The Heroism of Modern Life: Art & Industrialization

During the 19th century, the Western world underwent profound social and technological upheavals driven by the Industrial Revolution, rapid urbanization, the invention of photography, and shifts in the art market. In this course, we explore how visual artists responded dynamically to these developments, rejecting traditional academic conventions to engage directly with the realities of contemporary life—a transition epitomized by Gustave Courbet’s Realist works and Édouard Manet’s subversion of the Salon system. This course uses the Hybrid format which allows students to participate remotely and/or in the classroom. This course will be recorded. Students will have access to videos for the duration of the course.