Question 1:Examine how later 19^th century American artists and audiences used visual representation as means to negotiate issues of gendered representation and woman’s social identity. Please refer to at least 2-3 works of art along with pertinent primary and secondary readings.

Question 2:Explore the focus on aesthetics (for example, the Aesthetic Movement, art for art’s sake, spectacle, etc.) that emerged in late 19^th century modernity. How did this new “aesthetic sensibility” impact American art and culture? Please refer to at least 2-3 works of art along with pertinent primary and secondary readings.

Question 3:Examine how and why the fashioning and performance of individual identity, in particular in the form of the artistic portrait, became an important facet of late nineteenth century U.S. culture. Please refer to at least 2-3 works of art along with pertinent primary and secondary readings.