Week 1
Lesson 1
Introduction to Art History and Arts of the Baroque Period
After brief introductions, this week is all about the elaborate ornamentation of baroque and rococo art! Students will start this week discussing famous artists Rembrandt and Caravaggio and how their attention to detail produced art that was very different from their Renaissance counterparts! We will discuss the introduction of realistic light and shadow in art to dramatize scenes, looking at Artemisia Gentileschi's "Judith and Holofernes" as an example of this. 
 Week 2
Lesson 2
Romanticism and Neoclassicism  
In this second week, Romanticism and Neoclassicism battle it out for the lead in the art world! We will discuss the lush landscapes and stories of Rococo through the works of French artists like Jean Honore-Fragonard, whose work "The Swing" is considered the pinnacle of Rococo lavishness. Rococo will lead us into our discussion of Romanticism. Students will discuss the stark differences between the romanticists and neoclassicists, and be able to identify the traits of both. 
 Week 3
Lesson 3
Impressionism
Impressionism--the first big shift away from traditional art practices of the previous few centuries. Students will start with Courbet, who first tested the boundaries of traditional academic style paintings through his new style, Realism, and continue to evaluate the paintings of Impressionists such as Manet, Degas, Van Gogh, and Monet. The discussion will emphasize the impact of Modernity on the art world during the late 19th century. This week’s case study will be Monet’s Water Lillies.
 Week 4
Lesson 4
Post-Impressionism and Fauvism
During Week 4, students will jump into post-Impressionism and Fauvism at the turn of the century! This unit will emphasize the expressive usage of color in each of these movements and important techniques for the application of paints, as developed by each of these groups. This week’s case study will be Seurat’s “La Grande Jatte,” also known as “Sunday Afternoon in the Park, emphasizing the scientific application of paint used by Seurat known as stippling. 
 Week 5
Lesson 5
Cubism and German Expressionism
Week 5 is all about art around the first World War! This week we will start by discussing how art is becoming more and more abstracted through the movement of Cubism. This week’s case study is Picasso’s "Guernica" and its connection to Cubism and the War. The rest of class emphasizes how politics influence artistic practice through an evaluation of German Expression focusing on how the destruction of World War I left entire populations feeling alienated and lost.
 Week 6
Lesson 6
 Dada and Surrealism
We delve into the mindset of the Surrealists and Dadas, who both questioned what art truly was and what it should represent.  This week's case study revolves around Marcel Duchamp's "Fountain" and how the Dadas sought to question the practices of the art world through their mockery of traditional artistic practices. Surrealism sought to evoke psychological, inward subject matter in a way that was similar to a dreamlike state. Students will discuss Dali and Kahlo to unpack these ideas.
 Week 7
Lesson 7
Abstract Expressionism
Students will evaluate the impact of Abstract Expressionism, considered the first truly American art form, on the art world in the post-War period. This week's case study will include several works by Jackson Pollock, the most well known of the Expressionists, and students will discuss how art shifted to purely abstracted imagery. Students will be able to discuss key concepts of abstract expressionism, including all-over composition, monumentality, and a shift in paint application tools.
 Week 8
Lesson 8
The Impact of Modernism post-1960--Pop Art, Minimalism, and Performance
We will briefly discuss how the art world shifted in the 1960s, starting with Pop Art, and how the contemporary art world will evolve from the hands of these artists. Students will look at artists like Andy Warhol, Marina Ambramovic, and Robert Smithson, who interpreted Modernist tendencies in new ways during the contemporary period. Students will discuss how popular culture impacted the art world and how artists began shifting away from traditional methods of art in the contemporary period.
 Week 9
Lesson 9
Feminism and Identity Politics in Art 
This week is all about women and artists of color in the contemporary era, primarily from 1980-today! We will discuss how artists of different backgrounds tell their stories through their art, including Jenny Holzer, Barbara Kruger, Carrie Mae Weems, Kara Walker, Jean Michele Basquiat, and Romare Bearden. In this class, we will discuss why traditional art history tends to ignore these important voices and why their contemporary works are so influential. 
 Week 10
Lesson 10
Art from 2000 to the Present Day
In this final class, we will discuss trends in art today. We will discuss everything from the mass produced art of Jeff Koons and his inflatable dog sculptures, the identity politics of Kehinde Wiley and his portraits of black artists in traditional paintings and his portraits of the Obamas, and the resurgence of graffiti as an artform with Banksy. After this course, students will understand trends in the art market in the present day and why they see the art they see out in the world!