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Become the expert you’ve always wanted to be!
Art is all around us. It is a visual language that artists use to
challenge our assumptions, forge new ideas, and often breathe beauty into
everyday objects. But to truly appreciate any work of art we need to understand
the context and culture in which it was produced. That is why The Smithsonian
Associates created its certificate program in the
History of Western Art with a plan of study that maximizes your time and
takes advantage of all the world-class collections this city offers.
The certificate program forgoes exams and papers. Instead, our courses, seminars, study tours, and studio art classes encourage in-depth exploration of historic periods. Discerning teachers introduce the basic vocabulary and elements in works of art and examine major styles, artists, and masterpieces to further your appreciation of past cultures and increase your confidence when viewing collections.
The certificate program’s comprehensive curriculum consists of core courses and electives. Core courses focus on the most significant periods from the origins of Western art to Modernism. Electives vary in format and topic and range from local tours to all-day seminars, evening programs, and studio arts classes.
To complete the required curriculum, participants must select four or five of the
core courses plus three or four electives for a total of eight credits. Please note that several electives
will be listed as “Half-credit programs.” Half-credit programs
are determined based on the scope and length of the specific program. You must
take two of these half-credit programs to equal one full elective. If half-credit
programs are taken, it will take more than eight programs to complete the certificate.
Please contact Ruth Robbins, Coordinator of the Certificate Program, at 202-633-8634 or robbiru@si.edu with any questions.
History of Western Art Core Courses
Introduction to Western Art: From Cave Paintings to the Colosseum
Man’s desire to create images began with early cave art.
Centuries later, Egypt and Mesopotamia became the cradle of Western
Civilization while classical Greece and Rome laid the foundations
of Western art.
Cathedrals and Beyond: Art of the Medieval World
For more than a thousand years art was created to bridge man’s
existence on earth with God in heaven. The spiritual preoccupation
is seen in the diverse art of mosaics, frescoes, golden and bejeweled
reliquaries, illuminated manuscripts and of course, the Cathedral.
From Palaces to Plein Air: 18th- and 19th-Century European Art
A time of contrasting artistic visions, from the academic classicism
of Ingres to the Romantic rebellion of Delacroix and the Impressionism
of Monet and Renoir. Art responded to the rapidly changing political
and industrial world.
Cross-Currents in Modern Art: From Cezanne to Warhol
Experience a kaleidoscope of contrasting visions from
the Post-Impressionism of Cezanne and Van Gogh through the Cubism
of Picasso and the Surrealism of Dali to the late 20th-century styles
of Warhol and Pollock.
History of Western Art Electives
Electives offer the chance to explore selected topics in greater depth.
Examples of electives include The Impressionists, Masters of the Italian
Renaissance, History of American Art, Introduction to Drawing Workshop, and
an all-day tour to the Cloisters Museum in New York City.
Current Western Art History Certificate Electives offered