Russian Art: From Icons to the Avant Garde

The evolution of Russian art is inextricably bound to the rich cultural exchanges between East and West. These resulted in a fascinating blend of diverse visual languages and styles, from the late-medieval icons and frescos indebted to Byzantium to the great avant-garde experiments of the early part of the 20th century that developed side by side with various currents of Modernism in other parts of Europe. In a four-part course, art historian Aneta Georgievska-Shine brings the culture of this vast country to life as she highlights some of the major art developments in Russia over the centuries. (World Art History Certificate core course, 1 credit)