Course Syllabus

JOHN CABOT UNIVERSITY

COURSE CODE: "AH 294-1"
COURSE NAME: "Renaissance Rome and Its Monuments"
SEMESTER & YEAR: Fall 2020

SYLLABUS

INSTRUCTOR: Laura Foster
EMAIL: [email protected]
HOURS: TH 9:15-12:00 PM
TOTAL NO. OF CONTACT HOURS: 45
CREDITS: 3
PREREQUISITES: On-site; activity fee: €25 or $33
OFFICE HOURS:

COURSE DESCRIPTION:
Rome City Series - This on-site course will study the monuments of Renaissance Rome: painting, sculpture and architecture produced by such masters as Bramante, Raphael, and Michelangelo, all attracted to the lucrative service of popes, cardinals and nobles of the Roman court. On-site classes will investigate examples of palace and villa architecture, chapel decoration that encompasses altarpieces and funerary sculpture, as well as urbanistic projects where the city itself was considered as a work of art. In-class lectures will introduce historical context and theory allowing the student to understand artworks studied conceptually and place commissions of painting and sculpture within a socio-historic framework.

SUMMARY OF COURSE CONTENT:
The semester begins with the papacy’s return to Rome from Avignon, with the first few weeks dedicated to the city’s restoration and development. Monumental palaces using classical architectural designs came to replace the city’s medieval towers and baronial mansions as cardinals and their aristocratic families vied for power. Artists from northern-central Italy flocked to Rome to decorate private chapels, residential spaces, and most importantly, the “paradise” of St. Peter’s and its surrounding palaces and chapels. The course explores how patrons, artists, and Humanist scholars created narratives that wove together religious symbolism and ancient classical motifs to produce a new image of the papacy and the institutions that supported it. St. Peter’s Basilica, the Sistine Chapel, and the Vatican palaces will be visited twice in order understand the dramatic changes that took place there between the 1470s and the aftermath of the Sack of Rome in 1527. The course will introduce core art historical concepts and terminology through readings and on-site discussion of works. Readings drawn from scholarly journals as well as books will provide in-depth knowledge of Renaissance projects and will serve as models for how to approach art historical research. Through two papers, students will themselves engage in producing research questions and exploring avenues for further study.

LEARNING OUTCOMES:

Students will gain from this course:

•the methodological tools for interpreting painting and sculpture through formal and contextual analysis, gained through reading a variety of art historical texts and first-hand examination of artworks.

•the ability to discuss the formal quality of buildings and urban spaces using appropriate architectural terminology

•an understanding of the Renaissance period from both aesthetic and historical perspectives grounded in the context of Rome as papal capital.

•familiarity with some of the most important artists working in the period, and the means of identifying their works.

TEXTBOOK:

NONE

REQUIRED RESERVED READING:

Book Title	Author	Publisher	ISBN number
Art in Renaissance Italy, 3rd ed.	John Paoletti and Gary Radke	Prentice Hall	9780131938267
Renaissance Rome, 1500-1599: A Portrait of a Society	Peter Partner	University of California Press	9780520039452
The Architecture of Michelangelo	James Ackerman	Penguin Book	9780140211849
High Renaissance Art in St. Peter's and the Vatican	George L. Hersey	University of Chicago Press	9780226327822
The Villa in the Life of Renaissance Italy	David Coffin	Princeton University Press	9780691039428

RECOMMENDED RESERVED READING:

NONE

GRADING POLICY
-ASSESSMENT METHODS:

Assignment	Guidelines	Weight
Class attendance and participation	While a specific grade is not assessed for attendance and participation, both are required and essential to the course. The lectures, which meet almost entirely on site, will involve complex analysis at the monuments themselves. In order to grasp the concepts presented in course readings and handouts, attendance and active participation is essential. Students will be evaluated on their attention to lectures by questions asked and ideas discussed; excellent participation and attendance will be taken into consideration in the final grade average. Online forums posted on Moodle provide another way of engaging in the class. In the event of illness, the student should contact the professor immediately in order to arrange for supplementary lectures. Please heed university directives and do not attempt to come to class if you are not feeling well.	No specific percentage given
Weekly Quizzes	There will be 9 quizzes (one of which is double to compensate for a makeup day) in order to test understanding of essential terminology and concepts taken from on-site visits and the assigned readings. The quizzes will be posted on Moodle and will be taken online. The form of the quiz will vary between multiple choice, short answer questions, and image identifications. Students must take all quizzes; the 2 lowest grades will be dropped.	25%
Two essays: Preparing for research in Renaissance art	The two writing assignments (15% each) will provide students the opportunity to delve deeper into questions about individual works of art and architecture and attain skills in art historical research. Each paper will be 4-5 pages long and will include substantial bibliography. More specific instructions on writing the paper and tutorials on online scholarly research will be provided.	30%
Midterm Examination	The midterm exam will be given online through Moodle. It will include identifications with questions about the works attached to them, an image comparison, and an essay.	20%
Final Examination	Unless otherwise directed by the university, the final exam will be taken in the classroom on the date and time to be announced. Like the midterm, it will include the identification of works discussed in class, image comparisons, short answer questions and an essay.	25%

-ASSESSMENT CRITERIA:
AWork of this quality directly addresses the question or problem raised and provides a coherent argument displaying an extensive knowledge of relevant information or content. This type of work demonstrates the ability to critically evaluate concepts and theory and has an element of novelty and originality. There is clear evidence of a significant amount of reading beyond that required for the course.
BThis is highly competent level of performance and directly addresses the question or problem raised.There is a demonstration of some ability to critically evaluatetheory and concepts and relate them to practice. Discussions reflect the student’s own arguments and are not simply a repetition of standard lecture andreference material. The work does not suffer from any major errors or omissions and provides evidence of reading beyond the required assignments.
CThis is an acceptable level of performance and provides answers that are clear but limited, reflecting the information offered in the lectures and reference readings.
DThis level of performances demonstrates that the student lacks a coherent grasp of the material.Important information is omitted and irrelevant points included.In effect, the student has barely done enough to persuade the instructor that s/he should not fail.
FThis work fails to show any knowledge or understanding of the issues raised in the question. Most of the material in the answer is irrelevant.

-ATTENDANCE REQUIREMENTS:
Rome City Series - This on-site course will study the monuments of Renaissance Rome: painting, sculpture and architecture produced by such masters as Bramante, Raphael, and Michelangelo, all attracted to the lucrative service of popes, cardinals and nobles of the Roman court. On-site classes will investigate examples of palace and villa architecture, chapel decoration that encompasses altarpieces and funerary sculpture, as well as urbanistic projects where the city itself was considered as a work of art. In-class lectures will introduce historical context and theory allowing the student to understand artworks studied conceptually and place commissions of painting and sculpture within a socio-historic framework.

ACADEMIC HONESTY
As stated in the university catalog, any student who commits an act of academic dishonesty will receive a failing grade on the work in which the dishonesty occurred. In addition, acts of academic dishonesty, irrespective of the weight of the assignment, may result in the student receiving a failing grade in the course. Instances of academic dishonesty will be reported to the Dean of Academic Affairs. A student who is reported twice for academic dishonesty is subject to summary dismissal from the University. In such a case, the Academic Council will then make a recommendation to the President, who will make the final decision.

STUDENTS WITH LEARNING OR OTHER DISABILITIES
John Cabot University does not discriminate on the basis of disability or handicap. Students with approved accommodations must inform their professors at the beginning of the term. Please see the website for the complete policy.

SCHEDULE

IMPORTANT NOTE: THE SCHEDULE IS PROVISIONAL AND SUBJECT TO CHANGE. A FINAL SYLLABUS WILL BE AVAILABLE ON MOODLE ON THE FIRST CLASS DAY.

WEEK	SITES TO VISIT	MEETING PLACE	REQUIRED READINGS	ASSIGNMENTS & SPECIAL INSTRUCTIONS
SEPT 24	Course Introduction, then Basilicas of S. Maria in Trastevere and S. Cecilia	Classroom -Tiber T.G. 4 -followed by site walk	•Paoletti and Radke, Art in Renaissance Italy, Introduction and pp. 56-73 •Peter Partner, Renaissance Rome, 1500-1559, Introduction	•Watch introductory videos linked on the Moodle page
OCT 1	Palazzo Venezia, Palazzo Capranica, Church of S. Agostino	Piazza Venezia, at side of palace	•Paoletti and Radke, pp. 289-301 •Peter Partner, Renaissance Rome, 1500-1559, Ch. 6 “The Face of Rome”	•Watch videos and catch up on reading
OCT 8	Palazzo della Cancelleria, Church of S. Maria sopra Minerva	Campo de’ Fiori	•Paoletti and Radke, pp. 310-312 CHOOSE ONE ARTICLE: •Gail L. Geiger, "Filippino Lippi's Carafa ‘Annunciation’: Theology, Artistic Conventions, and Patronage." The Art Bulletin 63, no. 1 (1981): 62-75. OR •Diana Norman, "In Imitation of Saint Thomas Aquinas: Art, Patronage and Liturgy within a Renaissance Chapel." Renaissance Studies 7, no. 1 (1993): 1-42.	Quiz 1: take by Friday, Oct. 9, 5:00 p.m.
OCT 15	St. Peter’s Basilica (15^th century works), the Borgo, Hospital of Santo Spirito in Sassia	Piazza S. Pietro, at the center near the obelisk	•Paoletti and Radke, pp. 302-308. •Joanna E. Ziegler, "Michelangelo and the Medieval Pietà: The Sculpture of Devotion or the Art of Sculpture?" Gesta 34, no. 1 (1995): 28-36.	Quiz 2: Take by Friday, Oct. 16, 5:00 p.m.
OCT 22	The Vatican Palaces and Sistine Chapel - 15^th century art	Piazza Risorgimento	•Ulrich Pfisterer, The Sistine Chapel: Paradise in Rome, Ch. 1 (pp. 1-39)	Quiz 3: Take by Friday, Oct. 23, 5:00 p.m.
OCT 29	S. Pietro in Montorio and Tempietto	JCU Guarini Campus, outside the main entrance	•Freiberg, Jack. "Bramante's Tempietto and the Spanish Crown." Memoirs of the American Academy in Rome 50 (2005): 151-205.	Midterm Exam: Take by Friday, Oct. 30, 5:00 p.m.
NOV 5	Church of S. Maria del Popolo and Villa Giulia	Piazza del Popolo, in front of the church	•George Hersey, High Renaissance Art in St. Peter’s and the Vatican, Ch. 2	Quiz 4: Take by Friday, Nov. 6, 5:00 p.m.
NOV 12	Sistine Chapel and High Renaissance Painting in the Vatican Museums (preparation for visit)	Classroom Tiber TG4	•George Hersey, High Renaissance Art in St. Peter’s and the Vatican, Chs. 4, 5 and 6	Quiz 5: Take by Friday, Nov. 13, 5:00 p.m. •Submission date for Paper #1
NOV 13 FRIDAY MAKEUP DAY	Sistine Chapel and High Renaissance Painting in the Vatican Museums	Piazza Risorgimento
NOV 19	Church of S. Maria della Pace, Villa Farnesina,	Piazza Navona, near Four Rivers Fountain at the center	•David Coffin, The Villa in the Life of Renaissance Rome, Part 2 (on the Villa Farnesina)	Quiz 6-7: Take by Monday, Nov. 23, 5:00 p.m.
NOV 26	The New St. Peter’s and Castel S. Angelo	Entrance to Castel S. Angelo	•George Hersey, High Renaissance Art in St. Peter’s and the Vatican, Ch. 3	Quiz 8: Take by Friday, Nov. 27, 5:00 p.m.
DEC 3	Via Giulia, Palazzo Farnese	Largo Fiorentini	•James Ackerman, The Architecture of Michelangelo, Ch. 7	Quiz 9: Take by Friday, Dec. 4, 5:00 p.m.
DEC 10	S. Pietro in Vincoli and the Campidoglio	Exit of the Metro B Colosseo stop	•George Hersey, High Renaissance Art in St. Peter’s and the Vatican, Ch. 8 •James Ackerman, The Architecture of Michelangelo, Ch. 6	Exam review BOTH PAPERS MUST BE SUBMITTED BY THURSDAY, DEC. 10 AT 5:00 P.M.