal classroom, equipped with high-resolution digital projectors, serves an average of 25 students or less. The Art History facilities have 3,754 square feet of space. 

 

Art History Faculty

Dr. Zbynek Smetana is Associate Professor of Art History. He received his Ph.D. and M.A. in Art History from Rutgers University.

Dr. Antje K. Gamble is Assistant Professor of Art History. She received her Ph.D. from the University of Michigan and M.A. from the School of the Art Institute of Chicago

Contact Information:

• Zbynek Smetana zsmetana@murraystate.edu
• Antje K. Gamble agamble2@murraystate.edu

Courses Offered

• ART 121 Art and Visual Culture (3)
  Surveys the various aspects of the visual and functional arts and their relationship to human life and society. A variety of art forms from different cultures and historical periods will be studied. A student cannot have credit for both ART 121 and HON 161.
• ART 211 A Survey of Art from Antiquity to the Baroque (3)
  A survey of the history of art from Prehistory through the Baroque (17th century).
• ART 212 A Survey of Art from the Enlightenment to the Present (3)
  A survey of the history of art from the Enlightenment (18th century) to the present.
• ART 213 Art of Global Cultures (3)
  A survey of the visual arts and other cultural production of the Middle East, Asia, Oceania, North and South America, and Africa, informed by religious practices, belief systems, and cultural practices of various civilization outside the European tradition.
• ART 315 (415) Greek and Roman Art (3)
  Topics in the history of the art and architecture of ancient Greece and Rome through the late Antique period.
• ART 316 (416) Medieval Art (3)
  Topics in the history of art from the Early Christian through the Gothic period.(Same as RGS 417)
• ART 318 (418) Renaissance Art (3)
  Topics in the history of the Renaissance.
• ART 319 (419) Baroque Art (3)
  Topics in the history of the art of the Baroque period, mainly in Europe.
• ART 328 (428) Nineteenth Century Art (3)
  History of art of the long nineteenth century that focuses on European and Euro-American art with a global perspective.
• ART 329 (429) Art from 1900 to 1960 (3)
  History of Western art from 1900 to 1960 that focuses on European and Euro-American art with a global perspective. This class will consider the beginnings of modernism and the avant-gardes alongside larger developments of modernity.
• Art 358 History of Modern Design (3)
  Survey of the history of modern design from the mid-nineteenth century to the present. This course will introduce students to the development of the various fields that make up modern "design", including designed objects, industrial design, and graphic design, with a focus on Europe and the United States from a global perspective.
• ART 420 (501) Special Topics in Art History (3)
  Changing seminar topics to be determined by the instructor and student interest. May be repeated up to nine credit hours. Prerequisites: ART 121, 211, 212 or HON 161; or permission of instructor. [Some recent topics have included: Northern Renaissance Art, Performance Art, and Italian Modern Art.]
• Art 425 Arts of Africa and Asia (3)
  Study of the arts of Sub-Saharan Africa, India, Southeast Asia, China, Korea, and Japan, informed by the religious practices, belief systems, and cultural practices of these various civilizations. (Same as RGS 425.)
• Art 430 Art Since 1960 (3)
  History of global trends in art since 1960, including trends in contemporary art.
• ART 491 Special Problems in Art History (3)
  An independent problems course in art history for advanced undergraduates majoring in art under the direction of the art history faculty. The student must submit and receive approval of a detailed study plan prior to registration. May be repeated once for credit. Prerequisites: consent of supervising faculty member and permission of department chair.

Please note: course numbers in parentheses are course numbers used before academic year 2017-18. They are included to avoid any confusion for our current students and will be phased out over time.