ARTH 333 - Theories & Methods of Art History - - Academic Catalog
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This art history methods course reveals how the frameworks scholars use to interpret images — from formalism to postcolonialism — quietly determine what counts as "great" art in the first place.
HermeneuticsFormalismPostcolonial TheorySocial Construction of Knowledge
Theory Briefing
- ARTH 333 at William & Mary trains students to interrogate the theoretical lenses behind art historical judgment, not just the art itself.
- Requiring instructor consent signals the course is reserved for those ready to challenge foundational assumptions about meaning, value, and culture in visual art.
- From formalism to postcolonial critique, the methods taught here show how interpretive frameworks shape — and sometimes distort — our understanding of artistic canons.