ART 229: American Prints, Politics, & Popular Culture

This lecture course introduces students to the history of American graphic arts, photography, print media, and visual uses of the Internet through topics in politics and culture. From the first publications of graphic arts in the 16th century, the mass-produced image and its presentation have played a vital role in shaping the way Americans view and represent themselves. Superior examples - those that rise to the level of aesthetic excellence - afford deep and rich opportunities for engaging these ideas. Topics include: American prints, politics, and war; American photography, gender, and identity; race and representation in American culture; and the rise of mass media, the World Wide Web, and advertising in the United States.