Art History
Faculty
Program Director: Dr. Linda Pastryk
Program Mission: Art History is an interdisciplinary field and enhances any of your studies at the Abbey. In the Art History Minor, we examine the historical, social, cultural (including religious), technological, and economic contexts of cities, buildings, sculpture, paintings, manuscripts, crafts, infrastructure, technologies, and materials. We address how and why these subjects are meaningful in human societies. Because we live in a built environment and a visual culture, invested with meaning, in which we participate daily, knowing the history of our material culture assists us in making informed, ethical decisions about our societies in the Benedictine tradition. Further, the Art History Minor provides appreciation of and inspiration from past cultural undertakings. As a branch of history, the Art History Minor is part of the Abbey’s History Department.
Program Goals: The Art History Minor equips students with an understanding of how specific historical, social, cultural, economic, and technological contexts shape an artistic or architectural production and provides students global and cultural perspectives. In addition to critical thinking and writing skills, the Art History Minor equips you with the skills of visual analysis, a valuable asset in the current workplace.