2025 (Current Year) Faculty Courses Liberal arts and basic science courses Humanities and social science courses
Arts B, Esthetics B
- Academic unit or major
- Humanities and social science courses
- Instructor(s)
- Takuya Nakao
- Class Format
- Lecture (Face-to-face)
- Media-enhanced courses
- -
- Day of week/Period
(Classrooms) - 5-6 Tue / 5-6 Fri
- Class
- -
- Course Code
- LAH.H202
- Number of credits
- 200
- Course offered
- 2025
- Offered quarter
- 1Q
- Syllabus updated
- Mar 19, 2025
- Language
- Japanese
Syllabus
Course overview and goals
Students in this course will study and appreciate the major works of 20th century art. Artworks express not only the artists’ ideas but also historical background and sweeping trends of linear art history. At the same time, artworks acquire their existence only when there is the presence of viewers. The students will have discussions and share their experiences of art appreciation.
This course has the aim that the students will learn the ability to express art by their own words, while studying Pablo Picasso’s Cubism, Marcel Duchamp’s readymades and Andy Warhol's pop art, etc. The experiences of appreciating and interpreting artworks will provide you with a copious amount of stimulation for your thoughts and logics. In addition, by receiving training in art appreciation, the students should be able to learn communication skills with which they can convince others while expressing their own thoughts.
Course description and aims
Students will learn the following skills from taking this course.
1) Be able to express one's own sensory impressions in words
2) Be able to understand the concepts and theories behind artworks so that one can look at them from multiple perspectives
3) Be able to explain the historical trends of 20th century art, including the cultural and social background of that time period
Keywords
Art, Western art, Art history, Picasso, Duchamp, Warhol
Competencies
- Specialist skills
- Intercultural skills
- Communication skills
- Critical thinking skills
- Practical and/or problem-solving skills
Class flow
Compared with the artworks, basically the course goes in lecture of concepts and theories.
Course schedule/Objectives
| Course schedule | Objectives | |
|---|---|---|
| Class 1 | Introduction - How to enjoy works of art | Appreciate artworks in a multifaceted way. |
| Class 2 | Avant-Garde and Art Criticism | Explain the relationship between avant-garde and criticisms of art. |
| Class 3 | Impressionism and Post-Impressionism | Explain expressions of Impressionism and Post-Impressionism. |
| Class 4 | Cubism - Space and Geometry | Explain the historical background of Cubism. |
| Class 5 | Abstract Painting - Non Objective World | Explain the difference between an abstract painting and a representational painting. |
| Class 6 | Marcel Duchamp (1) - Readymade | Explain the concept of readymade and its influence in art history. |
| Class 7 | Marcel Duchamp (2) - Fourth Dimension | Understand an artist's concept in historical trends. |
| Class 8 | Marcel Duchamp (3) - Art and Chess | Explain the relationship between art and non-art. |
| Class 9 | Dada and Surrealism | Explain Dada and Surrealism from a social point of view. |
| Class 10 | Abstract Expressionism | Explain the meaning of abstract expressionism as the first American art movement. |
| Class 11 | Minimal Art | Explain the expression of minimal art. |
| Class 12 | Pop Art | Explain the expression of pop art. |
| Class 13 | Conceptual Art | Explain the expression of conceptual art. |
| Class 14 | Expressions of Contemporary Art | Analyze expressions of contemporary art. |
Study advice (preparation and review)
To enhance effective learning, students are encouraged to spend approximately 100 minutes preparing for class and another 100 minutes reviewing class content afterwards (including assignments) for each class. They should do so by referring to textbooks and other course material.
Textbook(s)
No textbook is set. This course places emphasis on the active appreciation of works of art rather than studying through textbooks.
Reference books, course materials, etc.
Nakao Takuya, Marcel Duchamp and Chess, Heibonsha, 2017. All materials used in class can be found on T2SCHOLA.
Evaluation methods and criteria
Class participation: 30% Report: 70%
Related courses
- LAH.H102 ： Art A
- LAH.H302 ： Arts C, Esthetics C
- LAH.H310 ： Seminar on Humanities 3
Prerequisites
None required.