In all cultures, both ancient and modern, art has been a primary means of interpreting and expressing the human experience. Making art at Knox involves a rigorous investigation into how the visual language organizes thoughts, feelings, memories and perceptions into dynamic and expressive visual form.

While the studio program teaches students to see and develop an acute visual and critical sensibility, the art history program emphasizes a variety of interpretive perspectives for understanding the role of art within cultures.

The Program
Art history courses look at art from a broad range of cultural, philosophical, aesthetic and political perspectives. Courses encompass Western and non-Western art from African art to the present. Students begin with introductory survey courses as well as the theories and techniques of studio art. The capstone is Senior Research in Art History, an independent study course that includes a major research paper.

Resources
Knox College Special Collections include the Famulener Collection of prints and drawings by old and modern masters—a valuable resource for all art students, and subject of several research projects by art history students. The art department archives house award-winning student work, which is exhibited on a rotating basis throughout the campus. Many art history classes meet in the "Round Room," designed specifically for art lectures and the viewing of Knox's collection of more than 20,000 slides.

In addition, the collection of art books in Seymour Library has been carefully built with an eye to current and historical movements.