Art history explores the range of objects and monuments made by men and women from Prehistory to the present day.  It emphasizes the study of visual arts as a means of understanding the intellectual and cultural history of humanity.  Renaissance palaces, Hiroshige prints, modern mosques, Etruscan tombs, Sumerian tablets, the films of Fellini, Barnet Newman’s zips, and much more, are all at students’ fingertips in the Jaffe Building. 

Penn’s Department is an internationally renowned leader in the History of Art and Architecture, with a long, distinguished record of teaching, mentoring, and research.  The faculty are committed to innovative instruction, and they work closely with students to develop skills in the interpretation of art works and in the understanding of visual culture.  Special excursions to museums allow students to examine paintings, sculptures, prints, and manuscripts first hand, and our faculty collaborate with students each year to organize exhibitions at the Ross Gallery or the Institute of Contemporary Art (see Halpern-Rogath Seminars).

The Department also fosters programs with local galleries and museums that can prepare interested students for a fulfilling career as a scholar, curator, or gallery or museum professional.  The program provides a solid foundation for a general liberal arts education and careers in communications, public relations, and other fields where engagement with images and texts is paramount.  Courses in the history of art also complement majors in visual studies, literature, history, religion, area studies, cinema studies, studio art, among others.

> click here for TRANSFER CREDIT INFORMATION


Students may select from a wide array of courses: 

100-level, typically broad surveys covering great geographic and/or temporal range, are suitable for all students.

200-level survey courses treat a single artistic period, movement, medium, or locale.  While focused, they are good introductory courses for all student levels.

300-level courses follow a seminar format and focus on an artistic theme, issue, medium, or problem.  These are most apt for juniors and seniors but may also be open to freshman and sophomores (check requirements for individual courses).

400-level courses follow the format of 300-level courses and are primarily intended for junior and senior majors.

500-level courses are offered for undergraduates and are open to graduate students.

The following courses are particularly recommended as introductions to the field:

ARTH  001 (Fall), The Architect and History, taught by Dr. Lothar Haselberger, serves as an introduction to two-thousand years of the built environment, from the Middle East to the United States, and includes practical design experiments, films, and excursions. (iii)*

VLST 101 (Fall), Eye, Mind, and Image, taught by Dr. David Brainard and Dr. Renata Holod, analyzes the philosophy and science of perception. Visual Studies Department

ARTH 002  (Spring), The Rise of Modern Visual Media, taught by Dr. Larry Silver, serves as an introduction to the arts since c.1500.  The course considers the arts in a time when modern media – such as prints, photography, posters, and film – are part of an increasingly public sphere. (iii)*

ARTH 104 (Spring), The Art of India and Southeast Asia, taught by Dr. Michael Meister, serves as a broad introduction to more than two-thousand years of art produced by the great cultures of southern Asia.  Classes are frequently conducted in nearby museums. (iii)*

* Fulfills the General Requirement in the sector indicated.