Course Description

We will consider the "subversive" avant-garde movements of this period (notably Impressionism and Symbolism) and their quirky artist-heroes (the mad Van Gogh, the sex-mad Gauguin, and women, the "unnatural" artists), in the light of the many social upheavals of the time -- devastating war, modern industiralization, and psychological theory. We will also explore the ways in which the old artistic hierarchies were overthrown for a new unity as artists sought to convey modern meaning through various forms and materials, from silk fans to architectural decoration.