The intertwined history of realism and mass media
as integral components of an emerging modernity in
the United States and Europe during the 19th
century. Focus on technical innovations and the
examination of primary writings by artists,
critics, authors, and other cultural figures to
assess their aspirations for and anxieties about
the innovations' social and cultural implications.
Realism as a movement in academic art; debates
about the artistic value of mass media and the
impact on artistic practice; early mass media and
the pursuit of political change; the relationship
between art and science; the shaping of national,
racial, class, and gender identities; the
emergence of the modern commercial market and
industrial production.
as integral components of an emerging modernity in
the United States and Europe during the 19th
century. Focus on technical innovations and the
examination of primary writings by artists,
critics, authors, and other cultural figures to
assess their aspirations for and anxieties about
the innovations' social and cultural implications.
Realism as a movement in academic art; debates
about the artistic value of mass media and the
impact on artistic practice; early mass media and
the pursuit of political change; the relationship
between art and science; the shaping of national,
racial, class, and gender identities; the
emergence of the modern commercial market and
industrial production.
- Teacher: Matthew Johnston