Art History Studies

Why Look at Art?

We live in a highly visual culture and while you probably aren't aware of it, your ability to see and understand a video, movie, or photograph depends on a long history of images. The images you see in magazines don't just happen to look like that; rather, image-makers draw on a rich, visual tradition that goes back 30,000 years to produce the work you enjoy. Even you as a consumer of images have to be trained to look at images. More importantly, those images you see communicate important social ideas and beliefs, sometimes without you even being aware of it.

So whether you're a lover of art or just a citizen of our visual world, the history of art underlies your very ability to see and comprehend what is around you.

Based on the reasons provided in the video, why would you look at art?

"You Think this Has Nothing to Do with You"

The history of images affects our everyday lives, whether we know it or not.

This scene from The Devil Wears Prada illustrates how "blithely unaware" we are of the histories that walk around with us on a daily basis. In the clip, the boss, Miranda Priestly, schools her painfully oblivious assistant, Andy Sachs, on fashion's reach into Andy's wardrobe. Replace "fashion" with "art" and art history may be more relevant than you think.

What does the history of Andy's lumpy blue sweater teach us about art history in our lives?

Analyzing Complex, Real World Situations

Studying art history has many benefits, even if you aren't an artist or someone who cares about art. Most professions require people to critically investigate and understand things they see.

How might your chosen profession benefit from an eye trained by looking at art?

Explore Our Visual World through Art History at Phoenix College

• COURSES:
  • Introduction to Art
  • Art from Prehistory Through Middle Ages
  • Art from Renaissance to Modernism
  • History of Photography
  • Art of Asia
  • Roman Art and Architecture
  • Art of Ancient Egypt

See what Phoenix College has to offer! Click on the videos below for an overview of some of our courses.

This course surveys art from prehistory through the Middle Ages. We will focus on art of Europe and the ancient Near East. Through readings, lectures, audio-visual media, discussions, quizzes, and assignments you can expect to become familiar with the major art historical periods and exemplary artists and artworks of those periods. We will also spend some time analyzing artwork using the formal vocabulary of visual art.

This course is a survey of the history of photography from the beginning to the present. The course emphasizes the reciprocal relationship between the medium’s development and reception, society, and other visual arts. You will study technical developments, photographic practices, and sociocultural themes.

Welcome to Art of Asia! This course will introduce you to some of the significant visual traditions of Turkey, India, China, Korea, Cambodia, Indonesia, and Japan. Although this is a history course, we will be utilizing a thematic approach rather than a strict "march through time." That's because the goal is to increase your global awareness while you cultivate stronger powers of observation and visual literacy. These are 21st-century skills with lifelong benefits and they're needed now more than ever in our ever-changing world. That means in addition to exploring these Asian cultures you will learn about how art and architecture regardless of cultural origin speak to us through a universal visual language.

The art and culture of ancient Egypt from prehistoric through the Greco-Roman period.

Growth.  Conquest.  Collapse.  The story of Rome is familiar to most, and makes for great reading for fans of history.  But why does it matter to us?  What did this ancient regime do correctly, and what lessons can we learn from its missteps?  How does history repeat, and what does this mean for society today?  This class will deeply delve into the art, architecture, customs, politics, and military strategies of the Roman Kingdom, Republic, and Empire.  Through examinations of the various aspects of Rome’s evolution and eventual decline, we will be able to chart not only the arc of a great civilization but also see how its trajectory is mirrored in many other cultures, including our own. 

Image: Pompeii looking toward Mt. Vesuvius. Michel Zajac. All rights reserved.