The Spring 2019 class, Uncovering Williams, will use this selection of four works from WCMA’s collection to interrogate the history of Williams College and its relationship to land, people, architecture, and artifacts.

Students in the course, co-taught by Kevin Murphy, Senior Curator of American Art, and Dorothy Wang, Professor of American Studies and Faculty Affiliate in English, will examine the visual and material culture of Williams, including a portrait of Amos Lawrence—an early benefactor of the college—and 19th century landscapes of the region.

Using methods and theories of American studies, art history, material culture studies, critical race theory, gender studies, and eco-criticism, they will uncover how the long and complex history of the college reverberates in the spaces and places students, faculty, and staff traverse daily. This installation is on view in conjunction with Highlights and Acquisitions from the American and European Collection.