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Art History Resources

• Guidelines for Analysis of Art
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Guidelines for Writing Art History Research Papers

• Oral Report Guidelines
• Annual Arkansas College Art History Symposium

Writing a paper for an art history course is similar to the analytical, research-based papers that you may have written in English literature courses or history courses. Although art historical research and writing does include the analysis of written documents, there are distinctive differences between art history writing and other disciplines because the primary documents are works of art. A key reference guide for researching and analyzing works of art and for writing art history papers is the 10th edition (or later) of Sylvan Barnet’s work, A Short Guide to Writing about Art . Barnet directs students through the steps of thinking about a research topic, collecting information, and then writing and documenting a paper.

A website with helpful tips for writing art history papers is posted by the University of North Carolina.

Wesleyan University Writing Center has a useful guide for finding online writing resources.

The following are basic guidelines that you must use when documenting research papers for any art history class at UA Little Rock. Solid, thoughtful research and correct documentation of the sources used in this research (i.e., footnotes/endnotes, bibliography, and illustrations**) are essential. Additionally, these guidelines remind students about plagiarism, a serious academic offense.

Paper Format

Research papers should be in a 12-point font, double-spaced. Ample margins should be left for the instructor’s comments. All margins should be one inch to allow for comments. Number all pages. The cover sheet for the paper should include the following information: title of paper, your name, course title and number, course instructor, and date paper is submitted. A simple presentation of a paper is sufficient. Staple the pages together at the upper left or put them in a simple three-ring folder or binder. Do not put individual pages in plastic sleeves.

Documentation of Resources

The Chicago Manual of Style (CMS), as described in the most recent edition of Sylvan Barnet’s A Short Guide to Writing about Art is the department standard. Although you may have used MLA style for English papers or other disciplines, the Chicago Style is required for all students taking art history courses at UA Little Rock. There are significant differences between MLA style and Chicago Style. A “Quick Guide” for the Chicago Manual of Style footnote and bibliography format is found http://www.chicagomanualofstyle.org/tools_citationguide.html. The footnote examples are numbered and the bibliography example is last. Please note that the place of publication and the publisher are enclosed in parentheses in the footnote, but they are not in parentheses in the bibliography. Examples of CMS for some types of note and bibliography references are given below in this Guideline. Arabic numbers are used for footnotes. Some word processing programs may have Roman numerals as a choice, but the standard is Arabic numbers. The use of super script numbers, as given in examples below, is the standard in UA Little Rock art history papers.

The chapter “Manuscript Form” in the Barnet book (10th edition or later) provides models for the correct forms for footnotes/endnotes and the bibliography. For example, the note form for the FIRST REFERENCE to a book with a single author is:

1 Bruce Cole, Italian Art 1250-1550 (New York: New York University Press, 1971), 134.

But the BIBLIOGRAPHIC FORM for that same book is:

Cole, Bruce. Italian Art 1250-1550. New York: New York University Press. 1971.

The FIRST REFERENCE to a journal article (in a periodical that is paginated by volume) with a single author in a footnote is:

2 Anne H. Van Buren, “Madame Cézanne’s Fashions and the Dates of Her Portraits,” Art Quarterly 29 (1966): 199.

The FIRST REFERENCE to a journal article (in a periodical that is paginated by volume) with a single author in the BIBLIOGRAPHY is:

Van Buren, Anne H. “Madame Cézanne’s Fashions and the Dates of Her Portraits.” Art Quarterly 29 (1966): 185-204.

If you reference an article that you found through an electronic database such as JSTOR, you do not include the url for JSTOR or the date accessed in either the footnote or the bibliography. This is because the article is one that was originally printed in a hard-copy journal; what you located through JSTOR is simply a copy of printed pages. Your citation follows the same format for an article in a bound volume that you may have pulled from the library shelves. If, however, you use an article that originally was in an electronic format and is available only on-line, then follow the “non-print” forms listed below.

B. Non-Print

Citations for Internet sources such as online journals or scholarly web sites should follow the form described in Barnet’s chapter, “Writing a Research Paper.” For example, the footnote or endnote reference given by Barnet for a web site is:

3 Nigel Strudwick, Egyptology Resources , with the assistance of The Isaac Newton Institute for Mathematical Sciences, Cambridge University, 1994, revised 16 June 2008, http://www.newton.ac.uk/egypt/ , 24 July 2008.

If you use microform or microfilm resources, consult the most recent edition of Kate Turabian, A Manual of Term Paper, Theses and Dissertations. A copy of Turabian is available at the reference desk in the main library.

C. Visual Documentation (Illustrations)

Art history papers require visual documentation such as photographs, photocopies, or scanned images of the art works you discuss. In the chapter “Manuscript Form” in A Short Guide to Writing about Art, Barnet explains how to identify illustrations or “figures” in the text of your paper and how to caption the visual material. Each photograph, photocopy, or scanned image should appear on a single sheet of paper unless two images and their captions will fit on a single sheet of paper with one inch margins on all sides. Note also that the title of a work of art is always italicized. Within the text, the reference to the illustration is enclosed in parentheses and placed at the end of the sentence. A period for the sentence comes after the parenthetical reference to the illustration. For UA Little Rcok art history papers, illustrations are placed at the end of the paper, not within the text. Illustration are not supplied as a Powerpoint presentation or as separate .jpgs submitted in an electronic format.

Edvard Munch’s painting The Scream, dated 1893, represents a highly personal, expressive response to an experience the artist had while walking one evening (Figure 1).

The caption that accompanies the illustration at the end of the paper would read:

Figure 1. Edvard Munch, The Scream, 1893. Tempera and casein on cardboard, 36 x 29″ (91.3 x 73.7 cm). Nasjonalgalleriet, Oslo, Norway.

Plagiarism is a form of thievery and is illegal. According to Webster’s New World Dictionary, to plagiarize is to “take and pass off as one’s own the ideas, writings, etc. of another.” Barnet has some useful guidelines for acknowledging sources in his chapter “Manuscript Form;” review them so that you will not be mguilty of theft. Another useful website regarding plagiarism is provided by Cornell University, http://plagiarism.arts.cornell.edu/tutorial/index.cfm

Plagiarism is a serious offense, and students should understand that checking papers for plagiarized content is easy to do with Internet resources. Plagiarism will be reported as academic dishonesty to the Dean of Students; see Section VI of the Student Handbook which cites plagiarism as a specific violation. Take care that you fully and accurately acknowledge the source of another author, whether you are quoting the material verbatim or paraphrasing. Borrowing the idea of another author by merely changing some or even all of your source’s words does not allow you to claim the ideas as your own. You must credit both direct quotes and your paraphrases. Again, Barnet’s chapter “Manuscript Form” sets out clear guidelines for avoiding plagiarism.

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Art History

What this handout is about.

This handout discusses a few common assignments found in art history courses. To help you better understand those assignments, this handout highlights key strategies for approaching and analyzing visual materials.

Writing in art history

Evaluating and writing about visual material uses many of the same analytical skills that you have learned from other fields, such as history or literature. In art history, however, you will be asked to gather your evidence from close observations of objects or images. Beyond painting, photography, and sculpture, you may be asked to write about posters, illustrations, coins, and other materials.

Even though art historians study a wide range of materials, there are a few prevalent assignments that show up throughout the field. Some of these assignments (and the writing strategies used to tackle them) are also used in other disciplines. In fact, you may use some of the approaches below to write about visual sources in classics, anthropology, and religious studies, to name a few examples.

This handout describes three basic assignment types and explains how you might approach writing for your art history class.Your assignment prompt can often be an important step in understanding your course’s approach to visual materials and meeting its specific expectations. Start by reading the prompt carefully, and see our handout on understanding assignments for some tips and tricks.

Three types of assignments are discussed below:

• Visual analysis essays
• Comparison essays
• Research papers

1. Visual analysis essays

Visual analysis essays often consist of two components. First, they include a thorough description of the selected object or image based on your observations. This description will serve as your “evidence” moving forward. Second, they include an interpretation or argument that is built on and defended by this visual evidence.

Formal analysis is one of the primary ways to develop your observations. Performing a formal analysis requires describing the “formal” qualities of the object or image that you are describing (“formal” here means “related to the form of the image,” not “fancy” or “please, wear a tuxedo”). Formal elements include everything from the overall composition to the use of line, color, and shape. This process often involves careful observations and critical questions about what you see.

Pre-writing: observations and note-taking

To assist you in this process, the chart below categorizes some of the most common formal elements. It also provides a few questions to get you thinking.

Let’s try this out with an example. You’ve been asked to write a formal analysis of the painting, George Morland’s Pigs and Piglets in a Sty , ca. 1800 (created in Britain and now in the Virginia Museum of Fine Arts in Richmond).

What do you notice when you see this image? First, you might observe that this is a painting. Next, you might ask yourself some of the following questions: what kind of paint was used, and what was it painted on? How has the artist applied the paint? What does the scene depict, and what kinds of figures (an art-historical term that generally refers to humans) or animals are present? What makes these animals similar or different? How are they arranged? What colors are used in this painting? Are there any colors that pop out or contrast with the others? What might the artist have been trying to accomplish by adding certain details?

What other questions come to mind while examining this work? What kinds of topics come up in class when you discuss paintings like this one? Consider using your class experiences as a model for your own description! This process can be lengthy, so expect to spend some time observing the artwork and brainstorming.

Here is an example of some of the notes one might take while viewing Morland’s Pigs and Piglets in a Sty :

Composition

• The animals, four pigs total, form a gently sloping mound in the center of the painting.
• The upward mound of animals contrasts with the downward curve of the wooden fence.
• The gentle light, coming from the upper-left corner, emphasizes the animals in the center. The rest of the scene is more dimly lit.
• The composition is asymmetrical but balanced. The fence is balanced by the bush on the right side of the painting, and the sow with piglets is balanced by the pig whose head rests in the trough.
• Throughout the composition, the colors are generally muted and rather limited. Yellows, greens, and pinks dominate the foreground, with dull browns and blues in the background.
• Cool colors appear in the background, and warm colors appear in the foreground, which makes the foreground more prominent.
• Large areas of white with occasional touches of soft pink focus attention on the pigs.
• The paint is applied very loosely, meaning the brushstrokes don’t describe objects with exact details but instead suggest them with broad gestures.
• The ground has few details and appears almost abstract.
• The piglets emerge from a series of broad, almost indistinct, circular strokes.
• The painting contrasts angular lines and rectangles (some vertical, some diagonal) with the circular forms of the pig.
• The negative space created from the intersection of the fence and the bush forms a wide, inverted triangle that points downward. The point directs viewers’ attention back to the pigs.

Because these observations can be difficult to notice by simply looking at a painting, art history instructors sometimes encourage students to sketch the work that they’re describing. The image below shows how a sketch can reveal important details about the composition and shapes.

Writing: developing an interpretation

Once you have your descriptive information ready, you can begin to think critically about what the information in your notes might imply. What are the effects of the formal elements? How do these elements influence your interpretation of the object?

Your interpretation does not need to be earth-shatteringly innovative, but it should put forward an argument with which someone else could reasonably disagree. In other words, you should work on developing a strong analytical thesis about the meaning, significance, or effect of the visual material that you’ve described. For more help in crafting a strong argument, see our Thesis Statements handout .

For example, based on the notes above, you might draft the following thesis statement:

In Morland’s Pigs and Piglets in a Sty, the close proximity of the pigs to each other–evident in the way Morland has overlapped the pigs’ bodies and grouped them together into a gently sloping mound–and the soft atmosphere that surrounds them hints at the tranquility of their humble farm lives.

Or, you could make an argument about one specific formal element:

In Morland’s Pigs and Piglets in a Sty, the sharp contrast between rectilinear, often vertical, shapes and circular masses focuses viewers’ attention on the pigs, who seem undisturbed by their enclosure.

Support your claims

Your thesis statement should be defended by directly referencing the formal elements of the artwork. Try writing with enough specificity that someone who has not seen the work could imagine what it looks like. If you are struggling to find a certain term, try using this online art dictionary: Tate’s Glossary of Art Terms .

Your body paragraphs should explain how the elements work together to create an overall effect. Avoid listing the elements. Instead, explain how they support your analysis.

As an example, the following body paragraph illustrates this process using Morland’s painting:

Morland achieves tranquility not only by grouping animals closely but also by using light and shadow carefully. Light streams into the foreground through an overcast sky, in effect dappling the pigs and the greenery that encircles them while cloaking much of the surrounding scene. Diffuse and soft, the light creates gentle gradations of tone across pigs’ bodies rather than sharp contrasts of highlights and shadows. By modulating the light in such subtle ways, Morland evokes a quiet, even contemplative mood that matches the restful faces of the napping pigs.

This example paragraph follows the 5-step process outlined in our handout on paragraphs . The paragraph begins by stating the main idea, in this case that the artist creates a tranquil scene through the use of light and shadow. The following two sentences provide evidence for that idea. Because art historians value sophisticated descriptions, these sentences include evocative verbs (e.g., “streams,” “dappling,” “encircles”) and adjectives (e.g., “overcast,” “diffuse,” “sharp”) to create a mental picture of the artwork in readers’ minds. The last sentence ties these observations together to make a larger point about the relationship between formal elements and subject matter.

There are usually different arguments that you could make by looking at the same image. You might even find a way to combine these statements!

Remember, however you interpret the visual material (for example, that the shapes draw viewers’ attention to the pigs), the interpretation needs to be logically supported by an observation (the contrast between rectangular and circular shapes). Once you have an argument, consider the significance of these statements. Why does it matter if this painting hints at the tranquility of farm life? Why might the artist have tried to achieve this effect? Briefly discussing why these arguments matter in your thesis can help readers understand the overall significance of your claims. This step may even lead you to delve deeper into recurring themes or topics from class.

Tread lightly

Avoid generalizing about art as a whole, and be cautious about making claims that sound like universal truths. If you find yourself about to say something like “across cultures, blue symbolizes despair,” pause to consider the statement. Would all people, everywhere, from the beginning of human history to the present agree? How do you know? If you find yourself stating that “art has meaning,” consider how you could explain what you see as the specific meaning of the artwork.

Double-check your prompt. Do you need secondary sources to write your paper? Most visual analysis essays in art history will not require secondary sources to write the paper. Rely instead on your close observation of the image or object to inform your analysis and use your knowledge from class to support your argument. Are you being asked to use the same methods to analyze objects as you would for paintings? Be sure to follow the approaches discussed in class.

Some classes may use “description,” “formal analysis” and “visual analysis” as synonyms, but others will not. Typically, a visual analysis essay may ask you to consider how form relates to the social, economic, or political context in which these visual materials were made or exhibited, whereas a formal analysis essay may ask you to make an argument solely about form itself. If your prompt does ask you to consider contextual aspects, and you don’t feel like you can address them based on knowledge from the course, consider reading the section on research papers for further guidance.

2. Comparison essays

Comparison essays often require you to follow the same general process outlined in the preceding sections. The primary difference, of course, is that they ask you to deal with more than one visual source. These assignments usually focus on how the formal elements of two artworks compare and contrast with each other. Resist the urge to turn the essay into a list of similarities and differences.

Comparison essays differ in another important way. Because they typically ask you to connect the visual materials in some way or to explain the significance of the comparison itself, they may require that you comment on the context in which the art was created or displayed.

For example, you might have been asked to write a comparative analysis of the painting discussed in the previous section, George Morland’s Pigs and Piglets in a Sty (ca. 1800), and an unknown Vicús artist’s Bottle in the Form of a Pig (ca. 200 BCE–600 CE). Both works are illustrated below.

You can begin this kind of essay with the same process of observations and note-taking outlined above for formal analysis essays. Consider using the same questions and categories to get yourself started.

Here are some questions you might ask:

• What techniques were used to create these objects?
• How does the use of color in these two works compare? Is it similar or different?
• What can you say about the composition of the sculpture? How does the artist treat certain formal elements, for example geometry? How do these elements compare to and contrast with those found in the painting?
• How do these works represent their subjects? Are they naturalistic or abstract? How do these artists create these effects? Why do these similarities and differences matter?

As our handout on comparing and contrasting suggests, you can organize these thoughts into a Venn diagram or a chart to help keep the answers to these questions distinct.

For example, some notes on these two artworks have been organized into a chart:

As you determine points of comparison, think about the themes that you have discussed in class. You might consider whether the artworks display similar topics or themes. If both artworks include the same subject matter, for example, how does that similarity contribute to the significance of the comparison? How do these artworks relate to the periods or cultures in which they were produced, and what do those relationships suggest about the comparison? The answers to these questions can typically be informed by your knowledge from class lectures. How have your instructors framed the introduction of individual works in class? What aspects of society or culture have they emphasized to explain why specific formal elements were included or excluded? Once you answer your questions, you might notice that some observations are more important than others.

Writing: developing an interpretation that considers both sources

When drafting your thesis, go beyond simply stating your topic. A statement that says “these representations of pig-like animals have some similarities and differences” doesn’t tell your reader what you will argue in your essay.

To say more, based on the notes in the chart above, you might write the following thesis statement:

Although both artworks depict pig-like animals, they rely on different methods of representing the natural world.

Now you have a place to start. Next, you can say more about your analysis. Ask yourself: “so what?” Why does it matter that these two artworks depict pig-like animals? You might want to return to your class notes at this point. Why did your instructor have you analyze these two works in particular? How does the comparison relate to what you have already discussed in class? Remember, comparison essays will typically ask you to think beyond formal analysis.

While the comparison of a similar subject matter (pig-like animals) may influence your initial argument, you may find that other points of comparison (e.g., the context in which the objects were displayed) allow you to more fully address the matter of significance. Thinking about the comparison in this way, you can write a more complex thesis that answers the “so what?” question. If your class has discussed how artists use animals to comment on their social context, for example, you might explore the symbolic importance of these pig-like animals in nineteenth-century British culture and in first-millenium Vicús culture. What political, social, or religious meanings could these objects have generated? If you find yourself needing to do outside research, look over the final section on research papers below!

Supporting paragraphs

The rest of your comparison essay should address the points raised in your thesis in an organized manner. While you could try several approaches, the two most common organizational tactics are discussing the material “subject-by-subject” and “point-by-point.”

• Subject-by-subject: Organizing the body of the paper in this way involves writing everything that you want to say about Moreland’s painting first (in a series of paragraphs) before moving on to everything about the ceramic bottle (in a series of paragraphs). Using our example, after the introduction, you could include a paragraph that discusses the positioning of the animals in Moreland’s painting, another paragraph that describes the depiction of the pigs’ surroundings, and a third explaining the role of geometry in forming the animals. You would then follow this discussion with paragraphs focused on the same topics, in the same order, for the ancient South American vessel. You could then follow this discussion with a paragraph that synthesizes all of the information and explores the significance of the comparison.
• Point-by-point: This strategy, in contrast, involves discussing a single point of comparison or contrast for both objects at the same time. For example, in a single paragraph, you could examine the use of color in both of our examples. Your next paragraph could move on to the differences in the figures’ setting or background (or lack thereof).

As our use of “pig-like” in this section indicates, titles can be misleading. Many titles are assigned by curators and collectors, in some cases years after the object was produced. While the ceramic vessel is titled Bottle in the Form of a Pig , the date and location suggest it may depict a peccary, a pig-like species indigenous to Peru. As you gather information about your objects, think critically about things like titles and dates. Who assigned the title of the work? If it was someone other than the artist, why might they have given it that title? Don’t always take information like titles and dates at face value.

Be cautious about considering contextual elements not immediately apparent from viewing the objects themselves unless you are explicitly asked to do so (try referring back to the prompt or assignment description; it will often describe the expectation of outside research). You may be able to note that the artworks were created during different periods, in different places, with different functions. Even so, avoid making broad assumptions based on those observations. While commenting on these topics may only require some inference or notes from class, if your argument demands a large amount of outside research, you may be writing a different kind of paper. If so, check out the next section!

3. Research papers

Some assignments in art history ask you to do outside research (i.e., beyond both formal analysis and lecture materials). These writing assignments may ask you to contextualize the visual materials that you are discussing, or they may ask you to explore your material through certain theoretical approaches. More specifically, you may be asked to look at the object’s relationship to ideas about identity, politics, culture, and artistic production during the period in which the work was made or displayed. All of these factors require you to synthesize scholars’ arguments about the materials that you are analyzing. In many cases, you may find little to no research on your specific object. When facing this situation, consider how you can apply scholars’ insights about related materials and the period broadly to your object to form an argument. While we cannot cover all the possibilities here, we’ll highlight a few factors that your instructor may task you with investigating.

Iconography

Papers that ask you to consider iconography may require research on the symbolic role or significance of particular symbols (gestures, objects, etc.). For example, you may need to do some research to understand how pig-like animals are typically represented by the cultural group that made this bottle, the Vicús culture. For the same paper, you would likely research other symbols, notably the bird that forms part of the bottle’s handle, to understand how they relate to one another. This process may involve figuring out how these elements are presented in other artworks and what they mean more broadly.

Artistic style and stylistic period

You may also be asked to compare your object or painting to a particular stylistic category. To determine the typical traits of a style, you may need to hit the library. For example, which period style or stylistic trend does Moreland’s Pigs and Piglets in a Sty belong to? How well does the piece “fit” that particular style? Especially for works that depict the same or similar topics, how might their different styles affect your interpretation? Assignments that ask you to consider style as a factor may require that you do some research on larger historical or cultural trends that influenced the development of a particular style.

Provenance research asks you to find out about the “life” of the object itself. This research can include the circumstances surrounding the work’s production and its later ownership. For the two works discussed in this handout, you might research where these objects were originally displayed and how they ended up in the museum collections in which they now reside. What kind of argument could you develop with this information? For example, you might begin by considering that many bottles and jars resembling the Bottle in the Form of a Pig can be found in various collections of Pre-Columbian art around the world. Where do these objects originate? Do they come from the same community or region?

Patronage study

Prompts that ask you to discuss patronage might ask you to think about how, when, where, and why the patron (the person who commissions or buys the artwork or who supports the artist) acquired the object from the artist. The assignment may ask you to comment on the artist-patron relationship, how the work fit into a broader series of commissions, and why patrons chose particular artists or even particular subjects.

Additional resources

To look up recent articles, ask your librarian about the Art Index, RILA, BHA, and Avery Index. Check out www.lib.unc.edu/art/index.html for further information!

Works consulted

We consulted these works while writing this handout. This is not a comprehensive list of resources on the handout’s topic, and we encourage you to do your own research to find additional publications. Please do not use this list as a model for the format of your own reference list, as it may not match the citation style you are using. For guidance on formatting citations, please see the UNC Libraries citation tutorial . We revise these tips periodically and welcome feedback.

Adams, Laurie Schneider. 2003. Looking at Art . Upper Saddle River, NJ: Prentice Hall.

Barnet, Sylvan. 2015. A Short Guide to Writing about Art , 11th ed. Upper Saddle River, NJ: Prentice Hall.

Tate Galleries. n.d. “Art Terms.” Accessed November 1, 2020. https://www.tate.org.uk/art/art-terms .

You may reproduce it for non-commercial use if you use the entire handout and attribute the source: The Writing Center, University of North Carolina at Chapel Hill

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Art History Research at Yale: Dissertations & Theses

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WHAT EXPERT RESEARCHERS KNOW

A thesis is typically the culminating project for a master's degree, while a dissertation completes a doctoral degree and represents a scholar's main area of expertise. However, some undergraduate students write theses that are published online, so it is important to note which degree requirements the thesis meets. While these are not published works like peer-reviewed journal articles, they are typically subjected to a rigorous committee review process before they are considered complete. Additionally, they often provide a large number of citations that can point you to relevant sources. 

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Yale University Master of Fine Arts Theses in Graphic Design​ Finding aid for Arts Library Special Collections holdings of over 600 individual theses from 1951 to the present. The theses are most often in book format, though some have more experimental formats. Individual records for the theses are also available in the library catalog.

Yale University Master of Fine Arts Theses in Photography Finding aid for Arts Library Special Collections holdings of over 300 individual Master of Fine Arts theses from 1971 to the present. The theses are most often in the format of a portfolio of photographic prints, though some theses are also in book form. Individual records for the MFA theses are also available in the library catalog.

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Department of Art and Art History

The MA thesis represents the final step in the fulfillment of your degree at Hunter. It should embody originality of thinking underscored by solid research based on primary and secondary sources. The thesis should demonstrate your ability to gather, evaluate, and present material in a critical and professional manner. It is intended to prepare you for further study on the doctoral level or as an end in itself to equip you with the skills necessary for a professional career in Art History.

Completed theses are approximately 50-75 pages in length and should exhibit a full scholarly textual apparatus: footnotes, bibliography, illustrations, and other relevant documentation.

For a comprehensive guide to the MA Thesis, please see MA Thesis Guidelines . 

The MA thesis is designed to be written over the course of two consecutive semesters and is formally divided into two classes: Thesis Research (ARTH 79900) and Thesis Writing (ARTH 80000). 

In Thesis Research the student will, in collaboration with their thesis advisor, define a topic, structure an argument, and begin researching and writing their thesis. In order to receive course credit, the student must submit an outline (including abstract and chapter summaries) and a draft of one chapter by the end of the semester.

Over the course of Thesis Writing , each student works individually with their primary advisor towards the completion of a polished, submission-ready thesis, which involves the deployment of primary and secondary research, the analysis of objects of visual and material culture, the crafting of convincing argumentation, and the editing of language at the sentence, paragraph, and thesis-level. The student will only receive credit for ARTH 80000 upon successful completion and submission of the thesis.

Each MA student is required to choose an advisor from the full-time Art History faculty to supervise their thesis project. The faculty member should be someone who is a specialist in your chosen area and, ideally, someone who you have already taken a class with during the course of your studies at Hunter. Students are advised to approach their intended advisor no later than the semester before enrolling in Thesis Research (ARTH 79900). While the faculty advisor can be of some assistance in refining an appropriate topic, you should already have several ideas in mind before opening the discussion. 

The faculty advisor formally acts as the first reader of your thesis, providing direction and initial criticism of your research. Students are expected to speak regularly with their advisor over the course of two semesters. Before enrolling in Thesis Writing (ARTH 80000) students are advised to select a second reader for their thesis. The second reader is not a mentor but an external assessor of your final work. They should be chosen in consultation with your first reader and approached in a timely manner. Once the thesis has been finalized by the primary advisor, it will be turned over to the second reader for review. The second reader can make helpful suggestions and corrections to produce a better thesis. 

Your thesis cannot be submitted without the signature of your first and second reader.

• October 30:  Submit completed thesis to the first reader (thesis advisor). 
• November 20:  Submit the thesis, approved by the first reader, to the second reader
• December 14:   Submit completed, edited thesis to the graduate advisor
• December 21:   Upload the thesis to CUNY Academic Works

Funding for travel and thesis research:

The dean of arts and science offers travel grants to support thesis research up to $500 each.

To apply, please visit the following website: http://www.hunter.cuny.edu/artsci/graduate-education/funding-opportunities-for-graduate-students . 

For further information please email Rob Cowan: [email protected] 

 Examples of recent MA Theses:

• Croft, Kyle, “Mobilizing Museums Against AIDS: Visual AIDS and Day Without Art, 1988–1989” (2020). CUNY Academic Works.

https://academicworks.cuny.edu/hc_sas_etds/578

• Shaikewitz, Joseph S., “Mexican Modernism’s Other: The Contemporáneos, Gender, and National Identity, 1920–1940” (2020). CUNY Academic Works.

https://academicworks.cuny.edu/hc_sas_etds/601

• Shevelkina, Maria M., “The Chôra of Dionisy’s Wall-Painting (1500-1502) at the Nativity of the Mother of God sobor, Ferapontovo Monastery” (2020). CUNY Academic Works.

https://academicworks.cuny.edu/hc_sas_etds/548

• Thackara, Tess, “Beyond Movements: Senga Nengudi’s Art Within and Without Feminism, Postminimalism, and the Black Arts Movement” (2020). CUNY Academic Works.

https://academicworks.cuny.edu/hc_sas_etds/605

Important Links and Documents

• Guidelines for the Preparation of a Master’s Thesis In Art History
• MA Thesis Agreement Form
• Maintenance of Matriculation Form
• School of Arts and Sciences Guidelines
• Step by Step Guide for Students
• Step by Step Guide for Readers
• Art History 799 Thesis Research
• Art History 800 Thesis Writing

I. General Information

II. Thesis Track: Program of Study

III: Thesis Track: Specific Requirements

IV. Non-Thesis Track: Program of Study

V. Non-Thesis Track: Specific Requirements

VI. Additional Important Information

Graduate Student Handbook Table of Contents

School Admin Structure

Info on UGA Policies

Graduate Enrollment Policies

Graduate Forms

Master of Art Degree in Art History (MA) Procedures & Requirements

Successful completion of the Master’s degree in Art History requires that the student fulfill several requirements in sequence, as determined by the student’s admission to one of two tracks within the MA program: the MA with thesis or the non-thesis MA. Below the student will find general information related to the program, as well as detailed information about specific requirements and the order in which they must be completed.

A. Thesis Track/Non-Thesis Track

The MA program in Art History has two,36-hour tracks: the thesis track and the non-thesis track. The thesis track is best suited for students who are interested in and capable of doctoral studies in art history. The non-thesis track is designed to accommodate those students who intend to pursue careers and professions that require a broad base of art historical knowledge but not the specialized, research-oriented skills required by the PhD in Art History.

Prospective students declare their intention to pursue a thesis or non-thesis track at the time of application. On acceptance into the MA program, the student’s program of study will be determined by this designation, which may change should the student or faculty find the student better suited to an alternative track.  In the event of this, please contact the Graduate Office.

During the second semester in residence, each student must outline a program of study for meeting degree requirements in the thesis or non-thesis track. This program should be developed in consultation with the Major Professor and Advisory Committee (thesis-track) or the Area Chair (non-thesis track) and recorded on a Program of Study for Masters of Arts and Sciences form. You must submit an official Program of Study ( Form G138, found here ) the semester you are set to graduate. The Graduate Office will review your Program of Study before forwarding it to the Graduate School for approval.

If, after this point, an alteration to the Program of Study is necessary due to a change in course work, the Graduate Coordinator's Office must be notified so the paperwork any changes can be submitted to the Dean for further approval.

Note: The language requirement (see below) must be met prior to submitting this form.

B. Curriculum

MA students in both tracks are expected to enroll in at least 5 8000-level ARHI courses (i.e. grad seminars) across two years, three of which are to be completed in the first year. In rare cases, an exception might be approved by the student’s advisor, should another course be deemed indispensable to the student’s program of study. 

C. Distribution

Because the MA degree is designed to provide a broad base of knowledge in the field of Art History, seminars are to be distributed as follows: 2 Pre-modern, 2 modern, and 1 or more in any area of the student’s choosing. Pre-modern includes Ancient, Medieval, Renaissance, Baroque and Non-Western; Modern includes 18 th -21 st  Century.

In addition, MA students are required to take at least one course, whether at the 8000- or 6000-level, in each of the following areas:  Area 1: Ancient, Non-Western; Area 2. Byzantine/Medieval, Renaissance/Baroque; Area 3; 18th and 19th Century; Area 4: 20th and 21st Century.

D. Grade Point Average

No grade below C will be accepted on the program of study. To be eligible for graduation, a student must maintain a 3.0 (B) average on the graduate transcript and a 3.0 (B) average on the program of study. 

Funding is reviewed and awarded annually based on student performance. MA students are not eligible for departmental funding beyond the second year of the program.

II.  Thesis Track: Program of Study

A. major professor.

During the first semester of study, the Chair of the Art History area will serve as a temporary advisor for all incoming students pursuing the thesis track. In the course of the first semester, and not later than the beginning of the second, each student is expected to approach a member of the faculty with whom he or she would like to work towards the completion of the Thesis and Master’s Degree. The Major Professor must be a member of the  Art History faculty at UGA as well as a member of the University's graduate faculty.

The willingness of the faculty member to serve as the student’s major professor is recorded on the Change of Major Professor form, which is available from the Graduate Coordinator or online here . From this point forward, it is the responsibility of the student to arrange periodic conferences with the Major Professor to report his or her progress.

With approval from the art history area, a student may change his or her Major Professor a second time, providing he/she secures the appropriate signatures on the Change of Graduate Advisor/Major Professor Form (see above).

B. Advisory Committee

At the end of the second semester of study, following the submission of the Thesis Abstract (see  below), each student will be assigned an Advisory  Committee comprised of three faculty members , all of whom must be members of the Graduate Faculty. The appropriate form, found here , will then be forwarded from the Graduate Office to the Graduate School for approval. This process is initiated by the student.

In most cases, the Advisory Committee will be composed entirely of art history faculty. Faculty from other liberal arts disciplines may serve on committees as appropriate, but two-thirds of the committee must be made up of members of the art history faculty.

C. University-wide Required Courses

As of fall 2022, all graduate students are required to take the GradFIRST seminar (GRSC 7001). This one-credit, seminar style class is designed to introduce graduate students to supplement discipline-specific education with more generalized material meant to help incoming students successfully navigate graduate education at UGA. This course is to be taken in addition to the three-credit Graduate Seminar (GRSC 7770), which is required for all students on assistantship with instructional duties.

D. General Requirements

30 hours of classroom work (SUBTOTAL)

6 hours of research/thesis (a student may register for additional hours depending upon the time devoted to the research and thesis): ARHI 7000 and ARHI 7300.

1 hour GradFIRST seminar.

37 hours TOTAL

Note: In total, from entrance to defense of the MA thesis, the MA program is expected take no more than 2 years, with a graduation date in May of the second year. Although the graduate school allows students to submit their MA thesis within six years of their initial enrollment, continued advising from the Major Professor or the Advisory Committee should not be presumed for the duration of this period

Note: A student must be registered during any period in which he/she receives guidance from his / her advisory committee, uses university facilities or completes his/her work.

E.  Foreign Language Requirement

Before beginning the second year of course work, each student must demonstrate a reading knowledge of an approved foreign language (in most cases Italian, French, Spanish or German). The language requirement can be demonstrated by earning a grade of “B” or better in a University of Georgia foreign language reading course or by passing a reading knowledge examination prepared by the Departments of Romance Languages or Germanic and Slavic Languages. A third alternative is to complete four semester of foreign language study (the equivalent of UGA’s 1001, 1002, 2001, and 2002); in these four courses a student must achieve a minimum of 3.0 GPA. This requirement may also be satisfied by successful completion of the equivalent course work before graduate school, as demonstrated by the student’s transcripts.

Note: Some students who enter the MA program with a weak background in art history may be required to make up their deficiency by taking prerequisite undergraduate course work beyond the standard requirements.

A. Abstract/Comprehensive Examination

The comprehensive examination is required at the end of the second semester in the MA program.This examination takes the form of a Thesis Abstract that describes to Abstract, which must include an outline, annotated bibliography, and illustrations, must be submitted to the Major Professor at least two weeks to the submission deadline.

Before the Thesis Abstract is submitted to the area, it must first be read and approved by the Major Professor. This abstract must include:

• A 3-4 page written narrative that describes the topic or problem and its significance within the field. This précis should also briefly layout the student method and research plans.

• A 1-2 page outline that indicates in general terms the order in which the issues are to be considered.

• A 2-4 page annotated bibliography of the key sources.

Up to 5 key images.

The abstract must be submitted to the Art History Area by the first Friday in April, as a compressed PDF. The faculty will determine, in conjunction with the student’s academic performance, whether the proposal has been approved, rejected, or needs to be revised shortly after the submission deadline. In the event of rejection, students might be invited to pursue the non-thesis track, though such an invitation is at the discretion of the faculty. If invited to revise, any required revisions must be completed before the last scheduled day of final exams. If the revised abstract is not approved, the student will be dismissed from the program and will not be allowed to take classes in the following semester.

Timetable for Part-Time Students:

In general, the MA program in art history is structured for full-time enrollment; i.e. three classes per semester of graduate work. On the very rare occasions that part- time students are accepted into the program (typically because they have full-time jobs at the University of Georgia), the students are required to take no less than two classes per semester of graduate work. In practice, this means that the Thesis Abstract must be submitted by the end of the third semester in the program. Revisions must be submitted by the middle of the fourth semester.

B. Thesis: Preparation/Submission/Defense

1. general information.

The MA thesis is the key document demonstrating a student’s competence and eligibility to receive a Master’s degree from the School of Art. Written under the direction of the Major Professor, the thesis is intended to demonstrate the ability of the student to make independent use of the most sophisticated sources of information available, including materials written foreign languages, especially in the language in which he/she has acquired a reading knowledge. In addition, it must also demonstrate the ability of the student to assemble relevant information in a clear and compelling manner and that shows, in addition, an ability to establish a strong art historical argument, written in clear expository prose. The length of the thesis should not exceed 25 pages, excluding notes and images.

Note: Following the first year of course work and the approval of the Thesis Abstract, full-time students enrolled in the thesis track are expected to research, write, and defend their Master’s Theses in one year. Part-time students, who are enrolled for five semesters in order to complete their coursework, will have an additional two semesters to complete the thesis.

Note: Students must be registered for at least 3 hours of thesis under the course number ARHI 7300 during the semester that the thesis is approved and they graduate

2. Specific Requirements / Timetable Thesis Preparation / Internal Evaluation

Students are responsible for initiating the writing process and for meeting all deadlines established by the Major Professor, the Art History area, and the Graduate School of Arts and Sciences. Arranged in chronological order, these are the deadlines to which the student must adhere:

The first complete draft of the Thesis must be submitted to the Major Professor no later than the beginning of the final (this is to say 4th) semester in residence. Shortly thereafter (and no later than the end of the first month of the semester in which the student intends to graduate) the student must meet with the entire Advisory Committee. At this meeting, the student will present progress made to date and will develop, in conjunction with the Advisory Committee, a timetable for the completion of the research and/or writing. At this initial meeting, or at a subsequent meeting, the committee will specify when they next expect to be apprised of the student’s progress and what form that demonstration of progress should take. If the committee decides that portions of the thesis should be presented to them for subsequent review, such a demonstration will not be submitted to the committee without prior approval by the Major Professor.

Before the completed thesis is submitted to the committee, the Major Professor must read and provisionally approve the final draft. If the Major Professor calls for changes, these must be done and resubmitted to the Major Professor for his/her provisional approval.  Please  note  that  the  final  draft  must  be  prepared  in accordance with a published manual of style (see A Student Guide to Preparation and Processing Theses), available in the Graduate School and must include footnotes, illustrations, and bibliography.

No less than four weeks before the scheduled Thesis Defense (see below) and no less than six weeks before the anticipated date of graduation, the student must submit three copies of the approved draft to the Advisory Committee. Comments may be presented to the student before the Thesis Defense or else at the defense itself. If the Advisory Committee determines that changes must be made before the Thesis Defense, then a revised schedule will be determined at that juncture. With regard to changes called for at the defense, the committee may require a review of the corrected thesis or they may relinquish that task, leaving the approval of the corrections to the Major Professor.

Per University guidelines, the use of generative AI in theses and dissertations is considered unauthorized assistance per the Academic Code of Honesty and is prohibited unless specifically authorized by members of the advisory committee for use within the approved scope. If approved by the advisory committee, the extent of generative AI usage should be disclosed in a statement within the thesis or dissertation.

An Application for Graduation available online can be found in ATHENA and must be filed with the Graduate School no later than the Friday of the first full week of classes of the semester you plan to complete your thesis and graduate.

3. Defense and Final Examination

The Master's Thesis defense is chaired by the student's major professor and attended by all members of the advisory committee. It will consist of two parts: 1) a public presentation of the student's research, and 2) a private defense attended by the student and advisory committee. Public research presentations will be scheduled the first Monday in April in conjunction with a departmental Research Day and should take the form of a 20-minute, illustrated lecture. Private defenses are to occur within a two-week window thereafter and are to be scheduled by the student in consultation with the student's Advisory Committee. Once a date for the private portion of the defense has been agreed upon, the student should file a Thesis Defense Request form with the school of Art Graduate Office. 

The student and committee chair must appear in person for both components of the defense, but other committee members can participate via teleconference or video conference, provided that the comments of all participants can clearly and consistently be heard. If the major professor is not able to attend the defense in person, a substitute chair who is a current member of the committee can be designated. The defense can be held completely remotely if circumstances warrant and approval is granted by the Associate Director of Research and Graduate Studies and the School of Art Director. The advisory committee must approve the student's thesis and defense with no more than one dissenting vote and must certify its approval in writing, using the Approval Form for Master's Thesis, Defense, and Final Examination . An Abstention is not allowable for the final defense. An abstention is not allowable for the final defense. The results of the defense must be reported to the Graduate School at least two weeks prior to graduation for the current semester.

Student should not presume a summer defense or graduation, as faculty are often unable to serve at this time.

The honorific “with Distinction” is granted by the Area to students who, through independent research, produce exemplary theses that make a significant contribution to the field.

Successful defense of the MA thesis is only one of the requirements essential for the awarding of an MA in art history from UGA. Before the defense of the thesis, the student must have completed all course, language, and residency requirements as stated in the Graduate Bulletin.

4. Submission to the Graduate School / Final Approval

An Application for Graduation must be filed online with the Graduate School no later than Friday of the first full week of classes of your final semester (see Graduate School website for deadlines).

To ensure a smooth graduation, several things must take place in a timely fashion:

a.  No later than four weeks prior to graduation (see Graduate School website for deadlines here), a complete formatted copy of the thesis must be electronically submitted to the Graduate School for a format check.

b. Approximately two weeks prior to the graduation ceremony (see Graduate School website for each semester’s deadlines ), the Graduate School must receive the Approval Form for Master’s Thesis, Defense, and Final Examination and an electronic submission of the corrected dissertation. This official electronic copy of the thesis will then be submitted by the Graduate School to the main library for archiving.  

One electronic copy of the thesis must be submitted to the Graduate Coordinator's Office. A final copy of the thesis is also due to the Major Professor; students should consult with their Major Professor about which format – i.e. bound, electronic, unbound hard copy – is preferred.

All remaining course requirements (including incompletes) for the degree must be completed and reported to the Graduate School no later than one week prior to graduation. A student must enroll for a minimum of three hours of credit the semester in which graduation requirements are completed.

Note: Students should regularly check the Graduate School Website for deadline and procedural information related to the Masters Thesis.  

IV.   Non-Thesis Track: Program of Study

General requirements: non-thesis track.

30 hours in graduate art history courses, 15 hours of which must be taken at the 8000 level. (i.e., graduate seminars).

3 hours of art history or an approved elective outside the art history area that is central to the student's program of study.

3 hours in required ARHI 8050 Professional Portfolio and Practices

36 hours of classroom work

University-wide Required Courses

V.    non-thesis track: specific requirements.

In lieu of a thesis, students pursuing the non-thesis track must take and pass ARHI 8050 Professional Portfolio and Practices. This course will prepare the student for various employment opportunities by requiring the creation, presentation, and revision of a professional portfolio. This course will serve as the culmination of the student’s graduate studies, and is meant to facilitate the student’s transition from an academic environment to the professional world.

This course will be graded on a Pass/Fail basis and may be repeated should the student fail on the first attempt. Should the student fail the course twice, he or she will not be allowed to obtain the MA in Art History. The class will be taught as needed in the spring semester so as to ensure that students pursuing the non-thesis track are able to graduate within a two-year timeframe.

VI. Symposia and Conferences

Graduate students in the History of Art are encouraged to present their research at conferences and symposia and to seek funding for related expenses. Students should consult with their Major Professor and Advisory Committee prior to submitting their abstracts, and on acceptance, they should contact with the Art History Area Chair and the Associate Director of Research and Graduate Studies to schedule a run-through of their presentations.

VII.  Additional Important Information

Students in the Art History MA program at the University of Georgia have requirements and responsibilities that originate from the University, from the Graduate School, from the Lamar Dodd School of Art, and from the Art History Area. Please note that changes are occasionally made to the degree requirements and scheduling, which may significantly impact your program of study. Any such changes will automatically become part of your required program of study.

It is the student's responsibility to study the Graduate Bulletin, the School of Art brochure, and the School’s website ( http://www.art.uga.edu ) and to meet all requirements for his/her degree, including the Art School requirements listed below, and to observe all appropriate deadlines as his/her graduate program progresses.

Deadline dates and other pertinent information are posted regularly on the Graduate School website ( http://www.grad.uga.edu/ ). Please review frequently. Also, each graduate student is assigned a mailbox where all mail and notices will be placed for your convenience. Check your mailbox often for important announcements. Each student is required to have a UGA MYID email address. The Graduate Coordinator and the area chair for Art History should be provided with this address immediately. Students are expected to check it daily for pertinent information from the Graduate Program, the School, and the Area. Please also make note of the Graduate School's enrollment policies . This link includes information on Minimum Enrollment, Continuous Enrollment, Residence Credit, and Leave of Absence, Time Limit, and Extension of Time requirements.

All graduate students are required to be active members and participants in the Association of Graduate Art Students (AGAS). All graduate students are required to attend all AGAS lectures and are strongly encouraged to attend all other relevant lectures offered by the Lamar Dodd School of Art. The officers of AGAS should be prepared to represent the graduate students when called upon to do so by the School.

Keep the Graduate Coordinator’s Office updated on changes of address, phone number, and email each semester.  

TIMETABLE FOR COMPLETING MA REQUIREMENTS.pdf

This handbook was last reviewed in August 2022 and last revised on February 13, 2024.

Art History Writing Guide

I. Introduction II. Writing Assignments III. Discipline-Specific Strategies IV. Keep in Mind V. Appendix

Introduction

At the heart of every art history paper is a close visual analysis of at least one work of art. In art history you are building an argument about something visual. Depending on the assignment, this analysis may be the basis for an assignment or incorporated into a paper as support to contextualize an argument. To guide students in how to write an art history paper, the Art History Department suggests that you begin with a visual observation that leads to the development of an interpretive thesis/argument. The writing uses visual observations as evidence to support an argument about the art that is being analyzed.

Writing Assignments

You will be expected to write several different kinds of art history papers. They include:

• Close Visual Analysis Essays
• Close Visual Analysis in dialogue with scholarly essays
• Research Papers

Close Visual Analysis pieces are the most commonly written papers in an introductory art history course. You will have to look at a work of art and analyze it in its entirety. The analysis and discussion should provide a clearly articulated interpretation of the object. Your argument for this paper should be backed up with careful description and analysis of the visual evidence that led you to your conclusion.

Close Visual Analysis in dialogue with scholarly essays combines formal analysis with close textual analysis.

Research papers range from theoretic studies to critical histories. Based on library research, students are asked to synthesize analyses of the scholarship in relation to the work upon which it is based.

Discipline-Specific Strategies

As with all writing assignment, a close visual analysis is a process. The work you do before you actually start writing can be just as important as what you consider when writing up your analysis.

Conducting the analysis :

• Ask questions as you are studying the artwork. Consider, for example, how does each element of the artwork contribute to the work's overall meaning. How do you know? How do elements relate to each other? What effect is produced by their juxtaposition
• Use the criteria provided by your professor to complete your analysis. This criteria may include forms, space, composition, line, color, light, texture, physical characteristics, and expressive content.

Writing the analysis:

• Develop a strong interpretive thesis about what you think is the overall effect or meaning of the image.
• Ground your argument in direct and specific references to the work of art itself.
• Describe the image in specific terms and with the criteria that you used for the analysis. For example, a stray diagonal from the upper left corner leads the eye to...
• Create an introduction that sets the stage for your paper by briefly describing the image you are analyzing and by stating your thesis.
• Explain how the elements work together to create an overall effect. Try not to just list the elements, but rather explain how they lead to or support your analysis.
• Contextualize the image within a historical and cultural framework only when required for an assignment. Some assignments actually prefer that you do not do this. Remember not to rely on secondary sources for formal analysis. The goal is to see what in the image led to your analysis; therefore, you will not need secondary sources in this analysis. Be certain to show how each detail supports your argument.
• Include only the elements needed to explain and support your analysis. You do not need to include everything you saw since this excess information may detract from your main argument.

Keep in Mind

• An art history paper has an argument that needs to be supported with elements from the image being analyzed.
• Avoid making grand claims. For example, saying "The artist wanted..." is different from "The warm palette evokes..." The first phrasing necessitates proof of the artist's intent, as opposed to the effect of the image.
• Make sure that your paper isn't just description. You should choose details that illustrate your central ideas and further the purpose of your paper.

If you find you are still having trouble writing your art history paper, please speak to your professor, and feel free to make an appointment at the Writing Center. For further reading, see Sylvan Barnet's A Short Guide to Writing about Art , 5th edition.

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Department of the History of Art

You are here, dissertations, completed dissertations.

1942-present

DISSERTATIONS IN PROGRESS

As of July 2023

Bartunkova, Barbora , “Sites of Resistance: Antifascism and the Czechoslovak Avant-garde” (C. Armstrong)

Betik, Blair Katherine , “Alternate Experiences: Evaluating Lived Religious Life in the Roman Provinces in the 1st Through 4th Centuries CE” (M. Gaifman)

Boyd, Nicole , “Science, Craft, Art, Theater: Four ‘Perspectives’ on the Painted Architecture of Angelo Michele Colonna and Agostino Mitelli” (N. Suthor). 

Brown, Justin , “Afro-Surinamese Calabash Art in the Era of Slavery and Emancipation” (C. Fromont)

Burke, Harry , “The Islands Between: Art, Animism, and Anticolonial Worldmaking in Archipelagic Southeast Asia” (P. Lee)

Chakravorty, Swagato , “Displaced Cinema: Moving Images and the Politics of Location in Contemporary Art” (C. Buckley, F. Casetti)

Chau, Tung , “Strange New Worlds: Interfaces in the Work of Cao Fei” (P. Lee)

Cox, Emily , “Perverse Modernism, 1884-1990” (C. Armstrong, T. Barringer)

Coyle, Alexander , “Frame and Format between Byzantium and Central Italy, 1200-1300” (R. Nelson)

Datta, Yagnaseni , “Materialising Illusions: Visual Translation in the Mughal Jug Basisht, c. 1602.” (K. Rizvi)

de Luca, Theo , “Nicolas Poussin’s Chronotopes” (N. Suthor)

Dechant, D. Lyle . ” ‘daz wir ein ander vinden fro’: Readers and Performers of the Codex Manesse” (J. Jung)

Del Bonis-O’Donnell, Asia, “Trees and the Visualization of kosmos in Archaic and Classical Athenian Art” (M. Gaifman)

Demby, Nicole, “The Diplomatic Image: Framing Art and Internationalism, 1945-1960” (K. Mercer)

Donnelly, Michelle , “Spatialized Impressions: American Printmaking Outside the Workshop, 1935–1975” (J. Raab)

Epifano, Angie , “Building the Samorian State: Material Culture, Architecture, and Cities across West Africa” (C. Fromont)

Fialho, Alex , “Apertures onto AIDS: African American Photography and the Art History of the Storage Unit” (P. Lee, T Nyong’o)

Foo, Adela , “Crafting the Aq Qoyuniu Court (1475-1490) (E. Cooke, Jr.)

Franciosi, Caterina , “Latent Light: Energy and Nineteenth-Century British Art” (T. Barringer)

Frier, Sara , “Unbearable Witness: The Disfigured Body in the Northern European Brief (1500-1620)” (N. Suthor)

Gambert-Jouan, Anabelle , “Sculpture in Place: Medieval Wood Depositions and Their Environments” (J. Jung)

Gass, Izabel, “Painted Thanatologies: Théodore Géricault Against the Aesthetics of Life” (C. Armstrong)

Gaudet, Manon , “Property and the Contested Ground of North American Visual Culture, 1900-1945” (E. Cooke, Jr.)  

Haffner, Michaela , “Nature Cure: ”White Wellness” and the Visual Culture of Natural Health, 1870-1930” (J. Raab)

Hepburn, Victoria , “William Bell Scott’s Progress” (T. Barringer)

Herrmann, Mitchell, “The Art of the Living: Biological Life and Aesthetic Experience in the 21st Century” (P. Lee)

Higgins, Lily , “Reading into Things: Articulate Objects in Colonial North America, 1650-1783” (E. Cooke, Jr.)

Hodson, Josie , “Something in Common: Black Art under Austerity in New York City, 1975-1990” (Yale University, P. Lee)

Hong, Kevin , “Plasticity, Fungibility, Toxicity: Photography’s Ecological Entanglements in the Mid-Twentieth-Century United States” (C. Armstrong, J Raab)

Kang, Mia , “Art, Race, Representation: The Rise of Multiculturalism in the Visual Arts” (K. Mercer)

Keto, Elizabeth , “Remaking the World: United States Art in the Reconstruction Era, 1861-1900.” (J. Raab)

Kim, Adela , “Beyond Institutional Critique: Tearing Up in the Work of Andrea Fraser” (P. Lee)

Koposova, Ekaterina , “Triumph and Terror in the Arts of the Franco-Dutch War” (M. Bass)

Lee, Key Jo , “Melancholic Materiality: History and the Unhealable Wound in African American Photographic Portraits, 1850-1877” (K. Mercer)

Levy Haskell, Gavriella , “The Imaginative Painter”: Visual Narrative and the Interactive Painting in Britain, 1851-1914” (T. Barringer, E. Cooke Jr)

Marquardt, Savannah, “Becoming a Body: Lucanian Painted Vases and Grave Assemblages in Southern Italy” (M. Gaifman)

Miraval, Nathalie , “The Art of Magic: Afro-Catholic Visual Culture in the Early Modern Spanish Empire” (C. Fromont)

Mizbani, Sharon , Water and Memory: Fountains, Heritage, and Infrastructure in Istanbul and Tehran (1839-1950) (K. Rizvi)

Molarsky-Beck, Marina, “Seeing the Unseen: Queer Artistic Subjectivity in Interwar Photography” (C. Armstrong)

Nagy, Renata , “Bookish Art: Natural Historical Learning Across Media in Seventeenth-century Northern Europe” (Bass, M)

Olson, Christine , “Owen Jones and the Epistemologies of Nineteenth-Century Design” (T. Barringer)

Petrilli-Jones, Sara , “Drafting the Canon: Legal Histories of Art in Florence and Rome, 1600-1800” (N. Suthor)

Phillips, Kate , “American Ephemera” (J. Raab)

Potuckova, Kristina , “The Arts of Women’s Monastic Liturgy, Holy Roman Empire, 1000-1200” (J. Jung)

Quack, Gregor , “The Social Fabric: Franz Erhard Walther’s Art in Postwar Germany” (P. Lee)

Rahimi-Golkhandan, Shabnam , “The Photograph’s Shabih-Kashi (Verisimilitude) – The Liminal Visualities of Late Qajar Art (1853-1911)” (K. Rizvi)

Rapoport, Sarah , “James Jacques Joseph Tissot in the Interstices of Modernity” (T. Barringer, C. Armstrong)

Riordan, Lindsay , “Beuys, Terror, Value: 1967-1979” (S. Zeidler)

Robbins, Isabella , “Relationality and Being: Indigeneity, Space and Transit in Global Contemporary Art” (P. Lee, N. Blackhawk)

Sen, Pooja , “The World Builders ” (J. Peters)

Sellati, Lillian , “When is Herakles Not Himself? Mediating Cultural Plurality in Greater Central Asia, 330 BCE – 365 CE” (M. Gaifman)

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Verrot, Trevor , “Sculpted Lamentation Groups in the Late Medieval Veneto” (J. Jung)

Von-Ow, Pierre , Visual Tactics: Histories of Perspective in Britain and its Empire, 1670-1768.”  (T. Barringer)

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To receive a BA degree “with honors” from the Department of Art History, a student must engage in independent but supervised research, compose an honors thesis, and present a synopsis of their work at a public forum. The research must represent a significant contribution to a specific field of inquiry within the discipline. The Honors Program enables students to explore particular problems in depth, while working closely with a faculty mentor.

Art History students visit the Hood Museum of Art.

So you think you want to write an Honors Thesis in Art History?

That’s great! In electing to write a thesis in Art History you will be joining a select group of advanced majors who have capped their Dartmouth experience with the exciting, challenging, and ultimately very rewarding undertaking of conducting advanced research on the topic of their choice.

The thesis is part of an Honors Program in the Department of Art History. Students who succeed will graduate with either Honors or, in some cases, High Honors on their diplomas.

Writing a thesis will allow you to apply what you have learned in your coursework to a specific project of your choosing and will bring you into the community of scholars of art history. You will develop expertise in an area of the discipline that most interests you. You will conduct original research, some of which may take you to collections far from Hanover. And you will produce a substantial scholarly document that may form the basis for graduate study.

The experience of writing a thesis will allow you to develop advanced skills in primary and secondary research, visual analysis, and crafting an argument. It will provide you with the opportunity to improve and refine your writing and to cultivate a genuine voice as a scholar. It will also challenge many of the conceptions you have about the discipline, your topic, and even your understanding of research and writing. It is ultimately an opportunity for intellectual growth, creative expression, and professional development.

While the thesis will prepare you for advanced study and employment within the arts, the skills you cultivate along the way—autonomy, perseverance, communication, organization, and above all, the ability to take and benefit from constructive criticism—will be transferable to any kind of future employment.

What is an Honors Thesis, exactly?

An honors thesis in the Department of Art History is a multi-chapter document in which each chapter contributes to a larger argument—or “through-line”—rather than acting as stand-alone essays. A typical chapter runs between 15 and 30 double-spaced pages, including notes. Students should look at honors theses from past years (on file in the Department Administrator’s office) at the beginning of the thesis writing process to get a better understanding of departmental expectations regarding length, formatting, and content. 

What else do I need to know about the Art History Honors Program before I get started?

The Art History Honors Program is comprised of a two-course sequence, ARTH 91 Honors and ARTH 92 Honors, taken in two consecutive terms in your senior year. As part of an Honors curriculum, both courses are rigorous and carry high expectations regarding student performance with regard to writing, deadlines, accountability, and critical reflection. You may complete the sequence in fall/winter or winter/spring.

The department will assess your progress during the first term (ARTH 91). If you and/or your advisor(s) decide that you have not made enough progress on the thesis, you will be dropped from the Honors Program and given a grade for the work completed in the first term as ARTH 89: Independent Study (which cannot be used to fulfill any of the requirements of the Art History major or minor).

In most cases the department's Culminating Experience (ARTH 89.01, 89.02, 89.03, 89.04 and 89.05: Senior Seminar in Art Historical Theory and Method) will help students refine the core arguments of their thesis and improve its quality.

Who is eligible for the Art History Honors Program?

To be eligible for the Honors Program, you must have achieved by the end of your junior year a 3.2 general college average and a 3.4 average in all Art History courses.

How do I apply for admission to the Art History Honors Program?

To apply for admission to the Honors Program you will, in either the spring or summer preceding your senior year, consult with potential faculty adviser(s) to develop an honors thesis project. If you have more than one advisor, you will designate one of them as your primary advisor.

You will work independently with a primary advisor to draft and submit a written proposal:

• If electing the fall/winter option, your proposal should be submitted to the department no later than the first day of classes in the fall of the senior year.
• If electing the winter/spring option, your proposal should be submitted no later than the seventh week of the fall term of the senior year.

You will present your thesis proposal to the whole Art History faculty:

• If electing the fall/winter option, you will present your thesis proposal no later than the second week of the fall term of the senior year.
• If electing the winter/spring option, you will present your thesis proposal no later than the final week of the fall term.

Your admission or non-admission to the Honors Program will subsequently be determined by a vote of the faculty.

How do I prepare a thesis proposal?

You will work closely with your advisor(s) to draft a thesis proposal. A thesis proposal is a "dry run" for the thesis process insofar as it will require you to work independently to identify and articulate a thesis question, to conduct sufficient preliminary research to successfully argue for the relevance of your project, and to field questions from the Art History faculty during the oral presentation of your topic. Working your way through this process successfully will give both you and your advisor a good sense for your readiness to undertake an honors thesis.

Please note that the faculty fully expects that your thesis will evolve after you have enrolled officially in ARTH 91 and 92. The argument and organization of chapters that you describe at the proposal stage is just a place to start. Do not be concerned when your subsequent research and writing take you in unforeseen directions. This SHOULD happen if you are really developing your topic along the way. 

Successful proposals will include:

• an introduction to the topic
• a section that establishes the problem or question that the thesis will address
• a literature review that situates the thesis within the relevant literature and explains how or in what way the thesis will contribute to the extant scholarship on the topic
• a discussion of how the subsequent research will unfold (including information on any planned research trips)
• a tentative survey of the chapters with a brief synopsis of each
• a working bibliography that includes all of the source material gathered up to the point of submitting the proposal
• a set of illustrations that correspond with any images discussed in the proposal

How do I prepare for the presentation of my thesis proposal?

You will work with your advisor to draft a succinct oral presentation (circa 10-15 minutes) of your thesis proposal. The presentation should include a PowerPoint presentation of images associated with the proposed thesis. The faculty will have read the proposal before the presentation. They will listen to the oral presentation, and they will ask questions about your project for the purpose of evaluating your readiness and with the intention of helping you to further refine your topic, consider new angles, or develop your bibliography.

Are there departmental resources I can use to offset the costs of researching and completing an honors thesis?

YES! Charlotte and Harold Frank have graciously endowed a research fund in the Department of Art History for student research. Typically the money available from this fund is sufficient to help students pay for all of the costs associated with their theses, including research-related travel within the U.S. and abroad, the purchase of books, museum admissions, and the printing and binding of the completed thesis. Please consult with the Department Administrator and your advisor(s) about how to apply for and use these funds.

Course Descriptions in the ORC

Art history requirements in the orc, timetable of class meetings, office of the registrar.

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Undergraduate Program - Writing a Thesis

• Created by Marcus Mayo , last modified on Jan 31, 2024

Pursuing a Thesis

Senior Concentrators wishing to graduate with honors in the Department must produce a senior thesis and carry academic standing of Group II or better, with a minimum GPA of 3.00 in concentration grades. In deciding whether one wishes to fulfill the honors requirements, students should consider their academic interests, commitment to independent research, and other deadlines and obligations during the thesis year. Many students find the task of producing a substantial piece of critical scholarship interesting and rewarding, but others find the senior thesis can become a frustrating and unwieldy burden. Some students prefer the freedom to take elective courses or savor extra-curricular pursuits during their last year at the College unhampered by the encroaching demands of thesis preparation. In general, it may be remarked that students are unlikely to do well in the honors program who are not already proven practiced writers committed to the process of scholarship; the senior thesis is not the place to acquire basic skills in writing, design, and/or research. In considering the Department's honors requirements, it should be remembered that students with honors grades overall may graduate with University Honors (Cum Laude) even if they do not receive Honors in History of Art and Architecture.

Department Timeline of Thesis Preparation 

A schedule of departmental dates and deadlines relative to the thesis will be available by the beginning of each Fall Term. The thesis writer and faculty thesis adviser should agree on a working schedule which will adequately conform to these deadlines.

Concentrators undertaking a thesis are required to enroll in HAA 99A (fall) and B (spring) for course credit. Students in the architecture track pursuing a design thesis should enroll in HAA 92r (fall) and 99B (spring). Joint concentrators will enroll in the 99 course of their primary concentration.

Overseen by the Senior Thesis Adviser, HAA 99A –“The Senior Thesis Seminar” – will meet several times during the fall semester for two-hour sessions devoted to facilitating the preparation and writing of a thesis. These sessions will cover such topics as compiling a bibliography, using archives, the use of key technology and software, and constructing and presenting an effective argument. All concentrators pursuing a written thesis project are required to enroll in this seminar. Joint concentrators enrolled in another department’s thesis seminar, and HAA design thesis students enrolled in HAA 92r, are welcome and encouraged to attend some or all sessions of 99A in addition to their primary thesis preparation course.

Late in the fall semester, each concentrator pursuing a thesis will deliver a twenty-minute presentation on the thesis topic, illustrated with digitally projected images, at the Senior Thesis Presentations. All departmental faculty and students will be invited to these presentations. By the end of winter break, each student will submit a complete first draft of the thesis, complete with illustrations.

Overview of Key Dates for Thesis Preparation

These dates apply to all HAA students wishing to pursue an honors thesis. For further criteria specific to students preparing a design thesis in the Architecture Track, see Academic Requirements: Design Thesis in the Architecture Track

Please consult the Senior Thesis Seminar Canvas site, or reach out to the Undergraduate Program Coordinator, for specific dates.

Spring Semester, Junior Year

• February: Initial Meeting. Junior concentrators are invited to meet with the Senior Thesis Adviser for an introduction to the senior thesis writing process.
• Early April: Short Proposals Due. Students submit a basic proposal outlining preliminary ideas, along with a list of potential faculty advisers. Faculty advisers are assigned to thesis projects in late April or early May.
• Late April: Applications due for Pulitzer and Abramson Travel Grants. See Undergraduate Prizes, Grants and Opportunities for details on grants and applications. Information on how to apply will be provided by the Undergraduate Program Coordinator. Grant recipients will be notified by email.

Fall Semester, Senior Year

• During the semester, students enroll in HAA 99A or 92r and follow course deadlines (Please consult the HAA 99A and 92r Canvas sites for additional details).
• Students meet regularly with their faculty advisers.
• Early December: Senior Thesis Presentations. All students pursuing a thesis will give a twenty-minute presentation to department students and faculty followed by discussion.

Spring Semester, Senior Year

• Late January: First Draft . Before the spring semester begins, students submit a full draft of the thesis, with illustrations, to the faculty adviser for comments.
• Late February/Early March: Second Draft. Students are encouraged to submit the near-final draft to their faculty adviser for a final review before formal submission to the Department.
• Week before Spring Break: Final Submission Deadline. Late submissions will not be accepted. On the afternoon of submission, all students are invited to attend the Thesis Reception.
• Late March: Gallery-Style public reception and presentation of Design Thesis projects. All architecture track students that have prepared a design thesis will present their work informally at this event. All HAA thesis writers, as well as faculty and graduate students, are encouraged to attend.
• April: Thesis Review and Honors Recommendation . Senior Honors Theses are read and critiqued by Members of the Faculty in HAA (and the GSD and the Harvard Art Museums, where relevant) at the request of the Senior Thesis Adviser. Department Faculty meet to vote on final honors recommendations, after which thesis writers will receive an email from the Senior Thesis Adviser notifying them of their thesis grade and recommendation for honors. Students should speak with their Allston Burr Senior Tutor for the anticipated final honors decision of the College.
• Mid-April: Senior Thesis Poster. All senior thesis writers are expected to prepare a digital file for a 24 x 36” poster summarizing the thesis to be exhibited in the HAA Department for the following academic year. A suggested template will be provided and a workshop will be held in late March for assistance with poster preparation. The printing and associated costs are taken care of by the Department. Examples of previous posters can be found here (AY21-22) and here (AY22-23) .

Senior Thesis Adviser 

The process of taking honors and producing the thesis in the Department is overseen for all concentrators by the Senior Thesis Adviser, Professor Carrie Lambert-Beatty. The Senior Thesis Adviser leads the Fall Term thesis-writing seminar (HAA 99A) and directs the meetings for departmental approval once theses have been submitted. 

Faculty Thesis Adviser 

When submitting their initial proposal in the spring of the junior year, students should include a list of three possible faculty advisers. The Department will then match students with advisers according to student preference and faculty availability. Faculty thesis advisers should generally be full faculty members of the History of Art and Architecture Department, although Harvard museum curators with relevant expertise may also serve as advisers at the discretion of the Senior Thesis Adviser. Students in the architecture track pursuing a design thesis must also secure a second adviser from the faculty of the Graduate School of Design. Joint concentrators will generally select one faculty adviser from each department.

The adviser ought to serve as a critic of synthesized ideas and writings/designs, rather than as a director of the project. The adviser should be chosen with consideration more to compatibility in overseeing the process of the work than to being an expert in the field. If you have trouble identifying an appropriate adviser, please consult with the Senior Thesis Adviser or Undergraduate Program Coordinator before the spring deadline for the Thesis Proposal.

Graduate students in the Department of History of Art and Architecture do not advise Senior Theses.

Program Director, Harvard Undergraduate Architecture Studies Track

Megan Panzano, Program Director of the Harvard Undergraduate Architecture Studies Track, oversees the execution of the two studio courses “HAA 96A – Architecture Studio I: Transformations” and “HAA 96B – Architecture Studio II: Connections”, as well as the senior design-thesis seminar “HAA 92R – Design Speculations.” She is available to consult for general advice on the design-thesis process and in finding a suitable advisor from the GSD. She coordinates the assignment of readers to senior design-thesis projects in consultation with the Senior Thesis Adviser and Undergraduate Program Coordinator.

Undergraduate Program Coordinator

The Undergraduate Program Coordinator, Marcus Mayo, is available to consult at any point regarding general questions about the senior thesis writing process. In conjunction with the Senior Thesis Adviser, they will coordinate the initial meeting of concentrators interested in writing a thesis in the spring term of their junior year. The Undergraduate Program Coordinator collects and distributes thesis proposals, summer funding proposals, advisor assignments, as well as completed theses, grades and reader comments. They hold examples of the written requirements (thesis proposal and prospectus) and of the Pulitzer and Abramson Grant applications which students might wish to consult as paradigms.

Academic Requirements – Written Thesis

The writing and evaluation of the thesis is a year-long process, during which the writer enrolls in a senior thesis preparation seminar (HAA 99A) and meets at scheduled intervals with their faculty adviser to formulate, develop, and ultimately refine their thesis work.

The Department encourages seniors to think broadly and explore a problem of interest. The thesis topic does not necessarily have to be within the writer's declared major field, except when required for a joint concentration, in which case, the topic must address an issue shared by both concentrations. The thesis should demonstrate an ability to pose a meaningful question, present a well-reasoned and structured argument, and marshal appropriate evidence. The student should apply a clear methodology and be aware of the assumptions behind the argument, the possible deficiencies of the sources and data used, and the implications of the conclusions. The various parts of the thesis should cohere in an integrated argument; the thesis should not be a series of loosely connected short essays. A primary expectation of the thesis is that it is a work of independent scholarship, directed and crafted by the student, with the thesis adviser serving in a capacity of "indirect overseeing of the project."

There is no set pattern for an acceptable thesis. The writer should demonstrate familiarity with scholarly methods in the use of sources, but this should not be the sole criterion for evaluation. Of equal if not greater importance is the development of the central argument and the significance of the interpretation. A thesis may be research on a little-studied problem or a perceptive reassessment of a familiar question. A well-pondered and well-presented interpretive essay may be as good a thesis as a miniature doctoral dissertation.

Skill in exposition is a primary objective, and pristine editing is expected. The Department encourages writers to keep to a short page count, so as to craft a clear, concise paper, and further edit it to an exemplary presentation. In general, a History of Art and Architecture thesis will have a text ranging from 20,000 to 25,000 words. Students are encouraged to explore the resources available to thesis writers at the Harvard College Writing Center .

The writer must indicate the source of material drawn from others' work, whether quoted, paraphrased, or summarized. Students who, for whatever reason, submit work either not their own or without clear attribution to its sources will be subject to disciplinary action, up to and including requirement to withdraw from the College.

Academic Requirements: Design Thesis in the Architecture Track

The HAA Architecture Track asks students to select an Area of Emphasis for fulfillment of their degree -- either Design Studies or History and Theory. Students wishing to pursue an honors thesis in the History and Theory Area of Emphasis will usually complete a written senior thesis paper and presentation on the same model as the thesis for general concentrators (see Academic Requirements: Written Thesis ).

Students in the Design Studies Area of Emphasis who wish to pursue a thesis project may choose either a traditional thesis or a design thesis project. Design theses are creative thesis projects featuring a combination of written analysis and visual and physical design materials, as described below.

Course Requirements for Honors Consideration with a Design Thesis

Senior year – fall term.

• HAA 92r Design Speculations Seminar – required
• Course prerequisite: Completion of either HAA 96A (“Transformations”) or HAA 96B (“Connections”) studios.
• This course requires that students secure a pair of faculty advisers – one from Harvard History of Art and Architecture (HAA) Faculty and one from the Harvard GSD to support their research work within the course; course faculty advisers then serve as the faculty thesis advisers for the design thesis.
• Megan Panzano, GSD Architecture Studies Director, and Jennifer Roberts, HAA DUS, can both help make faculty adviser connections for students pursuing this path.
• (optional) HAA 99A Senior Thesis Tutorial – attendance in this seminar is encouraged but not required in parallel with HAA 92r.
• Presentation of design work to HAA and select GSD Faculty as part of HAA Thesis Colloquium in December) – required

Senior Year – Spring Term

• Throughout the semester: Advising meetings with individual faculty advisers to guide production and iterative refinement of design work (architectural analytical drawings and/or physical models), and edits to digital presentation made in fall term HAA Thesis Thesis Presentations.
• March 08, 2024, 12:00 pm EST: Submission of final senior thesis design project including digital images and written text as a single PDF file (see “ Submission Requirements for Honors Consideration ”).
• March 29, 2024 (date subject to change and TBC): Participation in a gallery-style final presentation with faculty and peers after submission of thesis . The design presentations for the gallery-style event should include an updated digital presentation comprised of the project title, author’s name, the most current versions of all elements listed below in the Final Project Requirements (with the exception of the Written Manifesto which should be consolidated to a single slide containing 3-4 sentences of a thesis statement capturing the topic of study, a position on this topic, your claim about design agency to address this topic, and specifically, what design elements you’ve explored in your thesis in this address).  Students may elect to also print or plot selected original design drawings they produced (analytical or projective) from their digital presentation to pin up in the space.  Likewise, students are encouraged to bring any sketch and/or final models they have created to display as well.
• April 8, 2024 : Preparation of a digital file for a 24 x 36” poster summarizing the thesis to be exhibited in the HAA department for the academic year to follow. A suggested template will be provided and a workshop will be held on March 26 (2024, date subject to change and TBC) for assistance with poster preparation. Examples of previous posters can be found here (AY21-22) and here (AY22-23) .

Submission Requirements for the Design Thesis Project (due March 08, 2024, 12:00 pm EST)

A single multi-page PDF file labeled with student’s full last name and first initial should be submitted. It should contain the following elements and should incorporate thesis research and design work from both fall and spring terms.

• Assemble a visual bibliography of references for your research project. The references included should be sorted into categories of your own authoring in relation to the research. Each reference should be appropriately cited using the Chicago Manual of Style, and each reference should also include an affiliated image. The bibliography should include a brief (approx. 200-word) annotation, describing the rationale behind the sorted categories.
• A written design manifesto of a minimum of 2,000 words that concisely articulates the issues, problems, and questions embedded in and engaged by your research project. The manifesto should address:
• Discourse : the role and significance of architecture relative to the project topic of interest, and;
• Context : the relationship of the project topic to broader surroundings which include but are not limited to the discipline of architecture, cultural contexts, technical developments, and/or typologies.
• The final statement should reflect deeply upon the character of the design process for the project, and discuss how the design process reinforced, inflected, or complicated the initial research questions. For most students, this final statement will be an elaboration upon the presentation text prepared for the fall senior thesis colloquium. The final text should capture and discuss the design elements that were further explored in the spring term as means to address initial research questions (i.e. include written descriptions of the drawings and/or physical models produced in relation to the thesis topic).  
• A visual drawing or info-graphic that describes the process of design research undertaken for your topic. This should include the initial criteria developed for evaluating the project, the steps taken in examining the topic, the points in the process where it became necessary to stop and assess outputs and findings, and final adjustments to the methodology as the project neared completion.
• High resolution drawings, animations, and/or diagrams and photographs of physical models  (if applicable)  that were produced through research. These should be assembled in single-page layouts of slides to follow preceding elements listed here.

Grading of the Senior Thesis

Theses are read and critiqued by faculty members applying a higher standard than expected for work written in courses or tutorials. Faculty do make use of the full range of grades, and students should consider that any honors grade is a distinction of merit. If you have any questions, please contact the Senior Thesis Adviser, the Director of Undergraduate Studies, or the Undergraduate Program Coordinator.

SUMMA CUM LAUDE: A summa thesis is a work of "highest honor." It is a contribution to knowledge, though it need not be an important contribution. It reveals a promise of high intellectual attainments both in selection of problems and facts for consideration and in the manner in which conclusions are drawn from these facts. A summa thesis includes, potentially at least, the makings of a publishable article. The writer's use of sources and data is judicious. The thesis is well written and proofread. The arguments are concise and logically organized, and the allocation of space appropriate. A summa is not equivalent to just any A, but the sort given by instructors who reserve them for exceptional merit. A summa minus is a near miss at a summa and is also equivalent to an A of unusual quality.

MAGNA CUM LAUDE: A magna level thesis is a work worthy of "great honor." It clearly demonstrates the capacity for a high level of achievement, is carried through carefully, and represents substantial industry. A magna plus thesis achieves a similar level of quality to a summa in some respects, though it falls short in others; it is equivalent to the usual type of A. A magna thesis is equivalent to an A-. For a magna minus, the results achieved may not be quite a successful due to an unhappy choice of topic or approach; it is also equivalent to an A-.

CUM LAUDE: As is appropriate for a grade "with honors," a cum level thesis shows serious thought and effort in its general approach, if not in every detail. A cum plus is equivalent to a B+, a cum to a B, and a cum minus to a B-. The cum thesis does not merely represent the satisfactory completion of a task. It is, however, to be differentiated from the magna in the difficulty of the subject handled, the substantial nature of the project, and the success with which the subject is digested. Recall that, as students putting extraordinary effort into a thesis most frequently receive a magna, theses of a solid but not exceptional quality deserve a grade in the cum range. When expressed in numerical equivalents, the interval between a magna minus and a cum minus is double that between the other intervals on the grading scale.

NO DISTINCTION: Not all theses automatically deserve honors. Nevertheless, a grade of no distinction (C, D, or E) should be reserved only for those circumstances when the thesis is hastily constructed, a mere summary of existing material, or is poorly thought through. The high standards which are applied in critique of theses must clearly be violated for a thesis to merit a grade of no distinction.

Thesis Readers 

Each thesis will have two readers chosen by the Department. All readers will be asked to submit written comments and grades, which will be factored equally to produce the final grade of the thesis. Individual grades are not released. When grades and comments are distributed, the readers no longer remain anonymous. There exists a procedure by which a writer may request, via the Senior Thesis Adviser, to speak with a reader provided that they are willing to discuss the work in further detail or expound on the written critique.

For joint concentrators, the department will defer the reading process to their primary concentration. Students should reach out to their adviser in their primary concentration for further information.

Grade Report and Honors Recommendation 

At the end of each term, Fall and Spring, the student's progress in the Senior Tutorial (HAA 99) will be graded SAT or UNSAT. At the end of the Department's Honors Review process, the Senior Thesis Adviser calculates a recommendation for Honors based on the factored grades of the thesis and the student's grades in concentration coursework. This recommendation is presented to the Faculty at their meeting in April for review. A faculty vote is taken and this decision is passed as an honors recommendation to the Registrar of the College. For joint concentrators, the faculty will make recommendations to a student’s primary concentration but will defer the final grading process to them. The decision of Final Honors to be granted on the degree is made by the Registrar based on departmental recommendation and the student’s College-GPA. Students should consult with their Allston Burr Senior Tutor to determine what final honors might be anticipated at Commencement.

The needs of the Department for fair deliberation dictate that there may be no report of decisions regarding the thesis until after the Faculty has considered and voted upon each recommendation for honors. After honors recommendations have been voted by the Faculty, students will be notified of the Department's recommendation to the College and will receive an ungraded copy of each evaluation of their thesis. The comments in these evaluations should provide the student with a clear explanation of the strengths and weaknesses of the thesis, bearing in mind the difficulties of the field and the type of thesis submitted, and evaluating what was accomplished in terms of what was undertaken, given the student's limitation of time and experience.

Discontinuance of a Thesis 

The process of writing the thesis is a serious commitment of time and energy for both the writer and the adviser. In some cases, however, it might be agreed that the thesis should be discontinued at mid-year. The Senior Tutorial year may be divided with credit through a procedure in which the student must submit a written paper presenting the project and research to that point.

Examples of Past Theses 

Senior Honors Theses which are written by students who graduate Summa or Magna are deposited in the University Archives in Pusey Library . Copies of theses which are awarded the Hoopes Prize are held in Lamont Library . Students are urged to consult past theses as much can be gained in exploring precedent or seeking inspiration.

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Art History Analysis – Formal Analysis and Stylistic Analysis

Typically in an art history class the main essay students will need to write for a final paper or for an exam is a formal or stylistic analysis.

A formal analysis is just what it sounds like – you need to analyze the form of the artwork. This includes the individual design elements – composition, color, line, texture, scale, contrast, etc. Questions to consider in a formal analysis is how do all these elements come together to create this work of art? Think of formal analysis in relation to literature – authors give descriptions of characters or places through the written word. How does an artist convey this same information?

Organize your information and focus on each feature before moving onto the text – it is not ideal to discuss color and jump from line to then in the conclusion discuss color again. First summarize the overall appearance of the work of art – is this a painting? Does the artist use only dark colors? Why heavy brushstrokes? etc and then discuss details of the object – this specific animal is gray, the sky is missing a moon, etc. Again, it is best to be organized and focused in your writing – if you discuss the animals and then the individuals and go back to the animals you run the risk of making your writing unorganized and hard to read. It is also ideal to discuss the focal of the piece – what is in the center? What stands out the most in the piece or takes up most of the composition?

A stylistic approach can be described as an indicator of unique characteristics that analyzes and uses the formal elements (2-D: Line, color, value, shape and 3-D all of those and mass).The point of style is to see all the commonalities in a person’s works, such as the use of paint and brush strokes in Van Gogh’s work. Style can distinguish an artist’s work from others and within their own timeline, geographical regions, etc.

Methods & Theories To Consider:

Expressionism

Instructuralism

Postmodernism

Social Art History

Biographical Approach

Poststructuralism

Museum Studies

Visual Cultural Studies

Stylistic Analysis Example:

The following is a brief stylistic analysis of two Greek statues, an example of how style has changed because of the “essence of the age.” Over the years, sculptures of women started off as being plain and fully clothed with no distinct features, to the beautiful Venus/Aphrodite figures most people recognize today. In the mid-seventh century to the early fifth, life-sized standing marble statues of young women, often elaborately dress in gaily painted garments were created known as korai. The earliest korai is a Naxian women to Artemis. The statue wears a tight-fitted, belted peplos, giving the body a very plain look. The earliest korai wore the simpler Dorian peplos, which was a heavy woolen garment. From about 530, most wear a thinner, more elaborate, and brightly painted Ionic linen and himation. A largely contrasting Greek statue to the korai is the Venus de Milo. The Venus from head to toe is six feet seven inches tall. Her hips suggest that she has had several children. Though her body shows to be heavy, she still seems to almost be weightless. Viewing the Venus de Milo, she changes from side to side. From her right side she seems almost like a pillar and her leg bears most of the weight. She seems be firmly planted into the earth, and since she is looking at the left, her big features such as her waist define her. The Venus de Milo had a band around her right bicep. She had earrings that were brutally stolen, ripping her ears away. Venus was noted for loving necklaces, so it is very possibly she would have had one. It is also possible she had a tiara and bracelets. Venus was normally defined as “golden,” so her hair would have been painted. Two statues in the same region, have throughout history, changed in their style.

Compare and Contrast Essay

Most introductory art history classes will ask students to write a compare and contrast essay about two pieces – examples include comparing and contrasting a medieval to a renaissance painting. It is always best to start with smaller comparisons between the two works of art such as the medium of the piece. Then the comparison can include attention to detail so use of color, subject matter, or iconography. Do the same for contrasting the two pieces – start small. After the foundation is set move on to the analysis and what these comparisons or contrasting material mean – ‘what is the bigger picture here?’ Consider why one artist would wish to show the same subject matter in a different way, how, when, etc are all questions to ask in the compare and contrast essay. If during an exam it would be best to quickly outline the points to make before tackling writing the essay.

Compare and Contrast Example:

Stele of Hammurabi from Susa (modern Shush, Iran), ca. 1792 – 1750 BCE, Basalt, height of stele approx. 7’ height of relief 28’

Stele, relief sculpture, Art as propaganda – Hammurabi shows that his law code is approved by the gods, depiction of land in background, Hammurabi on the same place of importance as the god, etc.

Top of this stele shows the relief image of Hammurabi receiving the law code from Shamash, god of justice, Code of Babylonian social law, only two figures shown, different area and time period, etc.

Stele of Naram-sin , Sippar Found at Susa c. 2220 - 2184 bce. Limestone, height 6'6"

Stele, relief sculpture, Example of propaganda because the ruler (like the Stele of Hammurabi) shows his power through divine authority, Naramsin is the main character due to his large size, depiction of land in background, etc.

Akkadian art, made of limestone, the stele commemorates a victory of Naramsin, multiple figures are shown specifically soldiers, different area and time period, etc.

Iconography

Regardless of what essay approach you take in class it is absolutely necessary to understand how to analyze the iconography of a work of art and to incorporate into your paper. Iconography is defined as subject matter, what the image means. For example, why do things such as a small dog in a painting in early Northern Renaissance paintings represent sexuality? Additionally, how can an individual perhaps identify these motifs that keep coming up?

The following is a list of symbols and their meaning in Marriage a la Mode by William Hogarth (1743) that is a series of six paintings that show the story of marriage in Hogarth’s eyes.

• Man has pockets turned out symbolizing he has lost money and was recently in a fight by the state of his clothes.
• Lap dog shows loyalty but sniffs at woman’s hat in the husband’s pocket showing sexual exploits.
• Black dot on husband’s neck believed to be symbol of syphilis.
• Mantel full of ugly Chinese porcelain statues symbolizing that the couple has no class.
• Butler had to go pay bills, you can tell this by the distasteful look on his face and that his pockets are stuffed with bills and papers.
• Card game just finished up, women has directions to game under foot, shows her easily cheating nature.
• Paintings of saints line a wall of the background room, isolated from the living, shows the couple’s complete disregard to faith and religion.
• The dangers of sexual excess are underscored in the Hograth by placing Cupid among ruins, foreshadowing the inevitable ruin of the marriage.
• Eventually the series (other five paintings) shows that the woman has an affair, the men duel and die, the woman hangs herself and the father takes her ring off her finger symbolizing the one thing he could salvage from the marriage.

Art History Thesis

During their senior year, majors concentrating in Art History will write a senior thesis. The thesis provides an opportunity to work independently, under the guidance of a faculty member, on a focused project over a longer period of time than usually possible on the block plan. It is the capstone experience in the major. Though the project is challenging, art history majors consider the thesis among the most valuable experiences of their academic careers.

The thesis is a research-based project. During their work on it, students engage with issues in the field, including formal analysis, iconography, style, production, reception, and historiography, among others. Students will be expected to use primary and secondary sources, critical reading skills, and appropriate methods and approaches in art history. The final product is a scholarly paper of about 25-30 pages. Students also will give a public presentation of the thesis at the end of the senior year as part of a symposium for majors in the field.

The senior thesis in art history will show that the student has mastered the following:

• writing a substantial paper demonstrating knowledge of the chosen subject
• in-depth research and critical reading  in  art history
• careful analysis and observation of objects and texts
• independent thought
• effective organization
• clear and correct written expression
• completion of a lengthy independent project in a timely manner
• communication of some aspect of his/her thesis in a public oral  presentation

The Thesis Process

Thesis work will begin in the spring semester of your junior year. At this  point,  you will choose your topic and make a preliminary proposal in consultation with the art history faculty.

Once preliminary proposals are submitted, you will be assigned a thesis advisor. Your thesis advisor will work with you to develop your research plan and make assignments to be completed during the summer. Final thesis proposals are due early in block 1 of the senior year. During the Senior Seminar (block 2), prior to the New York trip, under the supervision of your thesis advisor, you will do intensive research and produce an outline and/or a section of the thesis. Following Senior Seminar, in block 3, you will take a thesis block (AH415) with your thesis advisor. In most cases, the thesis will be completed by the end of the thesis block. Individual thesis advisors may have slightly different deadlines for revisions etc. In block 6 or 7 of your senior year, you will give a public presentation on your research.

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Schedule & Deadlines

Preliminary Thesis Proposals

The preliminary thesis proposal is due at the beginning of block 8 of the junior year. Students consult with faculty prior to submitting the proposals in order to develop a strong and workable topic. Preliminary proposals should describe the topic focus, list possible research questions, and provide names of a few important bibliographical sources and Xeroxes of a few key images. Students are encouraged to consult the appropriate member:

• Tamara Bentley : Asian art; theory-oriented topics; art market-oriented topics
• Ruth Kolarik : ancient and medieval art; architecture topics; Islamic art; garden-related topics
• Rebecca Tucker : Renaissance and Baroque art; Spanish colonial art
• Gale Murray : 19th-, 20th-, 21st-century European and American art

You will be assigned a thesis advisor shortly after proposals are submitted. Ultimately, some of the senior thesis students will work with each of us. We will make every effort to have you work with the professor who knows most about your topic and/or whose thesis block is scheduled at a convenient time for you.

Summer research

In consultation with their thesis advisor, students will develop a plan for summer work on their topic. This might include bibliographical research, reading books and articles on the topic, viewing works of art, and/or other assignments. The summer research will help students hone and focus their topics, and become familiar with the literature in the field.

Final thesis proposals

The final proposal should be more detailed than the earlier version, incorporating the results of the summer research. It might include more carefully thought out research questions, a tentative thesis statement, and a list of sections or chapters, as well as additional bibliography and key illustrations. Before you hand it in, the proposal must be approved and signed by your thesis advisor.

Senior Seminar

Senior Seminar is held during block 2 of the senior year. During this  block,  students will work closely with their faculty thesis advisors. Students should be prepared for intensive reading, research, and thinking under the supervision of their thesis advisor. Assignments might include annotated bibliographies, critical article responses, outlines, and/or drafts of parts of the thesis (among others), at the discretion of the thesis advisor. Students will also prepare for the class trip to New York, which takes place in the final week of block 2.

Senior Thesis block

Students will have signed up for the thesis block with their thesis advisors. In consultation with their advisor, students will establish a schedule of meetings, assignments, and deadlines during the block. Students are expected to be on campus for their thesis block.

The thesis should be written in its entirety during the thesis block. You will be handing in drafts of sections/chapters of your thesis for comments on a regular basis throughout the block. Once you have a complete rough draft, you will revise it and put the thesis in final form. In some instances, further work (such as a second draft) may be required after the senior thesis block is over. In this case, your advisor will set a due date.

Presentations

In block 6 or 7 of their senior year, students will give public presentations on their research. These take place as part of a symposium held by the art department to highlight the work of senior majors. Students will work with their thesis advisors to compose and practice their presentations. The symposium provides a rewarding venue for friends, family,  and  fellow students to participate in and discuss the majors’ work.

Presentations are usually scheduled for block 6 or block 7. Please make sure to be on campus. 

Policies and Grading

Timeliness is taken into account in the grading of your thesis. Failure to meet the final deadline set by your thesis advisor will have particularly severe consequences: you may receive a grade of NC, risk delaying your graduation, and perhaps have to repeat your Senior Thesis and/or Senior Seminar the following year. You must let your thesis advisor know in advance if you have an illness, a family emergency, or other events that will prevent you from meeting a deadline.

You will receive a grade for Senior Seminar and a grade for the thesis block. Your grade in Senior Seminar will depend on your progress on the thesis during block 2, as well as your participation  in  the New York Trip (journal, attendance, involvement, etc.). The grade for the thesis block is based on the factors listed below. Please keep in mind that, in addition to the quality of your work, your thesis presentation and your ability to perform on deadline and remain engaged over an extended period of time will be  considered .

The following is an overview and sample of the grading standards for the thesis:

Thesis Topics

The thesis should be a substantial research paper. While substance cannot be measured in length, a paper of approximately 25 to 30 pages is appropriate. Longer papers are discouraged. The choice of topic is crucial. The most successful theses will have narrowly focused topics. A topic that is too broad, or too ambitiously conceived, will be impractical and difficult to cover in-depth.

In choosing your topic, keep in mind the following criteria:

• Your topic must be in an area of art history in which you have already taken a course. Working on a topic you know little about or have little background for would be a considerable handicap. If you plan to write in an area in which the  course work  is yet to be finished (i.e, block 8 of the junior year, or over the summer), you should discuss the proposed topic with the relevant faculty member ahead of time, so that you can get assistance as you prepare your thesis proposal.
• Your topic should have a substantial body of serious scholarship. Serious scholarship means scholarly journal articles, critical exhibition catalogs, monographs, and books. You may choose works of art that themselves are not discussed exhaustively in the literature but that relate to others that are. (On the other hand, if an entire book(s) has been written about your topic, you might consider narrowing your focus.)
• Be wary of topics about which little is written, or for which most of the material is written in languages that you cannot read easily. Also be aware of the limitations of Tutt Library's holdings. Probably all of you will need to use Prospector and Interlibrary Loan. However, you should avoid topics on which our library has nothing.
• Topics involving very contemporary art and architecture are particularly tricky. If you choose an artist or movement without any literature other than a few newspaper or magazine reviews or promotional materials, you will not be able to write a paper in art history, your work will of necessity be art criticism. This is not acceptable. On the other hand, there are many contemporary artists whose work has been extensively studied.
• It is preferable to choose a topic that involves works of art that you have seen or might have a chance to see. Be aware of the possibilities offered by Venture Grants and the New York trip.
• An ideal topic will have been discussed by several art historians from different angles or methodological approaches. This gives you a chance to evaluate the literature from various points of view. Be wary of a topic where there is only a single authoritative discussion. It will be more difficult for you to form your own opinions.
• Devise an approach to your material that interests you intellectually. Are you more intrigued by visual problems -- analysis, influences, evolution over time; problems of meaning -- symbolism, literary influences, historical reference; theory or social context? You may choose to analyze works of art from several angles.

Researching and Writing your Thesis

Keep complete bibliographical notes. Devise a uniform manner of doing this and write the references out in a standard bibliographical form. This will save a lot of time later. Some students prefer index cards. Don't take a note without writing down where the information comes from. Also note where the book or magazine is located, information such as call numbers, etc. If you use information from a web page be sure to note the date that you accessed the page. Keep your notes in a uniform and well-organized manner. The same goes for photocopies of important articles, sections of books, etc. Keep a written record of what kinds of bibliographical searches you have performed -- what indexes you use, what keywords you searched under. This will help your professor make sure you are searching effectively. The reference librarians can help you with computer searches.

Before you begin writing your thesis decide which computer(s) and software you will use. If you are using your own computer be sure that your software is compatible with that in the college labs so that you can print out your thesis without complications. Make sure that you know how to use all the functions of the software that you will need for your thesis. Keep a backup disc or flash drive, as well as a hard copy of your text as you go. Losing your entire thesis the night before it is due is not an acceptable excuse for missing the deadline.

You may wish to devise several computer files -- one for bibliography, one for notes, one for your own thoughts and ideas, and one or more for the actual text.

Photocopy or scan illustrations that you will need in order to write and illustrate your thesis as you go along. Always note the source of the illustration. Hand in copies of the illustrations with drafts. No one can read an art history thesis effectively without pictures. As you begin to write the text, consider which illustrations most effectively make your points. Note them at the appropriate point in the text. You may wish to number them immediately and change numbers as you go if necessary.

Before you stop working on your thesis for any length of time, e.g. the New York trip or another block course, take time to organize your notes, illustrations, bibliography, etc. Jot down any thoughts for further work, ideas of the moment, things to do, books to request from Interlibrary Loan, etc. Then you will be able to take up your work again with a minimum of lost time. Keep everything together in a safe place. Don’t check your thesis notes with your baggage when traveling.

Leave enough time after your reading and research for careful critical thought and evaluation. This is the intellectual and creative part of your thesis. Don't short yourself. Be sure the drafts that you hand in (even rough drafts) are legible, clear printouts neat, and free from errors in spelling and punctuation. They should include copies of your illustrations. Many students have found the Writing Center greatly helpful throughout the thesis process.

Instructions for Final Copy

• Margins and Spacing: The thesis should be double-spaced with 1-1/2" margins at the left, and 1" margins at the right, top, and bottom of each page. (Remember to do this before creating your Table of Contents.)
• Pages should be numbered consecutively throughout the thesis. Put page numbers on the upper   right-hand   side of each page
• White paper of at least 20% rag content must be used for final copies. (Crane's Thesis Paper is available in the CC Bookstore. Archival paper is also acceptable and seems to work better with color-printed illustrations.)
• Thesis  must be printed on a laser printer (copies printed on a dot matrix or inkjet printer are not acceptable). Pages should not be duplexed.
• The thesis must have either footnotes or endnotes. If you use footnotes, each note must appear in its entirety on the same page as the reference to it in the text. Be consistent in the forms you use for your footnotes or endnotes. (Refer to Chicago Style Manual or Turabian for proper form.)
• Illustrations: If possible, you should scan your illustrations. Photocopies are also acceptable. In either case, try to find the best possible illustrations from which to make your photocopies or scanned images. When color is important to your discussion, it is desirable to include scans or photocopies in color. (Illustrations should be on the same quality paper as the text, and should not be inkjet printed.) Illustrations must appear together at the end of the thesis, with  figure  number and caption information (see 7f. and 7g. below).
• References to illustrations in your text or your notes should be designated as (Fig. 1) or (Figs. 1-2), etc.
• Title page (thesis title, your name, date, and the honor code)
• Table of contents
• Body   of the thesis
• Endnotes (if you are using endnotes)
• Bibliography (Follow bibliographical form in the same source you used for your footnotes.)
• for paintings and sculpture: artist, title (indicate if detail), medium (be specific), date, dimensions, collection, or museum.
• for architecture: name and location (indicate view or room), architect, date.
• Please consult with your advisor about whether or not to include the sources of your illustrations.
• Illustrations with captions. These can be identical to entries on the illustration list.
• Your thesis must be carefully proofread and free of typographical errors and errors in spelling, punctuation, etc. A pattern of errors in the final copy will have a negative impact on your grade.
• You will need to submit two copies on  rag  or archival paper (one to be kept by the Art Department, the other in Tutt Library). You may also submit a third copy (for yourself). The Art Department will bind all three copies. Turn in the copies of your thesis to Meghan Rubenstein for binding. Please put each copy in a separate manila envelope labeled with your name and thesis title; do not put them in plastic folders or binders.

Reimbursement

Remember that the Art Department will reimburse you for up to $300 of direct expenses incurred in connection with the preparation of your thesis (Xeroxing, purchase of photos, etc.). You must submit receipts (all at one time, please); expenses without receipts cannot be reimbursed.

Undergraduate Overview

Art History is a central part of all students’ education at the School of the Art Institute of Chicago (SAIC). The Department of Art History, Theory, and Criticism offers courses that examine how current and future practices are informed by the histories and theories of art. 

From comprehensive surveys of modern and contemporary art at the introductory level to advanced undergraduate seminars, all courses prepare students to speak, write, and think about art and design. Classes address art of all media, design and architecture, visual and material cultures, and contemporary theories of art and culture. The international networks for contemporary art are an important part of the course offerings, and we offer a wide range of classes in Asian, African, Latin American, European, and North American Art.

Contemporary Practices Requirements

All Contemporary Practices students and transfer students must complete:  ARTHI 1001, World Cultures and Civilizations: Pre-History-Nineteenth Century , and one other 1000-level Introductory Survey of Modern and Contemporary Art History course before taking more advanced courses within the department.

Bachelor of Arts in Art History

The BA in Art History draws on the depth and diversity of offerings in the scholarly study of art practices that only a major art school connected with a world-class museum can offer. Substantial coursework in Art History, supported by additional coursework in Liberal Arts and in studio departments define the course of study. In their first year, students complete the studio-intensive Contemporary Practices program and introductory Art History surveys as a foundation for beginning their advanced Art History coursework in their second year. In addition to a sequence of research, theory, and methods courses, BA in Art History students choose two (out of three possible) geographic-area pathways on which to focus (with at least three courses in each area).

The degree culminates in the fourth year with a significant research project written in the two-semester senior research methods capstone seminar. In addition to external applicants and transfer students, interested SAIC students from other degree programs may apply for admittance to the BA in Art History program, usually before the beginning of their junior year. Please refer to the BAAH Credit Worksheet .

To apply to the School of the Art Institute of Chicago (SAIC), you will need to fill out an application and submit your transcripts and letters of recommendation. And most importantly, we require a portfolio of your best and most recent work—work that will give us a sense of you, your interests, and your willingness to explore, experiment, and think beyond technical art, design, and writing skills.

 In order to apply, we must have the following items:

• Online application
• Artist’s Statement
• Transcripts
• Letter of Recommendation
• Test Scores

The BA in Art History program has a special application procedure for both external and internal candidates. All applicants must supply a writing sample (see below) to be considered.

Incoming First-Year Students

The application for incoming first-year students requires a five- to seven-page (1,250–1,750 words) writing sample, TOEFL scores when required (min. 96), letter of recommendation, a high school transcript (min unweighted GPA 3.0), a portfolio of five to 10 pieces of visual work, and a personal statement.

For their first year, BA in Art History students take primarily studio courses as part of the year-long Contemporary Practices program. These courses provide students with foundations in art practice and visual thinking that grounds advanced-level coursework in Art History, which begins in the sophomore year. 

Transfer Students

The application for incoming transfer students requires a five- to seven-page (1,250–1,750 words) writing sample, TOEFL scores when required (min. 96), letter of recommendation, transcript of courses taken at other institutions (min. unweighted GPA 3.0), a portfolio of five to 10 pieces of visual work, and a personal statement. Transfer applicants are considered individually with regard to the acceptance of previous credit and studio requirements.

A minimum of 66 credit hours are required in residence at SAIC, so most transfer students will apply before their junior year. On admittance, transfer students may petition for Contemporary Practices studio courses to be substituted with other coursework. Most transfer students, however, will take at minimum the core and research studio courses designed for transfers by the Contemporary Practices department. 

SAIC Students from Other Degree Programs

Internal applicants are also required to submit a writing sample five- to seven-page (1,250–1,750 words) writing sample, a personal statement, and a transcript of courses at SAIC in order to be considered for a degree change to the BA in Art History. In some cases, an interview may be required.

Because the BA in Art History is substantially different in its credit makeup than other programs at SAIC, most students will have applied for an internal transfer before the end of their sophomore year. Only in exceptional cases will junior-level students be considered for internal transfer.

Internal transfer applicants must submit a single PDF document with contact information, student ID number, personal statement, transcript of courses transferred into and taken at SAIC, and writing sample with illustrations. Unofficial transcripts from the registrar or academic advising are acceptable and should include all courses taken at SAIC as well as those transferred from other institutions. Screen shots or other lists will not be accepted. The transcript should be incorporated into your single application PDF after your cover page with identification, personal statement, and writing sample. This should be sent to the Department of Art History, Theory, and Criticism’s Undergraduate Coordinator ( [email protected] ).

Writing Sample

The writing sample is one of the most important parts of the application and should demonstrate applicants' ability to express their ideas and knowledge in written form. Successful writing samples will demonstrate clarity of argument, facility with written language and grammar, and an ability to incorporate and cite research materials. Any expository essay that incorporates research will be considered, and a writing sample in art history is not required (though it is encouraged, especially for transfer applicants). Writing samples should be five to seven pages in length (1,250–1,750 words) for incoming first-year applicants and transfers at the freshman or sophomore level. Any student who wishes to apply for transfer into the BA in Art History program at the level of junior should submit a writing sample of at least seven to 10 pages (1,750–2,500 words). Relevant illustrations and bibliography should be included with the text but are not considered when calculating page limits.

Personal Statement

The personal statement is a short statement (around a page) explaining your curiosities, interests, and plans (in intellectual and/or career terms) and why you think the BAAH program would be a good fit for you.

External students must include a visual portfolio as part of their application. In addition to the writing sample, five to 10 pieces of your best and most recent work must be submitted as part of the portfolio. This collection should reflect your interests, skills, and willingness to explore, experiment, and express yourself.

The BA in Art History program incorporates studio practice as essential knowledge for work in art history, and all BA in Art History students take studio classes while at SAIC. Because the first-year studio foundations experience is shared with all SAIC BFA students, incoming applicants should expect to be immersed in visual and creative practices. While the writing sample and transcript are the most important parts of a BA in Art History application, applicants should use the portfolio to demonstrate their facility with visual making. In addition to conventional studio and design work, students may also submit alternative creative practices (for instance, video blogging, website design, or online curation). Transfer applicants with little experience in studio or design practices are encouraged to consider these alternatives. Questions about what can be part of the visual portfolio should be addressed to the Admissions office.

The Admissions office at the School of the Art Institute of Chicago (SAIC) is dedicated to assisting you and your family through every step of the college selection process. We are interested in getting to know you—your work, your expectations for college, and your ambitions for the future. We seek students who wish to immerse themselves in an intense interdisciplinary environment, and we hope to challenge the very notion of what art means to you and to our society. SAIC provides a sophisticated education that hones your unique abilities as a contemporary thinker and maker in a global community.

The minimum number of credits required in residence at SAIC is 66 of the total 120 credit hours. Of those 66 required residence credits, transfer students must take, at minimum, the following at SAIC.

Bachelor of Fine Arts with Art History Thesis

The Department of Art History, Theory, and Criticism newly offers SAIC BFA students the option to supplement their studio curriculum with an Art History Thesis. This BFA with Art History Thesis (BFAAHT) is not a distinct degree, but a variant of the BFA degree that students can opt into, enabling their immersion in the faculty and resources of the Art History Department's programs, including the well-known Master of Arts in Modern and Contemporary Art History (MAAH) and Dual-Degree Graduate Program in addition to our existing Bachelor of Arts in Art History (BAAH). BFAAHT students can expect to receive specialized, individual attention in intensive Art History seminars as they develop original thesis projects exploring questions and topics of their own devising. In their senior year, BFAAHT students will take the year-long Art History Senior Thesis seminar that culminates in the Undergraduate Art History Thesis Symposium.

Students who are interested in the BFA: Studio Art with Art History (AH) Thesis should complete the steps outlined below, ideally by the end of the spring semester of their freshman year or in fall semester of their sophomore year:

Step 1 : Student confirms with an Academic Advisor that they have at least 12 credits of Art History and/or General Electives remaining to use for the thesis sequence.

Step 2 : Student meets with the Art History, Theory, and Criticism Undergraduate Program Director by the end of their freshmen year or beginning of sophomore year.

Step 3 : Student applies to the BFA AH Thesis Program by submitting to the AH Undergrad Program Director: 1) their SAIC transcript showing at least 12 credits of Art History and/General Electives remaining; 2) a writing sample that shows the student’s research, writing, and citation ability; and 3) a brief description (1 page) of the student’s proposed thesis topic.

Step 4 : If the student is accepted into the program, they should enroll in:

• ARTHI 2900 Sophomore Seminar in their sophomore year (3 credit hours)
• ARTHI 3900 Junior Proseminar in their junior year (3 credit hours)
• CAPSTONE 4899 AH Undergraduate Thesis Seminar I in fall of their senior year; as well as 4900 AH Undergraduate Thesis Seminar II in spring of their senior year (6 credit hours)    

Step 5 : Completion of thesis must be approved by both the Thesis II instructor and the AH Undergraduate Coordinator. Students are required to make a formal presentation and participate in the Undergraduate Art History Thesis Symposium in the senior year.

Course Listing

• Winter 2024
• Spring 2024
• Summer 2024

Students only begin taking advanced Art History courses in their second year at SAIC. For the first year, BA in Art History students share the campus-wide, first-year student curriculum, which includes intensive foundational training in studio and in visual thinking, composition-based writing courses, and two introductory surveys in art history. The SAIC BA in Art History is unlike conventional majors at liberal arts colleges in its extensive art history requirements (at least 18 courses) and in its solid grounding in knowledge of studio practices. An understanding in how art is made is an essential part of its historical study. While BA in Art History students’ coursework is identical to BFA students in their first year, they will also be included in events organized for all BA in Art History students. All BA in Art History students are advised by a faculty member from the Department of Art History, Theory, and Criticism.

The BA in Art History program has significantly different degree requirements than SAIC’s other, studio- and design-based degrees. Because of this, there are no automatic degree transfers, and every case must be weighed individually with regard to applicable credits and research and writing skills. There are two deadlines for internal transfers every year: October 15 and March 15. Applications are only considered at these times.

No. SAIC does not have majors. The BA in Art History is a full-fledged degree in Art History, and it is the first nonstudio undergraduate degree at SAIC. It requires a minimum of 41 percent of credits (18 courses) to be taken in the Department of Art History, Theory, and Criticism—far more than a conventional major within a liberal arts degree (usually around 10 courses). Beyond that, the degree is made up of a minimum of 16 percent studio courses, which we believe to be an integral part of study of histories and theories of art.

The BA in Art History is designed to provide students with training in research and writing skills, and at least one class per year will focus on this area of study. A Sophomore Seminar, a Junior Proseminar, and the Senior Thesis Sequence are all required of BA in Art History students.

Sophomore Seminars are required courses for all SAIC undergraduates. They focus on preparing students to embrace a specific direction in their scholarship or in their studio practice. The seminars offer intensive faculty mentoring sessions that help students design a curricular pathway for the final two years of study at SAIC. Most departments at the institution offer Sophomore Seminars. BA in Art History students take the Sophomore Seminar designed by the Department of Art History, Theory, and Criticism to provide research skills in Art History and to train students to examine the role of art’s histories in light of current practices. Students from programs other than the BA in Art History may also take the Art History Sophomore Seminar.

Each semester, the department offers at least two smaller seminar-style courses focused on the application of research methods. These can be in any topic, but professors focus on the practice of research and writing with students in this smaller setting. BA in Art History students must take at least one of these courses in their junior year. Courses fulfilling the Junior Proseminar requirement cannot also be used to fulfill the Area Pathways requirements.

Students may, however, take more than one Junior Proseminar in their time at SAIC, and any additional Proseminars may be used to fulfill other degree requirements. The Department of Art History, Theory, and Criticism distributes a list of Junior Proseminars each semester.

The Department of Art History, Theory, and Criticism offers more than 200 courses a year, from introductory surveys to graduate seminars. Most of the course offerings are generally divided into three major geographic areas, which correspond to three area pathways in the curriculum:  •  Asia •  Europe and America •  Southern Continents (Africa and Latin America)

BA in Art History students choose  two  of these areas on which to focus. In both of these two area pathways, students must complete a three-course sequence of 2000-, 3000-, and 4000-level courses. Students develop their thesis topic as the culmination of one of these two area pathways of study and pursue it during the Senior Thesis Sequence in their final year. Each pathway requires three courses (9 credit hours).

For instance, a student who chooses a pathway in Asian art might fulfill its requirements by taking  Survey of Asian Art  (ARTHI 2450),  Buddhist Ideas in South and Southeast Asian Art  (ARTHI 3473), and  Asian Art Now  (ARTHI 4496). Once a pathway is completed, students may continue to take courses in that area with their art history elective credits. A list of courses in each pathway is distributed by the Department of Art History, Theory, and Criticism to BA in Art History students.

The Department of Art History, Theory, and Criticism focuses on modern and contemporary art in a global framework. While the majority of its offerings focus on art of the last 150 years, it also has a significant number of courses that address the longer histories of art. BA in Art History students are required to take at least six credit hours of courses that focus on topics before the mid-19th century in addition to ARTHI 1001:  Introduction to Art History: Ancient to Modern . The Department of Art History, Theory, and Criticism distributes a list of premodern courses each semester.

In order to graduate with a BA in Art History, all students must complete a written thesis developed over the course of the fall-spring Senior Thesis Sequence. In the fall of their senior year, students take ARTHI 4011:  Senior Thesis Methodology Seminar that focuses on advanced writing and research skills as well as topic development. In the spring, BA in Art History students work closely with a faculty member in ARTHI 4012:  Senior Thesis Writing Seminar  to complete and submit the written document. These classes cannot be taken out of sequence or substituted. They are only offered each once a year.

Any student who anticipates graduating mid-year should plan to take the Senior Thesis Sequence in preceding academic year. In other words, two of the three of a BA in Art History student’s last three semesters must be taken over a full academic year at SAIC.

Theses are generally 35 to 50 pages in length and should demonstrate the student’s deep knowledge on a topic in art history of their choosing. They should include all relevant images and be formatted according to established guidelines. All theses are due by the last day of the spring semester in order for the student to graduate.

Once admitted, all BA in Art History students will be advised by the Director of Undergraduate Programs in Art History or another faculty member from the department. BA in Art History students should meet each semester with their Art History adviser to determine course selections and discuss the development of their research interests. In addition, BA in Art History students are also encouraged to take advantage of SAIC’s Office of Academic Advising for any assistance with school-wide curricular requirements and credit audits. There will also be possibilities for graduate student mentors for advanced BA in Art History students.

Courses designated in the SAIC curriculum as “off-campus study” can be found in studio, Liberal Arts, and Art History. These credits can be taken in one of the many study abroad trips organized by SAIC each winter and summer term, in a designated class during the regular semesters that has a substantial off-campus component or be fulfilled through internships coordinated by SAIC’s Cooperative Education Program. BA in Art History students are required to take three of their credit hours in off-campus courses. These credits may come from any division and may also be used to meet other degree requirements.

SAIC is a non-grading institution, and students in the BA in Art History program will not receive traditional grades for coursework. Students may request written evaluations for each class, but this is the responsibility of the student to solicit and maintain these records. Any students applying for graduate school, internships, or other opportunities may request from the Department of Art History, Theory, and Criticism a statement of principle about its non-grading philosophy. Students who intend to make such applications are encouraged to keep copies of their research papers and exams for further information about their success at SAIC.

Existing students who are pursuing an exchange semester or summer courses abroad may petition Academic Advising to have foreign language courses transferred to SAIC to meet the 9-credit-hour language requirement. Final approval to take language classes off-campus is determined by the Department of Liberal Arts. During the semesters, students may also petition to take advanced foreign languages and foreign languages not offered by SAIC at nearby Roosevelt University. (Those students should contact the Study Abroad Office.)

No. The foreign language requirement is in place to insure that students have basic ability to engage with research materials in other languages. Consequently, only study in written languages fulfills this requirement.

Take the Next Step

For questions about applications for first-year and transfer students, visit the  undergraduate admissions web page  or contact SAIC's Office of Admissions at  [email protected]  or 800.232.7242. Current SAIC students should contact  [email protected] .

Freshman and Transfer Deadline: June 1

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198 Art History Thesis Topics: Best Ideas

Did you know that on this page, you can find 198 original art history thesis topics that you can’t find anywhere else? Our art experts and professional writers have created this list over the last couple of months. In fact, we are updating the list periodically to make sure each student who visits our blog has the chance to find a unique topic that he or she can write a thesis on.

In addition to the exceptional topics, we also have some tips and tricks on how to write the perfect thesis without spending months working on it. This blog post includes the chapters you need to write (with a short explanation of each one), as well as some of the things you need to keep in mind when writing a thesis. Let’s get started!

Writing the Best Art History Thesis Paper

As you probably know already, finding some original art history thesis topics is just one part of the thesis writing process. Because we know most students don’t have any experience writing theses, we will briefly talk about some of the key characteristics of a good thesis paper. We will start with the structure. Here are the main chapters you should have in your paper:

Introduction:  This is the part where you will present your thesis statement, as well as discuss the significance of your thesis and present the research questions, limitations and assumptions. Review of Related Literature:  Use this chapter to discuss what you have learned from other works in your field that pertain to your chosen topic. Show your readers why your research is relevant to the topic. Design and Methodology:  In this chapter, you will need to present the design and discuss the methods you have used to gather the data or the evidence to support your thesis statement. A reader should be able to replicate your study after reading this chapter. Findings:  This is the part where you can discuss your findings and show your readers why and how they support your thesis. You can include a part where you make recommendations for further research, if necessary. Conclusion:  The final chapter of your paper, the Conclusion is the place where you summarize everything and reemphasize the main points of your paper. Refrain from introducing any new information here.

Apart from structuring your thesis correctly, you should keep a few other important things in mind. Here are some of the things that will help you get a better grade on your research paper, according to our expert academic writers:

Make sure you only gather data from reliable sources. Also, remember to cite and reference each source you use. Format your thesis correctly, in accordance with the guidelines in the style book. Each style (APA, MLA, Chicago, Turabian, etc.) has a style book that you can usually find online for free. Edit your work thoroughly and make sure your logic and clarity are perfect. Also make sure you are not using technical terms that you have not defined previously. Think about what examiners want to see or try to learn what they are looking for. After all, you want a top grade, don’t you? Do your best to come up with a unique, interesting thesis. Think long and hard about how you will write the thesis statement. Get feedback from your supervisor as early as possible. This can prevent some serious delays and rewrites. Find some original art history thesis topics and choose the one you think would thrill the evaluation committee.

Fortunately for you, the last tip is something we can help you with right now. We have 198 original art history thesis topics right here on this page. You can use any of them for free. No, you don’t even need to give us any credit. That is our thesis writing help to begin with going through these topics shouldn’t take you more than 5 minutes, so what are you waiting for?

Easy Thesis Topics in Art History

We’ll start our list with some easy thesis topics in art history. Choose any of these ideas if you want to spend as little time as possible writing your paper:

• Discuss the Gothic stained glass
• Compare ancient Egyptian and Roman art
• The important of Mona Lisa
• An in-depth look at the Romanesque style
• An in-depth look at Amarna Art
• Discuss art in the Golden Age
• Analyze the life of Claude Monet
• What is reformed naturalism?
• Peculiarities of the surrealist movement
• Discuss art in the Notre Dame
• Talk about sculptures in a cathedral of your choice
• Research the life of Picasso
• Talk about political views in sculpture
• The peculiarities of Gothic art
• How important are recurring subjects in art?

Art History Research Questions

The best way to come up with a great topic is to go through some art history research questions. To help you out, we have compiled a list of the best ones below:

• What is photogravure and why is it important?
• What are the peculiarities of Scandinavian weaving?
• What are some characteristics of Egyptian art?
• How important is art as part of the curriculum?
• What is the role of life in modern art?
• Which artist had the biggest influence on contemporary art?
• What makes Gothic paintings special?
• Can you talk about the Dadaist movement?
• What is real art?
• Can you talk about the history is symbols in Gothic paintings?
• How did art evolve in Ancient Rome?
• Why is Leonardo Da Vinci so popular?
• How important is nature in ancient art?
• When did Cubism first appear?
• How were ancient works of art preserved?

Art in the 19th Century Topics

In case you want to write a thesis on 19th century art, you have arrived at the right place. Here are some of the best art in the 19th century topics:

• Discuss European painting in the 19th century
• Modernism in the 19th century
• The history of surrealism
• Talk about the focus of 19th century art
• The history of cubism
• The history of symbolism
• Research the Industrial Revolution in art
• Compare symbolism and cubism
• Talk about the Enlightenment movement
• What influenced modern art in the 19th century?

Art History Thesis Topics on the Late Gothic Period

Our experienced writers managed to create a list of art history thesis topics on the late gothic period that you will absolutely love:

• Discuss the vaulted hall churches in Germany
• Major themes in late Gothic sculptures
• Differences between Renaissance and late Gothic art
• Talk about the British Perpendicular style
• Discuss the Flamboyant style
• Compare and contrast the Flamboyant and Perpendicular styles
• Major themes in late Gothic paintings
• The main symbols of Gothic art
• Research the late gothic era in France
• What is the tracery window?

Art History Senior Thesis Topics

Are you working on a senior thesis in art history and need some inspiration? All you have to do is pick one of our art history senior thesis topics for free and start writing:

• Talk about manuscripts in Modernist paintings
• A closer look at the Romanesque style
• The role of life in art
• The history of photography as an art
• An in-depth look at Neoclassicist sculptures
• Art on the Great Wall in China
• Discuss the importance of recurring subjects in art
• The role of nature in art
• An in-depth look at Christian symbols in art
• The first musical instruments

Undergraduate Art History Thesis Topics

Of course, our list of topics would not be complete without some ideas for undergrads. Here are the undergraduate art history thesis topics we think will perform best in 2023:

• Research the Statue of Zeus
• Famous impressionists
• Talk about stained glass windows
• Talk about 3 important Greek sculptures
• Discuss the film industry in Bollywood
• Research the history of pop art
• Primitivism: is it an art?
• Research the history of Venetian carnival masks
• Differences between modernism and cubism
• Discuss the Rococo movement

Art History Photography Thesis Topics

Interested in writing about photography? After all, it is art. Don’t worry about it; we’ve got your back. Here are some original art history photography thesis topics:

• Discuss the history of photography
• Are photographs works of art?
• Famous artworks that are photographs
• Latest advancements in photographic technology
• An in-depth look at lighting and its uses
• Research 3 artists that have made an art out of photography
• An in-depth look at the purpose of photography
• Research the first photo camera
• Famous photographs in art museums in your area
• The life and work of Ansel Adams
• The role of Jonas Leriche in photography
• Discuss the role of the background in photography
• How important is the camera for a photographer?
• What makes a good photographer?

Popular Art History Thesis Topics

If you’re looking for the most popular art history thesis topics, we have some great news for you. We have an entire list of them right here:

• Discuss the Art Nouveau style
• What makes Pablo Picasso’s paintings remarkable?
• An in-depth look at photorealism
• Discuss funerary art in ancient Egypt
• Research the history of Chinese art
• Discuss the role of the abstract in modern paintings
• Composite styles in ancient Rome paintings
• Discuss the rise of modern art in Europe
• An in-depth look at Biblical motifs in Leonardo Da Vinci’s art
• The first art fair in the world
• Discuss the La Tene Celtic art style
• Discuss art in the Feudal Era
• An in-depth look at the history of Japanese art
• Research Mayan paintings

Art History Thesis Topics Greek

Are you interested in talking about Greek art? Do you want some of the best topics for free? You’re in luck because we have some interesting art history thesis topics greek for you right here:

• Analyze the Kore statue in Greece
• Talk about the Mask of Agamemnon
• Research ancient Greek pottery
• Research the Hades abducting Persephone painting
• Discuss the Coloso de Rodas
• Roman sculptures in ancient Greece
• The history of ancient Greek art
• Research ancient Greek architecture
• Discuss the Geometric period
• Research metalwork art in Greece

Art History Thesis Topics Impressionism

Writing your thesis on a topic related to impressionism will surely impress the evaluation committee and your supervisor. Check out these art history thesis topics impressionism ideas:

• Discuss the Impression, Sunrise by Claude Monet
• Research the styles in The Fighting Temeraire
• The depiction of light in impressionism
• Research Pierre-Auguste Renoir’s Dance at Le Moulin de la Galette
• Discuss the embracement of modernity
• The history of the Impressionist movement
• The main ideas of impressionism
• Talk about the style of open composition
• Discuss unusual visual angles
• Talk about the first impressionist exhibition

Art History Research Topics

Your research paper will be memorable if you choose the right topic for it, guaranteed. Take a look at this brand new list of art history research topics and select the one you like the most:

• Talk about women in art
• The history of modernism
• Architecture as a form of art
• The role of the Trojan Horse
• Talk about art as a form of therapy
• The importance of Francisco de Goya’s paintings
• Dreams in works by Dali
• Discuss the rise of pop art
• Art and autism
• Discuss the Art Deco style

Famous Artists and Their Works

It has been demonstrated that finding new and interesting facts about famous artists can get students some bonus points. Here are some ideas related to famous artists and their works:

• The life and works of Leonardo Da Vinci
• The life and works of Pablo Picasso
• Discuss the most important Warhol sculpture
• Dorothea Lange’s contributions to photograph
• Discuss the works of Zeuxis
• The life and works of Michelangelo
• The life and works of Constantin Brancusi
• The life and works of Vincent Van Gogh
• The importance of Marie Tussaud
• An in-depth look at the history of the Mona Lisa
• The life and works of Alberto Giacometti
• Analyze the works of Apelles (370 BC)
• The life and works of Henry Moore
• The life and works of Rembrandt
• The life and photographs of Ansel Adams

Ancient Art History Research Paper Topics

Our experienced academic writers managed to come up with a nice list of ancient art history research paper topics for students looking to start working on their thesis:

• Talk about ancient art in Palestine
• Research primitive art
• Talk about ancient art in China
• Talk about ancient art in Greece
• Characteristics of ancient art
• Talk about ancient art in Rome
• The first work of art in the world
• Talk about ancient art in India
• Talk about ancient art in Mesopotamia
• Characteristics of Persian art

Compare and Contrast Topics in Art History

If you want to write a compare and contrast paper, you are in luck. We have just added these interesting compare and contrast topics:

• Echion and Polygnotus
• Salvador Dali and Michelangelo
• Modern and contemporary art
• Vincent Van Gogh and Raphael
• Compare and contrast two sculptures of your choice
• Impressionism and cubism
• Claude Monet and Leornardo da Vinci
• Compare and contrast two paintings of your choice
• Protogenes and Apollodorus
• Henri Matisse and Frida Kahlo
• Surrealism and modern art
• Rembrandt and Johannes Vermeer
• Compare and contrast two art styles of your choice
• Abstract expressionism and cubism
• Jackson Pollock and Pierre-Auguste Renoir

Controversial Art History Topics

Art history has, like many other fields, plenty of controversies. Why not write your research paper on one of them? Here are some interesting yet controversial art history topics:

• Research the Le Dejeuner sur l’Herbe by Édouard Manet
• An in-depth look at Marcel Duchamp’s Fountain
• Discuss the Campbell’s Soup Cans by Andy Warhol
• What makes an art piece controversial?
• Controversies surrounding Pablo Picasso’s Guernica mural
• Controversies in pop art
• Is graffiti an art?

Contemporary Art History Topics

Do you want to write your thesis on a topic in contemporary art? No problem, we’ve got you covered. Check out these awesome contemporary art history topics and choose one for free:

• The life and work of Takashi Murakami
• The importance of Jenny Saville’s work
• Major themes in contemporary paintings
• Talk about contemporary art motifs on jewelry
• The top 3 greatest contemporary artists
• Talk about contemporary music
• Talk about what makes contemporary art unique
• Contemporary art on ceramics

Renaissance and the Middle Ages topics

Stop wasting your time searching for topics and select one of these brand new (100% original) Renaissance and the Middle Ages topics:

• The life and work of Donatello
• Peculiarities of Sandro Botticelli’s paintings
• The history of the La Pieta
• Research the sculptures of Michelangelo
• The painting of the Sistine Chapel ceiling
• An in-depth look at The Last Judgment painting
• Styles in Caravaggio’s paintings
• The life and works of Matteo Civitali
• Research the Mona Lisa painting
• The importance of Titian’s painting styles
• Research the history of The Birth of Venus
• The Last Supper by Leonardo da Vinci
• Discuss a painting by Masaccio
• Discuss the David of Michelangelo sculpture
• Research the history of Lorenzo Ghiberti’s sculptures

Get Quality Thesis Writing Help

We know that most students are struggling with their first thesis. Don’t worry, you are certainly not the only one in this position. Truth be told, writing a thesis the right way can be extremely difficult for anyone who has not done it before. This is why, in addition to the exceptional thesis topics art history students are looking for, we are offering top quality custom dissertation help to students who want to get a top grade on their paper.

Get access to an expert online in a matter of minutes. All you have to do is tell us what you need and when you need it. We’ll pair you with one of our professional thesis writers in no time. Are you worried about the quality of our work? We know that the Internet can be a dangerous place, but you can certainly trust us and out experts. Just take a look at the feedback we have received from students like you over the years and decide if you need our services. Our art history thesis writers are ready to start working on your project right now.

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I Keep the Ladders Clean: 2024 MFA Thesis Exhibition

by Contemporary Art Museum

Tue, Apr 23, 2024

10 AM – 5 PM EDT (GMT-4)

USF Contemporary Art Museum

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Afrofuturism Explained: A Conversation with Curator Kevin Strait

Curator Kevin Strait answers questions about the museum’s latest exhibition,  Afrofuturism: A History of Black Futures,  and shares what visitors can expect during their journey. 

Open to the public through March 24, 2024, the exhibition features more than 100 objects and reveals this evolving concept’s historic and poignant engagement with African American history and popular culture.

What is Afrofuturism?

Afrofuturism: A History of Black Futures exhibition located in the Bank of America Special Exhibitions gallery until March 24, 2024.

Afrofuturism  is an evolving concept expressed through a Black cultural lens that reimagines, reinterprets, and reclaims the past and present for a more empowering future for African Americans. Afrofuturism expresses notions of Black identity, agency, and freedom through art, creative works and activism that envision liberated futures for Black life.

Afrofuturism was originally coined in scholarly circles to explore how Black writers and artists have utilized themes of technology, science fiction, fantasy and heroism to envision stories and futures of Black liberation and convey a more genuine and empowered image of the Black experience. 

Today, Afrofuturism has surpassed the boundaries of scholarship, evolving as a concept, and emerging as a philosophy, multimedia genre, aesthetic and cultural movement.

Why did the museum choose to take on the subject of Afrofuturism now?

We are in a moment where we can see examples of Afrofuturism’s influence and impact on our culture.  The term has entered our lexicon from the popularity of films like “ Black Panther ,” yet it has historically been a significant driver of African American culture and expression. 

From the cosmologies of ancient black civilizations, to era of slavery and to the present day, African Americans have re-imagined the futures and possibilities of black people across the globe through the dynamic lens of Afrofuturism and this exhibit explores how Black artists, orators, leaders and intellectuals have utilized themes of technology, sci-fi, space and heroism to envision futures of black liberation and convey an expansive image of the black experience.

What do you want your visitors to walk away thinking or feeling from this exhibition?

Our hope is for visitors to enjoy their visit and learn more about this dynamic topic by seeing the various ways that Afrofuturism connects with and influences American culture. 

The exhibition emphasizes a broader understanding of Afrofuturism, not simply as a subgenre of science fiction and fantasy, but as part of a larger tradition of Black intellectual history, with distinct roots that stretch across generations and the Black Diaspora. 

Our hope is for audiences to be immersed in the concept by exploring Afrofuturist expression through its various forms in literature, music, art, film, fashion activism and visual media to get a sense of Afrofuturism’s historic, and poignant engagement with African American intellectual history and popular culture.

Afrofuturism is not a new concept. Who were some of the historians that first talked about Afrofuturism? And what claims did they make?

Portion of the Afrofuturism exhibition featuring elements of space. 

[Cultural critic and writer] Mark Dery coined the term and it was conceived through his discussions with author Samuel Delany, critic Greg Tate and historian Tricia Rose and featured in his essay “ Black to the Future .” 

Sociologist Alondra Nelson and writers, technologists and artists like Sheree Renée Thomas, Paul Miller and Nalo Hopkinson developed an early list serv to research and develop the language of this new conceptual model, meant to analyze the intriguing ways that race, culture, and technology intersect within the broad nexus of Afrofuturism. 

What is your favorite item in this exhibition?

The ESP guitar from Vernon Reid that was used in the [band Living Colour’s] “Cult of Personality” video and the recording of their debut album, “Vivid.”

A custom electric guitar manufactured by ESP and owned by Vernon Reid. Reid played the guitar on Living Colour's debut album Vivid . Collection of the Smithsonian National Museum of African American History and Culture, Donated by Vernon Reid

Subtitle here for the credits modal.

Department of Art

The 2024 recipients of the the hamblet award and merit award annoucement.

Posted by phillijb on Thursday, April 18, 2024 in News and Events .

The Department of Art at Vanderbilt University is proud to annouce the recipients of the 2024 the Margaret Stonewall Wooldridge Hamblet Award and Merit Award.

Every spring, the senior art majors finish their senior year experience installing their thesis exhibitions in Space 204, the contemporary art gallery located in the E. Bronson Ingram Studio Arts Center, the home of the Vanderbilt University Department of Art.

The students who mount their exhibitons are given the opportunity to compete for two grants made possible by the Margaret Stonewall Woodridge Hamblet Endowment. This competition is a three part process – a written proposal, an exhibition of works, and interviews with a panel of jurors.

The 2024 Margaret Stonewall Wooldridge Hamblet Award Recipient ($25,000)

Remasking taps into the rich history of Igbo culture, focusing on the traditions of masquerade designs from my ancestral homeland in southeastern Nigeria. Embracing the handmade costuming of the tradition, I intertwine sacred elements of masquerade silhouettes and tactile resources with contemporary storytelling. Key to exploring this tradition is the feminist lens through which I attempt to understand and portray it to an American audience.

I utilize video, sound, ceramics, and fashion-inspired sculpture to reclaim the portrayal of feminine beauty that traditional masquerade displays have sought to do. In the video performance, I adorn myself as the unorthodox female dancer in a handcrafted silhouette, occupying a traditionally male-dominated space. My silhouette transforms the standard costumes I reference, by accentuating my figure and emphasizing the breasts and hips passed down generationally.

By transforming this ritualistic and festive space, I contemporize ancient practices and beliefs. Below the masquerade sculpture, a field of red dirt transports the viewer to the roads and colors of my family’s village. Buried within the dirt are ceramic masks that reference traditional Igbo styles and the spirits that masquerade dancers personify.

While the video projections evoke the divinity of dance, the accompanying dynamic sound incorporates traditional drumming arrangements and vocals. Elements of these sounds are from my collaborations with the local education and ensemble group, AfricaNashville, and resident artists Ibrahim Dioubate and Windship Boyd.

This project is a celebration and preservation of tradition, intertwining personal discovery with cultural reconnection for a Nigerian-American artist. It confronts the patriarchal expressions embedded within these traditions, striving to inclusively engage both the performer and the audience in a captivating celebration and consideration of Igbo heritage.

About the Artist:

Chidinma Onukwuru is a Nigerian-American artist from Philadelphia, PA, U.S. The mixed-media artist uses an interdisciplinary approach to portray the complexities of her identities and of communities she engages with. Her research and academic pursuits in sociology often inspire the conceptual elements of her work, while she engages in a variety of materials to emphasize those significant themes. Onukwuru’s work focuses on the intersections of spirituality, feminism, and Blackness as she explores the self and the community. Her recent works address matters of the African diaspora, combining traditions with the contemporary, particularly emphasizing on materiality and its significance in storytelling and ritual formation. Onukwuru works in video, photography, collage, ceramics, sculpture, fashion design, and installation.

The 2024 Margaret Stonewall Wooldridge Hamblet Merit Award Recipient ($10,000)

Kiko Gio (Xuanyi Zhao) 奶奶，那我是啷个 (Grandma, Then Who Am I)

奶奶，那我是啷个 Grandma, Then Who Am intertwines personal reflection with the collective experiences of contemporary rural elderly Chinese women. Inspired by Louise Bourgeois’ Maman , the piece employ spiders as metaphors for my grandmother, symbolizing her dual role as a tailor in both her professional and personal life. As a woman form a low income family born in 1930’s China, she was born deprived of educational opportunity. She spends her whole life a small town, weaves for her husband and breeds her offspring. Meanwhile, I’m living on the other hemisphere of the globe, gradually overthrow motherhood, this piece highlights the unique nature of inter-generational relationships, characterized by pure care giving, devoid of educational and control intentions. It is exactly because of this pure support from grandmother stirs a feeling of guilt and embarrassment as my lifestyle has transitioned to the contrary of Chinese conventional one. This continuous struggle generated from seeking freedom and the deeply-rooted bond with y conventional family members.

Female nudity could be viewed as an empowerment on sexual liberation, but is more often considered as a symbol of sexualization. In the center of this piece is the spider selflessly weaving up a piece of fabric using her own hair, and sheltering her eggs with it. However, on the back and front of the spider, the image of me naked is at an angle unseen by her but visible to the audience. My continuous struggle on love and identity is not visible to her, because of the geographical distance also because of this generational gap, but she unconditionally continues to weave up cloth for me even if I choose to expose my nudity.

Born and raised in China and now residing in Nashville, Xuanyi Zhao (who creates art as Kiko Gio) is a multimedia artist at Vanderbilt University, majoring in Studio Arts and Psychology, with an expected graduation date of spring 2024. Learning psychology and making art are both therapeutic. Kiko’s artistic journey is profoundly influenced by numerous geographical relocations, providing a dynamic and fluid perspective. The journey began with traditional Chinese art school training, emphasizing drill-based drawing practices, before veturing into fine art experiments in college. Unintentionally, Kiko’s work has gravitated towards exploring interpersonal and emotional relationships. Both materially and conceptually, Kiko persistently persues unconventional and avant-garde innovations, reflecting a deep commitment to pushing boundaries of artistic expression.

The doors between the gallery spaces of Space 204 opened on Friday, April 12, to showcase the hard work of Vanderbilt University’s graduating studio art majors and their Margaret Stonewall Wooldridge Hamblet Senior Thesis exhibitions collectively showing under the title The 13: No Vacancy .

The 2023 Senior Shows will be on display to the public from Friday, April 12 until Friday, May 10, in Space 204, the contemporary exhibition space in the E. Bronson Ingram Studio Arts Center.

Gallery hours are Mondays thru Fridays, 10am to 4pm. These exhibitions are free and open to the public.

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• Summer 2024

ART H 700 A: Master's Thesis

University of Notre Dame

Department of Art, Art History, and Design

College of Arts and Letters

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BFA/BA Honors Thesis Exhibition

Time: Thu May 16, 2024, 8:00 am - 5:00 pm (part of a series)

Location: AAHD Galleries, 214/216 Riley Hall (View on map )

View the annual exhibition of the culminating thesis projects created by the students graduating with a BFA or BA Honors​ degree from the University of Notre Dame, Department of Art, Art History & Design. An opening reception will occur on May 1 from 5 pm to 7 pm . The show will run from May 1–19, 2024 .

BFA Candidates Julia Cutajar Katherine Gaylord Mae Harkins Christina Sayut Luis Sosa Manubes Jessica Stehlik

BA Honors Candidates Payton Oliver CJ Rodgers Mary Votava Emma Kirner

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A History of Solar Eclipses in Art

On April 8, people from all over the country flocked to a narrow belt of land, running from Texas to Maine, to catch a glimpse of the total solar eclipse. Emerging from the Mexican border around midday and passing into Canada in the afternoon, the eclipse mesmerized countless viewers across the US.

For many, it was the viewers’ first time seeing a total solar eclipse. This strange event spurred varying emotions, from feelings of shock and awe to disappointment and boredom. This begs the question: throughout history, how have people reacted to the solar eclipse?

For centuries, popular culture has been fascinated by this exceedingly rare event. The many feelings engendered by the eclipse have produced much folklore and folk traditions over the course of history. In Vietnamese folklore, for example, it is believed that a solar eclipse occurs when an enormous toad devours the sun.

Even after astronomy equipped humanity with the tools to understand and predict the eclipse, the eclipse’s hold on humanity’s collective wonder has not relented. For centuries, artists have capitalized on this phenomenon to produce works that linger in the popular imagination.

Astronomical phenomena particularly inspired the universalists of the Renaissance. With Giotto di Bondone replacing the Star of Bethlehem with his image of Halley’s comet in the early Italian Renaissance in “The Adoration of the Magi” (c. 1320), the Renaissance tore down walls that separated art and science.

The solar eclipse itself has been a recurring feature in the Christian iconography of the Renaissance; Raphael was inspired by the eclipse as a metaphor for deception in “Isaac and Rebecca Spied upon by Abimelech” (1518-19). In this Fresco, Raphael illustrates a scene from the Bible where Rebecca and Isaac express their love for each other under the cover of an eclipse. Matthias Grünewald — a German Renaissance painter — famously depicted the crucifixion of Christ in the midst of a solar eclipse in “The Small Crucifixion” (c. 1511/1520). Possibly inspired by the solar eclipse of 1502, Grünewald’s distorted figures and the heightened emotions of mysticism redefined the Western imagination of the solar eclipse as being intertwined with the non-human.

Peter Paul Rubens — the famous Flemish Baroque painter — was himself inspired by the symbolism of the Renaissance. Three of his paintings that were produced over the course of ten years, “Elevation of the Cross” (1610), “Christ on the Cross” (1610), and “Christ on the Cross between the Two Thieves” (1619-20) depict the crucifixion of Christ and an eclipse in the background.

More recently, artists found the solar eclipse to be a powerful tool for the abstractions of 20th-century painting. Diego Rivera’s cubist painting “Portrait of Ramón Gómez de la Serna” (1915) features a solar eclipse in the eye of the poet — a homage to the poet’s personal interest in the eclipse. The solar corona exuding from the eye of Gomez may also symbolize the poet’s subdued imagination, the subject’s grip on his pen suggests he is on the process of writing, and the dark town in the background further suggests the author’s nocturnality.

The Russian symbolist Nicholas Roerich in “Prince Igor Campaign” (1942) examines the themes of war under the shadow of a solar eclipse. Pop artist Roy Lichtenstein was primarily interested in the geometry of the eclipse, illustrating many phases of the eclipse in a playful spread with his works “Eclipse of the Sun” (1975) and “Eclipse of the Sun II” (1975).

The solar eclipse also remains popular in the 21st century. In Kentaro Miura’s critically acclaimed manga, “Berserk,” the eclipse is used as a symbol of doom and catastrophe, partly inspired by the works of Grünewald and Ruben. David Bowie’s final album “Blackstar” (2016) is also riddled with references to the eclipse. For example, the music video for its titular track features imagery of the skeleton of an astronaut — possibly a metaphor for the death of Bowie’s previous persona “Major Tom,” floating toward a solar eclipse. “Blackstar” is David Bowie’s confrontation with death; only two days after the album was released, Bowie succumbed to liver cancer.

Art serves as a vehicle for the many feelings spurred by the exceedingly rare and fascinating phenomenon that is a solar eclipse. Rubens evokes feelings of doom, whereas Lichtenstein evokes a playful curiosity. As the memory of the eclipse on April 8 fades from our imagination, it’s important to remember that its impact resonates across different centuries of media and cultures.

—Staff writer Wonjae Suh can be reached at [email protected] .

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