Department of Art History and Aesthetics:
The Department of Art History and Aesthetics started the B. A (Fine) course with specialization in Art History in 1965 (now called BVA Art History and Aesthetics) followed by a M.A. (Fine) course along with doctoral research program(now called MVA Art History and Aesthetics).
Considering the objectives and academic achievements such as Doctoral Researches, Art Historical publications, hosting of and participating in National Level Seminars, the Department received the honor of being recognized by the University Grants Commission, New Delhi, for the Special Assistance Programme in 1987 consecutively for two terms.
REGIONAL DOCUMENTATION CENTER:
The UGC also recognized the Department as a Regional Documentation Center to set up the first University – level Photo Archives of Indian Architecture, Paintings and Sculptures along the lines of American Institute of Indian Studies Institute (New Delhi) and French Institute (Pondicherry) for which additional premise was also provided along with a well equipped Photo Laboratory. Documentation Officer, an Archivist, a Photographer and an Attendant manage this Documentation Center.
The thrust area of the Department for research, study and documentation has been the art and architecture of the Western Indian region (Gujarat, Rajasthan, Madhya Pradesh and Maharashtra), Indian Aesthetics and Modern Indian Art and Criticism.
BVA (ART HISTORY AND AESTHETICS):
This course is equivalent to the Humanities course but with an emphasis on Histories of Art in India, Europe, Central Asia, China and Japan, South East Asia, and Tribal-Folk traditions. The said course of four years along with some practical training in studios, and an introduction to Anthropology, Political and Cultural Histories, and Historiography, is designed to prepare a student in becoming a professional Art Historian. It is sufficiently broad-based, inter-cultural, inter-disciplinary and intellectually stimulating to young minds.
Admission Requirements:
Std. XII with English.
MVA (ART HISTORY AND AESTHETICS):
This is a highly specialized course concentrating on Art History specialization either in Indian Sculpture/Architecture or Indian Painting. European Art History, Contemporary Art in India and the West, Religious and Textual sources of Indian art, Art Historical Methodologies and Interpretations, Contemporary Critical Theories, and Indian and Western Aesthetics/ Philosophies constitute core courses that enable students to have a deeper insight in the subject as well as sound training in research methods.
With such exposure, the student is expected to write a dissertation on any area preferably in Ancient/Modern Indian Art. Since the course has attracted many students from other Asian countries, these students are given an option of writings dissertations on art historical traditions of their countries.
An elective course offers some scope for diversification in which the choice is between Islamic art and Tribal, Folk and Popular art.
Admission Requirements:
BVA in any stream of Fine Arts, Art History or a Graduate in Humanities.
Ph. D in Art History and Aesthetics:
Research projects for Doctorate in Art History and Aesthetics can be chosen from the wide arena of Art History –Indian, Western, Asiatic - ancient period to contemporary times, including interdisciplinary topicswith sister- disciplines involving critical theories and interpretations.
Admission Requirements:
MVA (Art History and Aesthetics) or equivalent qualification approved by the University.
Teaching Methods:
Art History is taught with Visual material. The lectures are accompanied with either photographs displayed in class or specially compiled slide shows projected through a LCD projector. For this purpose, the Department persistently keeps enlarging its Documentation Archives which at present comprises over 1, 50,000 photographs and 40,000 slides. Besides, students are regularly given assignments and projects. The timetable is so devised that students discuss their individual projects with assigned teachers and make class presentations every week.
Scholars from the discipline and others affiliated to other similar disciplines are invited on a regular basis to deliver talks in the areas of their specializations.
Moreover the Department also organizes Departmental, National and International level Seminars, Workshops and Symposia in which all students and staff participate. The outcome of these have been some note worthy Publications. Some of the Ph. D theses submitted to the Department have also been published.