ART 268 - Pre-Columbian Mexico through its Art and Architecture (1)

This class will explore, through the selection of a limited number of works of art and architecture, the rich artistic traditions of pre-Columbian Mexico. Although the course’s geographical and historical reach is large (spanning over 3,000 years of history and a broad swath of North America), the works that we will examine are selective rather than comprehensive, and certain recurring themes will be emphasized in class discussions. Such themes include: Mesoamerican rulership and its representation; various cultures’ approaches to life and death and how they are reflected in art and material culture; Mesoamerican cities and urban planning; materials and “material meanings”; uses of technology in understanding the pre-Columbian world; collecting the pre-Columbian past; and continuities of pre-Columbian culture after 1521. Class discussions, one field trip, and assigned readings are intended to help students in the critical evaluation of this art. Class sessions will be a mixture of illustrated lectures and discussion. Elective for Latin American Studies majors. No alternate grade option. [AH]
(Humanities)