Perry Nigro
perry.nigro@northwestern.edu
847.491.7484
 

Drop-in Office Hours:

Tuesday 1-2PM at Kresge Cafe
Thursdays 3-4PM at Kresge Cafe

AH 228 offers an introduction to the art and architecture of the Pre-Columbian civilizations of Mexico, Central, and South America from approximately 1500 B.C.E. to the Spanish invasion of the 16th century. Among the topics to be examined will be the Mesoamerican ballgame, the great stone heads of the early Olmec civilization, the mural painting tradition of the massive urban center of Teotihuacan, Maya calendrics, history, and writing, and the eclectic art style developed by the short-lived imperial Aztec. In the Andean region, we will explore the complex and enduring textile traditions of Peru and Bolivia, the early religious cult of Chavín, the great earthworks of the Nazca, the spectacular recently-discovered burials of Moche rulers, and the impressive stone architecture and road system of the Inka. Students will learn about the intellectual and artistic achievements of these ancient civilizations, to recognize differences in artistic styles between cultures, and to track how these cultures interacted with each other. Additionally, we will briefly study the impact of the European conquest on indigenous art and culture. Travel to the Art Institute will be required at least once during the term