Art History Amsterdam: A New Realism - Experiencing Dutch Art and Culture, Old and New, in The Netherlands
Who hasn't heard of Rembrandt, Vermeer, or Vincent van Gogh? These artists all hail from the small country of the Netherlands, wedged between Germany and the North Sea. This study abroad opportunity will offer the study of Dutch art and culture through both historical and contemporary lenses and on-site, within vibrant urban contexts.
While the program's focus is art history within the broader cultural context of the Netherlands —with special attention to the Dutch tradition of representing scenes from daily life, as well as modern art and urban planning— other topics will also be addressed. These include an English Composition course on travel writing, in which you get to reflect on your experiences. You will have ample opportunities to explore urban renewal and design projects or the contemporary art scenes in Amsterdam and Rotterdam. We will have discussions with museum professionals, architects, designers, also on issues of Dutch identity in relation to recent debates on migration or the history of Dutch colonialism, which are increasingly prevalent in contemporary art circles and also museums of older art.
The program will be based in Amsterdam, where you will live as locals in student housing. We will frequently branch out to various cities in the country, such as The Hague, Rotterdam, Utrecht, Haarlem, Eindhoven, but we will also make a week-long excursion to Belgium to study early Netherlandish and modern Flemish art in Antwerp, Brussels, and Ghent.
We offer A&H credits and are recruiting students from all levels and disciplines. Come and discover the art and culture of the Netherlands come to life by experiencing it firsthand! Lectures will be regularly held on the University of Amsterdam campus to provide training in both the content and methods of art history, but much of the learning and discovery will take place in museums and urban projects. Students will research and present topics based on their own interests. Guest lectures, bike tours, city walks, and research days will be scheduled during the week, leaving ample free time to explore.
Using the rich traditions of Amsterdam and the Low Countries, this program will introduce participants to exciting modes of thinking about and looking at art, architecture, and Dutch culture.