Art History majors at UC Irvine are off to Paris, France, to engage in-person with artworks across the city. Through a seminar taught by Professor Alka Patel, and with the additional leadership of faculty member Emily Shartrand and one of our PhD students, the Paris visit will introduce the UCI Art History students to museum exhibitions curated for a broad international audience, on-site architectural visits, and lectures from specialists in Islamic and European medieval art. The Art History students will have the opportunity to visit the exhibitions Splendors of Uzbekistan’s Oasis at the Louvre Museum and Afghanistan, ombres et légendes at Musée Guimet. The students will also become intimately familiar with the city and its historical context of urban development by partaking in a walking tour of the pre-nineteenth-century Marais district and by visiting the medieval churches of Sainte Chapelle and Saint-Denis.
This extraordinary opportunity is made possible only through the endowed Steckler Family Initiative in Art History, whose intention is to, among other things, “provide experiential learning” for students pursuing coursework in art history. Through this donation, Vincent and Amanda Steckler have significantly expanded the geographical horizons of art historical study and research for UCI students. Further, the donation and the support of the UCI Art History Department position UCI to deliver valuable art historical training for undergraduates and graduates, opening up new paths for student research and experiential learning.