Where does abstract painting come from? A focus of this course is tracing the American abstractions of Jackson Pollock, Willem de Kooning, and Mark Rothko back to their European origins, analyzing the ways in which painting in 1500s Renaissance Venice paved the way for what is called “modern art” today. We will look at Japanese prints and their flattening effect on Impressionist and Post-Impressionist French painting of the 1800s, which opened the door for abstract art in Europe. We will deeply consider the traditions of West African abstraction, which preceded European Modernism by centuries, and the ways in which abstraction permeates many aspects of West African society. We will also look at the Islamic use of abstraction, its basis in ancient Greek geometry, its use of the written word, and the ways in which Moroccan tiles allowed Henri Matisse to create an abstract painting style that is purely focused on color. This course involves in-class discussions, optional readings, and talks by the professor. By the end of this course, students will be able to identify, understand, and speak about a range of abstract art from around the world and across different time periods. This course is open to students of all levels of familiarity with abstract art.