History of Art & Architecture: Paris

As the epicenter of Western artistic development, Paris is home to the most renowned artworks in the world and iconic architectural landmarks. In this field-based seminar, explore art history from prehistory through today, using the city as your classroom. In the blockbuster galleries of the Louvre and Musée d’Orsay, and the quieter corners of the Brancusi studio and Musée Jacquemart-Andre, follow movements that shaped history and inspired generations of artists. Focusing on movements that were nourished in France, discuss how they reflect the history of Paris and its people. Trace the development of religious imagery in altarpieces and tapestries at the Musée de Cluny and on the façade of Notre-Dame. Cross the Seine on the city’s Renaissance bridges, studying the masquerons on the Pont Neuf and the ornaments on Saint-Eustache. See the world through the eyes of the Impressionists at the Musée de l’Orangerie, walk in the footsteps of Renoir, Dalí, Picasso, Modigliani, and van Gogh, and see where many of their groundbreaking works were completed. Take day trips to experience the opulent classicism of Versailles and the quiet beauty of Monet’s garden at Giverny, and visit studios of contemporary Parisian artists challenging the role of traditional art history in their work.