This course is an introductory of major artistic and cultural trends in the histories of Asia, mainly India and Japan. By examining in depth a number of the most representative works of art from each tradition, we will not only discuss the important developments in style and aesthetics in each region, but also explore the mutual influences that motivated the creation of these works of art. Contextualization of the visual culture will be the primary methodological approach of this class. We will study the works of arts within the cultural contexts—the political, religious, social and economic spheres that helped define the direction of the visual arts in Asia.

CILO-1: Identify and describe the major monuments in art history of ancient India and Japan by styles and iconographies. CILO-2: Analyze the significance of art works in Asian history in the context of the ideology, religion, culture, and aesthetics of countries. CILO-3: Evaluate the works of art and the ways in which these monuments functions within the contexts. CILO-4: Acquire the vocabularies and develop the skills of visual analysis of art works of India and Japan. CILO-5: Acquire basic research and writing skills in the field of history of Asian arts.