Venice in Renaissance Venetian art was long shaped by its unique setting, distinctive political structure, and  a collective identity enforced by its patrician leaders.  In this course, we will engage in a close consideration of the socio-political conditions that both reinforced tradition and ultimately made way for a "golden age" in Venetian painting, sculpture, and architecture.  Topics will include individual artists, such as Bellini, Giorgione, Titian, and Palladio, as well as artistic training and workshop practice, patronage, and the rise of Venetian humanism.

Awe What is the place of awe in contemporary experience? In our fractious and turbo-charged world, what are the objects and experiences that still have the power to bring us up short, leaving us slack-jawed and spellbound? This seminar will engage these questions in preparation for a cross-disciplinary exhibit at the Middlebury College Museum of Art in 2024. Grounding our conversation in early literary and artistic explorations of the sublime, we will also consider awe through the lenses of religion, scientific discovery, creativity, and the natural world. Definitions of awe almost invariably include references to fear, dread, even terror, so readings and class discussions will move well beyond the celebratory and reverential. There are no prerequisites for this course, and students from a wide range of majors and fields of interest are encouraged to enroll. Projects and written assignments will allow students to make direct contributions to the exhibition.

Italian Renaissance Art: 1350-1550 This course will focus on the art produced in Italy during the late fourteenth through the early sixteenth centuries. In addition to studying the chronological development of painting, sculpture, and architecture, we will consider such issues as artistic training, patronage, domestic life, and the literary achievements of this period of "rebirth." Focusing on urban environments such as Florence, Siena, Padua, Venice, Rome, and Urbino, we will give special attention to the manner in which artistic production was shaped by place.

Senior Thesis: Research and Writing This course is a continuation of HARC 0710 which consists of ongoing, supervised independent research, plus organizing, writing and presenting a senior thesis. (HARC 0301 and HARC 0710).

An Introduction to Global Visual Culture This course is an introduction to the visual cultures of the world, with an emphasis on how images, objects, and monuments are made, experienced, exchanged, and used by groups of people with diverse religious, socio-economic, and cultural backgrounds. We will focus on themes that have been taken up by different cultures and adapted over time, such as monumentality, the sacred, embodiment, science, and technology. Through a close study of these themes, we will consider how materials, cultures, and histories are transformed and negotiated through making and viewing works of art. In the process, we will challenge the art historical canon by shedding light on marginalized periods, regions, and artworks.

Senior Thesis Research Seminar In this course students will conceive, undertake research, and plan the organization of their senior thesis in art history or senior museum studies projects.  Seminar discussions and workshops will focus on research strategies, conventions in art historical writing, project design, and public presentation skills. (HARC 0301; Approval Required) 3 hr. sem.

Leonardo da Vinci and the Invention of Artistic Genius Famed for paintings such as The Last Supper and Mona Lisa, Leonardo da Vinci was a dedicated observer and a prolific journal writer. His notebooks reflect an insatiable appetite for learning, and a mind equally engaged by engineering and sculpture, hydraulics and oil paint, human nature and faith.  By reading Leonardo’s writing and by examining his commissions, we will explore how this single artist came to define our understanding of artistic genius. More recent scholarship will spark robust discussions of how to best understand the “afterlife” of an artist and his work. 3 hrs sem.

Katy Smith Abbott

Reviews and ratings for Katy Smith Abbott at Middlebury College.Katy Smith Abbott teaches Venice in the Renaissance, Awe, Italian Renaissance and more.  Explore top rated instructors and find the best for you.Is Katy Smith Abbott good ? Find out on MiddCourses.

I really enjoyed this class and how we had a lot of control over the direction of our final projects. I learned a lot about museums, and this course helped reframe my thinking about what a museum can look like. This course was geared toward designing a Middlebury museum exhibit on awe in 2023, so I am not sure if it will be taught in the same way again. Either way, I would recommend taking a class with Prof. Smith Abbott to anyone. I really appreciated how this class stepped outside of the canon and encouraged students to think about art, art history, and museums more expansively. 