ARTHIST 439: Morality and the Visual Arts

Course Description

Caravaggio was a murderer, Schiele a sex offender, and Picasso openly endorsed art theft (to say the least). Why do some artists seem to flout the law and ethics as if creativity demands a leap from mere rebellion to outright transgression? This course dives into the tangled web of art and morality, scrutinizing issues in representation and interpretation. Where should scholars stand today when art history often ends up excusing all sorts of behaviors? How has the discipline become a portmanteau for legitimizing various wrongdoings? How should emerging scholars navigate their careers in this moral minefield? These are some of the questions this experimental graduate seminar tackles, guiding its participants to pen reflections that will contribute to a published book.