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General Information

Course ID (CB01A and CB01B)
ASAMD040.
Course Title (CB02)
History of Art: Arts of Asia
Course Credit Status
Credit - Degree Applicable
Effective Term
Fall 2023
Course Description
This is a general introduction to art through major Asian artistic traditions. The course focuses on paintings, sculptures, ceramics, and architecture and their religious, cultural, historical, and social contexts. It will examine arts from China, Japan, India, Central Asia, Himalayas, and Southeast Asia and assesses the contributions of Asian art in a global context.
Faculty Requirements
Course Family
Not Applicable

Course Justification

This course meets a general education requirement at °®¶¹´«Ã½, CSU and IGETC. This course is a requirement in the A.A. degree in Art History. This course provides students with an opportunity to take a non-western art history class that introduces them to pan-Asian and global art historical and cultural issues.

Foothill Equivalency

Does the course have a Foothill equivalent?
No
Foothill Course ID

Course Philosophy

Formerly Statement

Formerly Statement
(ASAM D040. was formerly INTL D010.)

Course Development Options

Basic Skill Status (CB08)
Course is not a basic skills course.
Grade Options
  • Letter Grade
  • Pass/No Pass
Repeat Limit
0

Transferability & Gen. Ed. Options

Transferability
Transferable to both UC and CSU
°®¶¹´«Ã½ GEArea(s)StatusDetails
2GC1°®¶¹´«Ã½ GE Area C1 - ArtsApproved
CSU GEArea(s)StatusDetails
CGC1CSU GE Area C1 - ArtsApproved
IGETCArea(s)StatusDetails
IG3AIGETC Area 3A - ArtsApproved
C-IDArea(s)StatusDetails
ARTHArt HistoryApprovedC-ID ARTH 130

Units and Hours

Summary

Minimum Credit Units
4.0
Maximum Credit Units
4.0

Weekly Student Hours

TypeIn ClassOut of Class
Lecture Hours4.08.0
Laboratory Hours0.00.0

Course Student Hours

Course Duration (Weeks)
12.0
Hours per unit divisor
36.0
Course In-Class (Contact) Hours
Lecture
48.0
Laboratory
0.0
Total
48.0
Course Out-of-Class Hours
Lecture
96.0
Laboratory
0.0
NA
0.0
Total
96.0

Prerequisite(s)

Corequisite(s)

Advisory(ies)

EWRT D001A or EWRT D01AH or ESL D005.

Limitation(s) on Enrollment

(Not open to students with credit in the cross-listed course(s).)

(Also listed as ARTS D02G.)

Entrance Skill(s)

General Course Statement(s)

(See general education pages for the requirements this course meets.)

Methods of Instruction

Collaborative learning and small group exercises

Discussion of assigned reading

Collaborative projects

Homework and extended projects

Lecture and visual aids

Discussion and problem solving performed in class

In-class exploration of Internet sites

Assignments

  1. Reading assignments
    1. Assigned textbook readings on various Asian art traditions
    2. Supplementary readings for research and visual analysis papers.
  2. Written assignments
    1. A research paper requiring analysis of primary and secondary sources.
    2. A visual analysis paper requiring analysis of original works of art in a museum setting.
  3. Class Discussions
    1. Students work in small and large groups to discuss topics related to the course and relevant to today.
    2. Students work in groups to formulate questions to lead discussions on assigned topics.

Methods of Evaluation

  1. Class discussion during which the student's skill in interpreting relevant issues will be assessed.
  2. Class Activity during which individual student or group leads the exercise and participation. Students will be assessed on how they formulate, present, and engage the class in assigned topics.
  3. Midterm and final exams including object identification to assess student's ability to differentiate art from different Asian cultures. Essay questions discussing content from lectures, class discussion and readings to evaluate student's critical understanding of various art forms, contexts surrounding the arts, and scholarly interpretations.
  4. Written assignments to evaluate student's ability to synthesize course materials and analyze the different artistic traditions.
  5. A guided research paper (approximately 1500-2000 words and bibliography) in which the student will be evaluated on her or his ability to analyze, evaluate, and synthesize primary and secondary sources.
  6. A visual analysis paper (approximately 600 words) for which the student will visit a specified museum and critically analyze works of Asian art on the basis of religious and social function, subject matter, and formal characteristics (such as style), as well as issues relating to the culture and gender of the artists.

Essential Student Materials/Essential College Facilities

Essential Student Materials: 
  • None.
Essential College Facilities:
  • None.

Examples of Primary Texts and References

AuthorTitlePublisherDate/EditionISBN
*Lee, Sherman. A History of Far Eastern Art. 5th ed. Englewood Cliffs, N.J.: Prentice Hall, 1994.
*O'Riley, Michael Kampen. Art Beyond the West. 3rd edition, Pearson 2013.
Brown, Rebecca and Deborah Hutton. "Asian Art: An Anthology."London: Blackwell Anthologies in Art History, 2006.
Kerrigan, Michael and Michael Robinson. "Asian Art." N.Y.: Star Fire, 2006.
Neave, Dorinda and Lara C.W. Blanchard, Marika Sardar. "Asian Art." Boston: Pearson, 2015

Examples of Supporting Texts and References

AuthorTitlePublisher
Desai, Vishakha."Asian Art History in the Twenty-First Century." London: Clark Studies in the Visual Arts, 2008.
Dehejia, Vidya. Indian Art. London: Phaidon Press, 1997.
Kerlogue, Fiona. Arts of Southeast Asia. London: Thames and Hudson, 2004.
Kossak, Steven. The Arts of South and Southeast Asia. N.Y.: Metropolitan Museum, 1994.
Lu, Peng. A History of Art in 20th-century China. (translation Bruce Gordon Doar) Milano: Charta, 2010.
Powers, Martin, Katherine R. Tsiang, ed. A Companion to Chinese Art. Series: Wiley Blackwell Companions to Art History. Chichester, West Sussex, United Kingdom: Wiley-Blackwell, 2016
Little, Stephen, ed. Taoism and the Arts of China. Chicago: Art Institute, 2000.
Mason, Penelope. History of Japanese Art. 2nd edition. N.J.: Pearson, Prentice Hall, 2004.
Steuber, Jason and Allysa B. Peyton, ed. Arts of Korea: Histories, Challenges, and Perspectives. Gainesville, University of Florida Press, 2017.
Mitter, Partha. Indian Art. Oxford: Oxford University Press, 2001.
Murayama, Takeshi and Ryoji Kuroda. Classic Stoneware of Japan: Shino and Oribe. Tokyo: Kodansha, 2002.
Noma, Seiroku. The Arts of Japan: Late Medieval to Modern. Tokyo: Kodansha, 2003.
Richter, Anne. Arts and Crafts of Indonesia. San Francisco: Chronicle, 1994.
Rogers, Howard, ed. China: 5000 Years. N.Y.: Abrams, 1998.
Roveda, Vittorio. Khmer Mythology: Secrets of Angkor. N.Y.: Weatherhill, 1998.
Stanley-Baker, Joan. Japanese Art, 3rd ed. World of Art series. Thames & Hudson, 2014.
Hearn, Maxwell. How to Read Chinese Paintings. N.Y.: Metropolitan Museum of Art, 2008.
Stierlin, Henri. Hindu India: From Khajuraho to The Temple City of Madurai. Koln: Taschen, 1998.
Weidner, Marsha. "Flowering in the Shadows: Women in the History of Chinese and Japanese Painting." Honolulu: University of Hawaii Press, 1990.
Sullivan, Michael, Shelash Vainker "The Arts of China." 6th edition. Berkeley: University of California Press, 2018.
Goswamy, B.N. ed, Vrinda Agrawal. Oxford Readings in Indian Art. New Delhi, India: Oxford University Press, 2018
Thorp, Robert L, Richard Ellis Vinograd. Chinese Art and Culture. N.Y.: Abrams, 2001.
Thurman, Robert and Marilyn Rhie. Wisdom and Compassion: The Sacred Art of Tibet, N.Y.: Abrams, 2000.
Clunas, Craig. Chinese Painting and its Audiences. Princeton; Oxford: Princeton University Press,2017 Bollingen series; Number XXXV. The A.W. Mellon lectures in the Fines Arts: 61st volume.
Li, Zhiyan, ed, Virginia L. Bower, He Li. Chinese Ceramics: From the Paleolithic Period through the Qing Dynasty. New Haven: Yale University press, 2010

Learning Outcomes and Objectives

Course Objectives

  • Explore the discipline of art history and compare different approaches to art historical study through interpretation of art from different Asian cultures.
  • Compare and contrast the origins of ancient civilizations in Asia and their artistic traditions with attention to the role of archaeology, history, and literature in the interpretation of art.
  • Appraise the role of women in Asian art with emphasis on the historical and social contexts.
  • Assess major artistic traditions in light of religious, philosophical, and political developments in India and appraise the influence of Indian art and culture in other parts of Asia.
  • Examine major artistic traditions within the framework of social, historical, and political developments in China, such as the impact of the Silk Road upon Chinese culture and the spread of Buddhist art styles from Central Asia to China.
  • Examine the development of a Korean and a Japanese aesthetic sensibility and art. Assess the role of indigenous and foreign elements in the development of Japanese and Korean art and culture. Analyze how Japan assimilated foreign influences yet rejected outside contacts during periods of seclusion.
  • Compare and contrast the development of artistic traditions in parts of Southeast Asia. Analyze the different features reflected in the arts and recognize the influence of Asian civilizations, religions and cultures upon Southeast Asian artistic styles and expression.

CSLOs

  • Investigate and validate the artistic contributions of Asian cultures, critically comparing these contributions from diverse peoples of Asia.

  • Develop an increased awareness and appreciation for diverse worldviews and artistic expressions, while critiquing misconceptions and stereotypes and assessing the relevancy of traditional Asian art forms in a current global context.

  • Analyze, evaluate, and synthesize diverse scholarly perspectives in Asian art history.

  • Apply skills demonstrating their abilities to analyze artworks on the basis of social, cultural, political, economic and/or ethnic contexts and issues relevant to gender studies.

  • Demonstrate critical thinking and visual literacy skills through oral and written communications.

Outline

  1. Explore the discipline of art history and compare different approaches to art historical study through interpretation of art from different Asian cultures.
    1. Critical analysis of the cultural, historical contexts of various Asian art forms, developing an awareness of how art may reflect the religious, social, political contexts, including the dynamics of cultural interaction.
    2. Explore various methods used by art historians to study art and architecture, such as iconographic and formal analysis, as well as recent approaches such as reception theory and collection history.
    3. Recognize the significance of Asian arts in a global context, including critical discussion surrounding preservation of important key monuments and sites, such as the role of UNESCO in restoring sites such as Borobudur or responses to the destruction of the Bamiyan Buddhas by the Taliban in Afghanistan.
  2. Compare and contrast the origins of ancient civilizations in Asia and their artistic traditions with attention to the role of archaeology, history, and literature in the interpretation of art.
    1. Indian pre-Buddhist period
      1. Indus Valley civilization and the impact of urbanization. Students will analyze changing perspectives regarding Indus Valley art and architecture through recent discoveries in archaeology.
      2. Aryan invasion and emergence of early Vedic traditions
    2. Chinese art from the earliest times until the first unification of empire
      1. Neolithic and pre-Shang Age
      2. Bronze Age: the feudal system and its impact on artistic endeavors
      3. Qin-Han: unification and the impact of cultural expansion on the arts
    3. Early Korean and Japanese art
      1. Neolithic origins
      2. Three Kingdoms Korean art and archaeological sites.
      3. Yayoi and Kofun period: assimilation of native and mainland cultures
    4. Southeast Asia
      1. Neolithic origins
      2. Ban Chieng culture: important recent archaeological discoveries
  3. Appraise the role of women in Asian art with emphasis on the historical and social contexts.
    1. Social status of women in Asian cultures
    2. The role of women artists in Asian art
    3. Critical analysis of representations of women in Asian arts
    4. Feminine ideals in religious traditions and its impact on Asian art
  4. Assess major artistic traditions in light of religious, philosophical, and political developments in India and appraise the influence of Indian art and culture in other parts of Asia.
    1. Pre-Hindu (indigenous and Aryan) contributions to Indian arts and the development of Hindu art, including Hindu iconography and how it influenced Buddhist imagery.
    2. Ashoka: Buddhism as a state religion and the development of Buddhist art
    3. Kushan and Gupta periods: Roman and indigenous influences in the evolution of Buddha images
    4. The Muslim conquest of India and the development of Mughal art
    5. Greco-roman, Persian and Chinese influences on Indian art
    6. Indian artistic influences in Central Asia, the Himalayas, Southeast Asia, and the Far East
  5. Examine major artistic traditions within the framework of social, historical, and political developments in China, such as the impact of the Silk Road upon Chinese culture and the spread of Buddhist art styles from Central Asia to China.
    1. The impact of native philosophical systems on Chinese arts
      1. Confucianism-social aspects
      2. Legalism-for example, how the First Emperor was able to unify China in a short time and set up the political system that continued into later dynastic periods.
      3. Daoism-the metaphysical beliefs that reflect Chinese attitude toward the natural forces.
    2. The impact on Chinese art by Indian Buddhism
      1. Six Dynasties period and the adaptations of Buddhism
      2. Tang Dynasty: assimilation and transmission (Korea and Japan)
      3. Song Dynasty and the development of Chan (Zen) Buddhism
      4. Later period: the development of Tantric Buddhism and Lamaism (Tibet)
    3. Development of later secular and decorative arts
      1. Paintings
      2. Ceramics
    4. The development of Chinese art theory
    5. Exchange of influences between Western, Central Asian and Chinese art
      1. The Silk Road period (2nd century BC-2nd century AD)
      2. The Tang Dynasty period (7th-9th century)
      3. The Qing Dynasty period in the nineteenth century: the introduction of Western beliefs and adoption of Western art forms and techniques
      4. Critically compare contemporary art, architecture, and art movements from different Asian nations and from other parts of the world.
  6. Examine the development of a Korean and a Japanese aesthetic sensibility and art. Assess the role of indigenous and foreign elements in the development of Japanese and Korean art and culture. Analyze how Japan assimilated foreign influences yet rejected outside contacts during periods of seclusion.
    1. Korea
      1. Three Kingdoms Korea - pre-Buddhist arts and native elements
      2. Buddhist art - Tang style
      3. Confucian influences
      4. Koryo ceramics - evolved from Song celadons
      5. Korean artistic and cultural influences in Japan
    2. The development of Buddhist art in Japan
      1. Asuka - introduction via Korea, China
      2. Nara -Tang influence
      3. Heian - modification
    3. Comparison of foreign and native styles in Japan
      1. Buddhist temples vs. Shinto shrines and images
      2. Chinese vs. Japanese style painting (Yamato-e)
      3. Ceramics inspired by Chinese and Korean prototypes vs. mingei (folk) ware
    4. Evolution of a native tradition in Japan
      1. The elegant court art of the Heian period (the refinement and literary imagery in The Tale of Genji)
      2. Vigorous and realistic arts associated with the warriors (the austerity and discipline represented by the Tea Ceremony)
      3. Flamboyant arts of the rising merchant class (decorative screens, the woodblock prints, arts related to the theater)
  7. Compare and contrast the development of artistic traditions in parts of Southeast Asia. Analyze the different features reflected in the arts and recognize the influence of Asian civilizations, religions and cultures upon Southeast Asian artistic styles and expression.
    1. Thailand, Burma and Theravadin Buddhism
    2. Cambodia: Angkor (temple of the kings), Buddhist, Hindu and native elements
    3. Vietnam: Native, Cambodian, Chinese and Western influences
    4. Indonesia: Indigenous, Buddhist, Hindu, and Islamic influences, covering major monuments, such as Borobudur.
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