ARTH 278 The Golden Road to Samarqand (Not offered 2006-2007; to be offered 2007-2008)*
The region comprising present day Iran, Afghanistan, Central Asia, Pakistan
and India has a rich and complex history. Home to Genghis Khan and
Tamerlane, Akbar the Great and Shah Jahan, it has generated some of the most
spectacular monuments (e.g. the Taj Mahal and the blue tiled mosques of
Isfahan) and refined manuscript painting ever known. We will look at these art
forms from the tenth to the twentieth centuries, highlighting the patronage of key
dynasties, including the Timurids of Samarqand and the Mughals of India. An
important issue throughout the course will be the impact that Islam has had on
the artistic traditions of this region.
Format: lecture/discussion. Evaluation will be based on class participation, a
short paper, a midterm and a final.
No prerequisites. Enrollment limit: 20.
Satisfies the non-Western requirement.