Italy - ART 322 + CORE 240: Italian Art - NEXT OFFERING: Fall 2025

From ancient times through the 20th Century, the cultures of the Italian Peninsula expressed themselves through the visual arts. Trace the development of the civilization from the Roman Forum through the Baroque by visiting Rome, Pompeii, Florence, and Siena. Learn how the Italians work to live rather than live to work. Learn what it is like to be immersed in a culture that is international yet distinctive. Students study the art of Italy — 60% of the world’s masterpieces in architecture, painting, and sculpture are preserved in the small peninsula surrounded by the Mediterranean sea. Initially influenced by the Greeks and Etruscans, the Italians ultimately evolved artistic systems that served their Republic and later, Christian agendas. Italian art made a difference in the lives of most Italian citizens. This art has influenced Western thinking ever since its inception.