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CS92PROD
Goddesses and Heroines: Images of Women in the Art of China and Taiwan
ARHA 278
Fall 2018 not offered
Crosslisting: CEAS 167, FGSS 279

This course examines the history of visual representations of women in China and Taiwan from the 12th to the early 20th century. During this period, images of women increasingly appeared in the art of China and Taiwan as guardians and advocates for the weak and the suffering, as well as political or moral allegories. These mythical and legendary figures, such as Guanyin, Mazu, and Nie Xiaoqian, empowered both women and men who were in poverty, peril, or despair. Their heroic and divine images combine traits of feminine qualities highlighted in a male-chauvinistic tradition and symbols of a mega-being beyond any gender-specific definition. By tracing the formation and transformation of images of women in the art of China and Taiwan, this course will explore three themes: (1) the development of female cults in the visual cultures of China and Taiwan; (2) the relationship of feminine representation, human morality, and divine power in Chinese and Taiwanese societies; and (3) the negotiation of political and cultural identities in these societies through the appropriation of female images. The goal of this course is to offer students contextualized knowledge about women's roles in the arts and visual cultures of China and Taiwan.
Credit: 1 Gen Ed Area Dept: HA ART
Course Format: Lecture / DiscussionGrading Mode: Graded
Level: UGRD Prerequisites: None
Fulfills a Major Requirement for: (CEAS-MN)

Last Updated on MAR-28-2024
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