This course offers an introduction to the study of the art and architecture of the cultures from the Prehistoric era, the ancient world (Ancient Near Eastern, Egyptian, Greek, Roman) and western medieval Europe (Early Medieval, Islamic, Romanesque, and Gothic). It seeks to establish the specific historical context in which the monuments were produced and the particular religious and social functions they served. Throughout the semester, the course will engage with several basic themes: creation of sacred space; architecture, image, and authority; assimilation and conquest; and processes of urbanism. While our course is “on-line”, we will be interactive and engaged with a host of learning modalities – Zoom lectures, on-line readings, videos, and reflections. Through our embrace of a myriad of materials, students will gain a general knowledge of major works of art from western civilization and a familiarity with the fundamentals of art historical study. In addition, students will acquire important descriptive and analytical skills necessary to develop a conceptual framework with which to consider issues of our own contemporary culture. It is my expectation that students will take the critical inquiry of the classroom and apply it to the architecture, space, and imagery that shape their everyday environment.