Chabot College
Fall 2010
Course Outline for Art History 7
MULTICULTURAL HISTORY OF AMERICAN ART
Catalog Description:
7 – Multicultural History of American Art
3 units
A multicultural survey of American art from 1800 to the present. Special emphasis on art objects
created by Native American, Asian American, African American, and Hispanic/Latino artists and
artisans. Considers how art objects express the maker’s identity within the specific historical, social,
and political circumstances of his or her life. Addresses how male and female artists and artisans
from these groups have used various art forms to assert their gender and ethnic identity in response
to historical change. 3 hours.
[Typical contact hours: 52.5]
Prerequisite Skills:
None
Expected Outcomes for Students:
Upon completion of this course student should be able to:
1. recount an overview of the history of nineteenth-century European-American representations
of other peoples;
2. describe the origins and articulate the cultural meaning of landscape for nineteenth-century
European-Americans;
3. identify the style of Plains Indians artforms (circa 1800-1860) and articulate the meaning of
that style for Plains peoples;
4. identify examples of Hispanic/Latino architecture, sculpture, and painting; describe the origins
of Hispanic style; and explain the meaning of that style for Hispanics living in the American
Southwest in the nineteenth-century;
5. identify the style, origins, and meaning of antebellum African American artforms for African
Americans living in the North and South;
6. discuss artistic opportunities presented to African American artists in post-bellum America;
7. describe the emergence of tourist arts in the American Southwest at the end of the nineteenth
century and describe the reception of those arts among European-Americans;
8. explain the impact reservation life had on Plains Indian artforms;
9. describe the origins of artistic styles associated with Harlem Renaissance and articulate the
cultural and social objectives of those styles;
10. identify the style of artwork produced at the Santa Fe Indian School in the 1930s, describe its
origins, and articulate its meaning;
11. discuss the style and meaning of art made by Asian American artists in the first part of the
twentieth century;
12. identify the artistic styles used by artists of the Mexican Mural Movement, identify the origins
of these styles, and describe the political objectives of these artists;
13. articulate the role art played for Japanese Americans during their internment;
14. trace the origins of Modernism and describe how Native American, African American, Asian
American and Hispanic/Latino artists responded;
15. articulate the goals and objectives of activist artists working in the 1960s and 1970s;
16. identify the styles used by Native American, Asian American, African American and Latino
Postmodern artists; articulate the objectives of these artists; and discuss the politics of these
artworks;
Chabot College
Course Outline for Art History 7, page 2
Fall 2010
Course Content:
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History of nineteenth-century European-American representations of other peoples
Origins and cultural meaning of landscape for nineteenth-century European-Americans
Style and cultural meaning of Plains Indians artforms (circa 1800-1860) for Plains peoples
Origin, style, and meaning of Hispanic architecture, sculpture, and painting for Hispanics
living in the nineteenth-century American Southwest
Style, origins, and meaning of antebellum African Americans artforms for African Americans
living in the North and South
Artistic opportunities presented to African American artists in post-bellum America
Emergence of tourist arts in the American Southwest at the end of the nineteenth century and
their reception among European-Americans
Impact of reservation life on Plains Indian artforms
Origins of artistic styles associated with Harlem Renaissance and their cultural and social
objectives
Style, origins, and meaning of the art produced at the Santa Fe Indian School in the 1930s
Style and meaning of art made by Asian American artists in the first part of the twentieth
century
Origins, style, and political objectives of the Mexican Mural Movement
Role of art for Japanese Americans during their internment
Rise of Modernism and the response of Native American, African American, and Asian
American artists
Goals and objectives of activist artists working in the 1960s and 1970s
Style, objectives, and politics of Native American, Asian American, and African American
Postmodern artists
Methods of Presentation:
1. Illustrated lectures utilizing slides and video
2. Viewing exhibits of original artworks by Euro-American, Native American, African American
and Asian American artists and artisans
3. Large and small group discussion
Assignments and Methods of Evaluating Student Progress:
1. Typical Assignments
a. Write a one-page descriptive essays on designated work(s) of art
b. Write a three-page interpretive essay on designated work(s) of art
2. Methods of Evaluating Student Progress
a. Class discussion
b. Examination
c. Written assignments
d. Oral Presentation
Textbook(s) (Typical):
North American Indian Art, David W. Penney and George Horse Capture, Thames and Hudson,
2004. Most recent survey text on this subject.
Black Art: A Cultural History, Richard Powell, Thames and Hudson, 2002. Written by a leading
scholar in the field, yet to be surpassed for its clear prose style and breadth of coverage.
Asian American Art: A History, 1850-1970, Gordon Chang, Mark Johnson, and Paul Karlstrom,
Stanford University Press, 2008
Chabot College
Course Outline for Art History 7, page 3
Fall 2010
Special Student Materials:
None
[DZ] ARTH 7 / new course outline
September 14, 2009
cp 10-12-09