From the grapes of Xeuxis to the sculptures of Duane Hanson,
realism in representation has been a confusing and contested
concept. This seminar will examine the various ways in which the
term realism has been used throughout (art) history, with an
emphasis on the nineteenth and twentieth centuries. Readings will
include theoretical as well as critical texts and their analysis in
relationship to art works contemporary to them. The first two-thirds
of the semester will consist of discussion and analysis, the last
third to the presentation of research projects. Each student will be
expected to produce a 20-25 page paper on a topic of her/his
choosing and present a 15-20 minute CAA-style paper synopsizing its
content.