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JOHN CABOT UNIVERSITY

COURSE CODE: "AH 142"
COURSE NAME: "World Art II: Visual Culture of the Middle Ages and Islam."
SEMESTER & YEAR: Spring Semester 2012
SYLLABUS

INSTRUCTOR: Wilberding Erick
EMAIL: [email protected]
HOURS: TTH 19:00-20:15
TOTAL NO. OF CONTACT HOURS: 45
CREDITS: 3
PREREQUISITES:
OFFICE HOURS: By appointment.

COURSE DESCRIPTION:
This course will introduce students to world visual culture from the Byzantine Period to the Gothic Period.  We will learn to speak and write about the visual arts and architecture found within different cultures from the past.  Students will compare and contrast these works and cultures and will be encouraged to make connections with their own experiences and culture.
SUMMARY OF COURSE CONTENT:
What is art?  How can we talk about it?  What purpose did it have in the past?  The worship of a goddess or god?  The adulation of a ruler?  The commemoration of a military conqueror?  The remembrance of a family member?  The exploits of an entire people?  The expression of the ideas and feelings of the individual artist?  The affirmation of the leadership of a social class?  The criticism of society?  The expression of beauty?  The expression of truth? 

It is difficult to fathom how deeply the visual arts and architecture shape our lives today.  30,000 years ago people people gazed by torchlight at images of animals in dark caves; today people crowd into dark cinemas to gaze at moving pictures.  Our computers, whose monitors are Euclidean frames like those bordering paintings, function in large part by pictures.  One of the most popular activities of the Internet is to look at pictures of all kinds.  We elect our political leaders on the basis of "image," which is supposed to be a metaphor but which in reality is largely influenced by the pictures we see in newspapers, magazines, television, and on the internet.  Visual culture is central to our experience.  How did we arrive at this?

This comparative survey of the arts of Europe, Africa, the Americas, and the Near East begins with Byzantium (c.500 CE) and ends with Gothic Europe (c.1300).  It is an exciting swath of history to survey.  The main goal of the course is to come to an understanding of how art and architecture function in specific historical contexts. The different media, aesthetics, functions, and subjects chosen for representation in each culture will be studied in terms of the particular social, religious, political and geographical contexts of which they are a product.

This course will blend lecture and discussion.  The goal is not only to impart information concerning the art and architecture of different historical periods, but much more to think critically and creatively about the art and architecture of the past.  Students are encouraged to deepen their understanding, to apply, to analyze, to synthesize, and to evaluate.  Socratic Questioning will be used to teach the principles of analysis and evaluation. We want to begin every class with a big question and explore the rich material. 
LEARNING OUTCOMES:

Students will have an understanding of the development of art from the Byzantine to the Gothic Period.  They will recognize basic works and learn basic facts concerning their cultural and political contexts.

Students will learn the questions that art historians pose of the visual culture of the past.  They will learn more about the difficulties of interpretation as well as the basic subject matter and iconography, the purpose and function of the work of art, and issues touching on patronage.



Students will develop their skills of visual analysis and learn how to place a work of art within its historical period by its formal characteristics.



Students will develop an awareness of the different attitudes towards the artist and the artwork in different cultures of the world.



Students will understand better the unique resources of the city of Rome which has art from several of the cultures and periods that we study.

Students will learn how to speak and write about visual culture.  In particular students will deepen their understanding of historical writing that largely is directed to questions of cause and effect as well as significance.   They will understand better the basic structure of historical writing (point, explanation, justification).

TEXTBOOK:
Book TitleAuthorPublisherISBN numberLibrary Call NumberCommentsFormatLocal BookstoreOnline Purchase
Gardner's Art through the AgesFred S. KleinerThomson WadsworthISBN-10: 1439085781 | ISBN-13: 978-1439085783      
REQUIRED RESERVED READING:
NONE

RECOMMENDED RESERVED READING:
NONE
GRADING POLICY
-ASSESSMENT METHODS:
AssignmentGuidelinesWeight
Midterm 20%
Quizzes and Participation 25%
Journal  15%
Paper 20%
Final Examination 20%

-ASSESSMENT CRITERIA:

Assessment Guidelines for assigning main letter grades: A, B, C,D, and F.

A:  Work of this quality directly addresses the question or problem raised and provides a coherent argument displaying an extensiveknowledge 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.

B:  This 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.

C:  This is an acceptable level of performance and provides answers that are clear but limited, reflecting the information offered in the lectures and reference readings.

D:  This 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.

F: This 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:
Attendance is mandatory.  Discussions depend upon each student’s presence and preparedness.  All absences must be documented and approved.  Two (2) unapproved absences will result in an automatic deduction of one step in the final course letter grade (e.g. “A–” reduced to a “B+”).

Three (3) unapproved absences will result in an automatic deduction of two steps in the final course letter grade (e.g. “A” reduced to a “B+”).

Four (4) or more unapproved absences will be considered sufficient grounds for expulsion from the course with a final letter grade of “F”.



All documentation regarding absences must be maintained by the student and presented at the end of the semester to the Professor for consideration and approval as ‘excused’.

As stated in the official catalogue, absence from a class meeting in which a final examination, mid-term, or other major examination has been scheduled will be officially excused only if the student:

Notifies the Office of the Dean of his/her inability to attend before the beginning of the class meeting for which the examination is scheduled;

Subsequently presents to the Dean documented evidence of a serious difficulty preventing attendance.
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

SessionSession FocusReading AssignmentOther AssignmentMeeting Place/Exam Dates
January 17Introduction   
January 19Byzantine Art 1Gardner, Chapter 12  
January 24Byzantine Art 2Gardner, Chapter 12  
January 26Byzantine Art 3; Byzantine art and architecture in Rome   
January 31The Islamic World 1Gardner, Chapter 13  
February 2The Islamic World 2Gardner, Chapter 13  
February 7The Islamic World 3Gardner, Chapter 13  
February 9Native Arts of the Americas before 1300 / 1Gardner, Chapter 14  
February 14Native Arts of the Americas before 1300 / 2Gardner, Chapter 14  
February 16Native Arts of the Americas before 1300 / 3Gardner, Chapter 14  
February 21Africa before 1800 / 1Gardner, Chapter 15  
February 23Africa before 1800 / 2Gardner, Chapter 15  
February 28Early Medieval Europe 1Gardner, Chapter 16  
March 1Early Medieval Europe 2Gardner, Chapter 16  
March 6MIDTERMMIDTERMMIDTERMMIDTERM
March 9Romanesque Europe 1Gardner, Chapter 17  
March 13Romanesque Europe 2Gardner, Chapter 17  
March 15Romanesque Europe 3Gardner, Chapter 17  
MARCH 19 - 23BREAKBREAKBREAKBREAK
March 27Romanesque Art in Rome   
March 29Review: Early Medieval and Romanesque   
April 3Gothic Europe 1Gardner, Chapter 18  
April 5Gothic Europe 2Gardner, Chapter 18  
April 10Gothic Europe 3Gardner, Chapter 18  
April 12Gothic Europe 4Gardner, Chapter 18  
April 17Gothic EuropeGardner, Chapter 18  
April 19Gothic Rome   
April 24Review: Early Medieval, Romanesque, Gothic Paper & Journal Due 
April 26Review