Courses
VART3416 Chinese Three Dimensional Arts (3 units)
- Medium of Instruction:
- English
This course examines the history, importance, and contemporary influence of three dimensional Chinese art produced from the Neolithic period to the early 20th century. Materials used for these objects include metal, stone, glass, ceramics, lacquer, textiles and wood. Emphasis will be placed on periods and materials of special art historical significance, such as Shang and Zhou dynasty bronzes, Han dynasty lacquer, Tang dynasty stone and wood religious sculpture, and Ming and Qing porcelain. The techniques used in creating works and how classes of objects evolve over time will be discussed. These methods of production include works in bronze, glass, ceramics, and jewelry and thus bridge with many practical courses offered by the AVA.
Symbolic and iconographic themes will be discussed across various media given the scope of the course (for example, objects devoted to the afterlife in ceramics, stone and bronze). Key time periods and sites of production will be presented for each material, as will socio-cultural aspects and issues of consumption and display. Class distinctions, such as folk objects compared to gods produced in imperial workshops, will be discussed. The course will conclude with analysis of how these traditional objects and images impact contemporary art.