CH 112 - Science of Art and Artifacts

The Science of Art and Artifacts is a one-semester course with a strong interdisciplinary emphasis. It is designed for students interested in the interconnections between science and art. The primary goal of the course is to present chemical principles and facts at a level sufficiently rigorous that a student successfully completing the course will understand how the properties of materials influence artistic production and conservation. Interspersed among studies of the fundamental concepts of chemistry are discussions of ethical issues, modern physical methods of examination, safety, and methods in conservation and restoration. Depending upon the instructors’ interests applications may come from painting, ceramics, architecture, or archaeology. As part of the course students view and discuss authentic artifacts or representations using high quality reproductions, on-line resources, or museum visits. In the laboratory they investigate materials and techniques.

Note: Meets Scientific Reasoning Learning Outcome (SCI)

Three hours of lecture and two hours of laboratory each week. Four credits.