ARTH G101: Survey of Art from the Renaissance to Contemporary

Course Outline of Record
Item	Value
Eff Term	Fall 2026
Curriculum Committee Approval Date	11/04/2025
Top Code	100200 - Art
Units	3 Total Units (Lecture Units 3)
Hours	54 Total Hours (Lecture Hours 54)
Total Outside of Class Hours	108
Total Student Learning Hours	162
Course Credit Status	Credit: Degree Applicable (D)
Material Fee	No
Basic Skills	Not Basic Skills (N)
Repeatable	No
Open Entry/Open Exit	No
Grading Policy	Standard Letter (S), Pass/No Pass (B)
Local General Education (GE)	Area 3 Arts and Humanities (GC)
Diversity Requirement (GCD)	Yes
California General Education Transfer Curriculum (Cal-GETC)	Cal-GETC 3A Arts (3A)
Intersegmental General Education Transfer Curriculum (IGETC)	IGETC 3A Arts (3A)
California State University General Education Breadth (CSU GE-Breadth)	CSU C1 Arts (C1)

Course Description

Formerly: ART G106. This course provides an overview of art and architecture from the Renaissance to the contemporary period with a focus on art from Europe. The course will further consider global interactions involving this region. Students will examine the influence of social, cultural, political, religious, philosophical, and historical contexts on the art and architecture of this time. Key artists, art movements, artworks, and architectural sites will be studied. Traditional forms of art such as painting, sculpture, and photography will be discussed as well as newer examples from the 20th and 21st centuries. Common Course Number: ARTH C1200. Transfer Credit: CSU; UC. C-ID: ARTH 120.C-ID: ARTH 120.

Course Level Student Learning Outcome(s)

Explain key concepts behind examples of art and architecture from the Renaissance to the contemporary period.
Analyze the historical, religious, political, cultural, and social origins and manifestations of art and architecture from the Renaissance to the contemporary period.
Use art historical terminology as it relates to the art and architecture from the Renaissance to the contemporary period.

Course Objectives

Identify, examine, and assess representative works of art and architecture from the Renaissance to the contemporary period employing appropriate art historical terminology.
Analyze works of art and architecture and critique them in terms of aesthetic, socio-political, religious, historical, technological, and cultural contexts in which they were created.
Develop critical thinking, information literacy, and problem solving through an engagement with art, architecture, artists, and patrons from the Renaissance to the contemporary period.
Differentiate between key art movements, artists, artworks, and examples of architecture from the Renaissance to the contemporary period.
Examine the historical, religious, political, cultural, and social origins and manifestations of art and architecture from the Renaissance to the contemporary period.
Analyze the form and content of art and architecture from the Renaissance to the contemporary period.
Discuss works of art and architecture from the Renaissance to the contemporary period in terms of their historical context and cultural framework.
Identify the techniques and materials used to create various examples of art and architecture from the Renaissance to the contemporary period.
Recall art historical terminology when analyzing art and architecture from the Renaissance to the contemporary period.

Lecture Content

This course critically examines the art and architecture of the following periods with an integration of history, theory, aesthetics, and cross-cultural connections:

Italian Renaissance and Mannerism
Northern Renaissance
Baroque and Rococo
Neoclassicism, Romanticism, and Realism
Major movements of the late 19th Century including Impressionism and Post-Impressionism
Introduction to major Modernist movements of the 20th-century
A look towards the future: contemporary global considerations

Additional Topics:

Introduction to the Discipline of Art History
The Renaissance
1. Media: Tempera and Oil Paint
2. Humanism
3. Linear Perspective
4. Architecture during the Renaissance
The Reformation and Counter-Reformation
The Baroque
1. Architecture during the Baroque
The 18th Century
1. The Enlightenment
2. Architecture of the 18th Century
The 19th Century
1. Photography
2. Architecture of the 19th Century
3. Academic Salons and Independent Art Exhibitions
4. Symbolism
The 20th Century
1. Modernism and Postmodernism
2. Art Movements such as:
  1. Fauvism
  2. Cubism and Primitivism
  3. Dada
  4. Expressionism
  5. Futurism
  6. De Stijl
  7. Harlem Renaissance
  8. American Regionalism
  9. Social Realism & Muralism
  10. Surrealism
  11. Latin American Modernism
  12. Abstract Expressionism
  13. Post-Painterly Abstraction
  14. Pop Art & Op Art
  15. Minimalism
  16. Conceptual Art
  17. Video and New Media Art
  18. Performance Art
  19. Feminist Art
  20. Earth-Land Art
  21. Political Art
  22. Photography
  23. Architecture of the 20th Century
Globalism in the 21st Century
1. Contemporary Trends in Art
2. Architecture of the 21st Century

Method(s) of Instruction

Lecture (02)
DE Live Online Lecture (02S)
DE Online Lecture (02X)

Instructional Techniques

Reading Assignments

Textbook and supplementary articles, handouts, etc. provided by Instructor.

Writing Assignments

Short answer and essay assessments, research projects, visual analysis exercises, museum-based assignments, and/or written assignments based on assigned readings, class discussions, and/or analysis of artworks.

Out-of-class Assignments

Additional assigned readings, articles, and handouts provided by Instructor. Discussion posts, written reflections, short answer and essay assessments, museum-based assignments, research projects, and/or visual analysis exercises.

Study Non-Contact Hours Recommended

108

Methods of Student Evaluation

Midterm Exam
Final Exam
Short Quizzes
Written Assignments
Essay Examinations
Objective Examinations
Report
Projects (Individual/Group)
Problem Solving Exercises
Oral Presentations

Demonstration of Critical Thinking

Students will conduct research and compose essays that analyze and compare various examples of art and architecture. Students will discuss individual works of art and architecture from historical and aesthetic perspectives as well as conduct visual analyses. Students will engage with relevant museum collections to make critical assessments connected to course content.

Required Writing, Problem Solving, Skills Demonstration

Research various topics related to the art and architecture of the Renaissance to the contemporary period to compose written reflections, essays, discussion posts, visual analysis exercises and/or museum-based assignments. Written assignments based on readings, class discussions, and/or analysis of artworks.

Resources Subscreen

Textbook: H. W. Janson. History of Art. Pearson (2016 (Classic)).
Textbook: Fred S. Kleiner. Gardner's Art Through the Ages: The Western Perspective, Volume 2. Cengage (2021).
Textbook: Fred S. Kleiner. Gardner's Art Through the Ages: A Global History, Volume 2. Cengage (2020).
Textbook: Marilyn Stokstad. Art History, Volume 2. Pearson (2025).
Open Education Resource: N/A. Smarthistory’s (Khan Academy) materials/books (available online and to print out for free). (2025).
Open Education Resource: N/A. Smarthistory OER Commons. (2025).
Open Education Resource: N/A. Smarthistory Reframing Art History (global perspectives) open access. (2025).
Open Education Resource: Gustlin and Gustlin. Libretexts, Introduction to Art History, A World Perspective of Art History. (2025).
Open Education Resource: N/A. Met Heilbrunn Timeline of Art History. (2025).
Other: . . ().

Eligible Discipline(s)

Art history: Master’s degree in art history, history of art and architecture, or visual culture/visual studies OR bachelor’s degree in art history and master’s degree in history OR master’s degree in art with a recorded emphasis or concentration in art history OR the equivalent. Master's degree required.

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