Fine art is the study of visual art and the making of visual art. It involves the history, theory, and practice of everything from paintings and drawings to prints and sculptures, from photography and animation to calligraphy and architecture. The theoretical and historical parts of the study foster a broad contextual and technical understanding of visual art, whereas the practical element of the study is shaped by the interest and skill of the individual student. The aim is to hone the student’s ability to engage both critically and creatively with visual art in all its forms; to recognize the technique and skill in past art, to master those skills, and to deploy them in original and expressive works. All art is fundamentally tied to ways of life and thought, so the study of fine arts also includes the study of philosophy, history, and anthropology, to give ample cultural context for the art that the students will go on to study and create.

The core topics introduce the field of fine art and give students the skills and understanding to choose and pursue their interests in the specialized topics. On completing the core, students will be able to independently read the historical and academic literature. The core topics are:

• Tutorials*
• History of Art
• History of Architecture
• History of Photography
• Theory of Art
• Philosophy of Art
• Philosophical Aesthetics
• Cultural Anthropology

* The fine arts program emphasizes the role of tutorials, in which the student will learn and practice the techniques and skills needed to produce works of their chosen form of visual art.

Specializations should be discussed with the Director of Studies. On completing specializations, students will be able to independently read advanced literature and conduct a final project in that topic. Some suggested specializations are: