Main picture:

Antiquity has provided a standard by which all subsequent periods have tended to be judged. The Jenkins Venus was thought during the neoclassical period to be the embodiment of love and beauty, so fundamental to contemporary ideas of art appreciation.

Egon Schiele was introduced to the Wiener Werkstätte by Gustav Klimt. His haunting portraits and contorted drawings were greatly admired by the artists of the Vienna Secession. Modigliani’s Nu Couché epitomises his style which he constructed from primitive and modern sources creating an abstraction which went to the very essence of his subject. Nu Couché sold for over $26million at Christie’s New York in 2003. This tender image of Marie-Thérèse Gaillard of 1894 is executed in pastel. The sitter was the daughter of a friend and patron of the painter who also acquired works by Renoir, Cicely, and Degas among others. Painted at the same time as the Orangerie friezes, Monet escaped even the restraints of Impressionism to reach a unity with his subject that is intoxicating and is the culmination of his career. Le bassin aux nymphéas sold for over $40million at Christie’s London in 2008.
The master’s thesis involves the study of original works of art and the use of primary source documents in order to formulate original critical arguments. The connoisseurship seminar involves object based learning and field studies where you are actually able to go behind the scenes at some of the art world’s foremost museums and institutions. Works in different media are explored in varying contexts. Students address questions of quality and meaning, originality and authenticity. Students regularly use Christie’s salerooms where a large staff of experts and facilities for close examination of works of art at close hand are available.

Master's Degree - Modern Art, Connoisseurship and the History of the Art Market

Program Objectives

The Master of Arts in Modern Art, Connoisseurship and the History of the Art Market is designed to prepare students for the following:

  • Visual Analysis, Identification, Interpretation and Description of Works of Art
  • Assessment of Quality
  • Art Historical Knowledge
  • Cataloguing
  • Research
  • Promotion of Independent Thinking
  • Knowledge of the Art Market and the Auction House
  • Preparation for Employment

Program Components

The master’s program is made up of the following components:

  • Modern Art Survey: Provides the basic frame work for understanding art history. The course is arranged chronologically from circa 1860 – present.
  • Connoisseurship Seminar: Teaches the critical skills needed to look at art, write about art, research and evaluate works. Students regularly handle or view art objects from Christie’s Education’s study collection and visit artists’ studios, conservation labs, museums and alternative spaces.
  • History of the Art Market Seminar: Introduces the institutional network that supports and promotes modern and contemporary art. Students frequently visit Christie’s to meet with specialists.
  • Professional Practices: Enables students to understand the inner workings of the art world. Students hear from a range of professionals such as auction house specialists, curators, arts administrators, art dealers, private dealers, critics and many others.
  • Historiography and Methods of Art History: Introduces students to the origins and development of the discipline of art history. This course serves as a general preparation for researching and writing the thesis.
  • MA Thesis: Addresses topics in the history of fine art from 1860 to the present with emphasis on the problems of connoisseurship and/ or the history of the art market.
  • International and National Study Trips: Every year the class attends a major contemporary art event such as the Venice Biennale or the Cassel Documenta. Each term students travel on day trips to visit great collections in neighbouring cities such as the Newark Museum, Ballatine House, and the Wadsworth Athenaeum.
  • Internship Program: An opportunity for students to use the skills that they have obtained through the program. Typical internship opportunities include Christie’s, commercial galleries, museums, non-profit arts institutions, and elsewhere. Christie’s Education also selects one qualified applicant to intern with the Peggy Guggenheim collection in Venice.

Entry Requirements

A bachelor’s degree or equivalent. Christie’s Education New York welcomes applications from all qualified candidates with or without an art history specialization. We seek students of diverse backgrounds, interests, ages and life experience. After completing the online application form you will also be required to submit a sample of writing, official transcripts, official GRE Score Report, official TOEFL Score Report (if applicable), three letters of recommendation, and a non-refundable application fee.

 

 

Master's Modern Art, Connoisseurship and the History of the Art Market

Course Dates

Orientation Week

September 7 – 11, 2009

Fall Term

September 14 – November 20, 2009

Winter Term

January 4 – March 19, 2010

Spring Term

April 5 – June 18, 2010

Course Fees

Admission application fee $75
Tuition $43,407
Library and Media fee $487
Student Registration/ Services fee $583
Maintenance of matriculation fee $2,738
Deferred Payment Plan fee $430

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