Treasures of Asian Decorative Arts

The rich history of Asian design reveals centuries of cultural and socio-political narratives expressed through objects of beauty. In this course, we explore the decorative arts of China, Japan, Korea, India, Indonesia, and Vietnam; including painting, ceramics, jade, metals, and furniture, as well as materials and methods used in their creation. We discuss how the influence of trade, especially along the Silk Road, played an important role in cross-cultural influences in decorative styles and objects. We also look at how the beauty and refinement of these artistic traditions served as inspiration for European and American decorative arts will also be examined. This course will be recorded. Students will have access to videos for the duration of the course.