We will focus on some of the best-known sculptors of the Baroque, including Francesco Mochi, Gianlorenzo Bernini, Alessandro Algardi, and Francois Duquesnoy, as well as the lesser-known masters of metalwork and the artists who participated in the workshops of Bernini and Algardi.  Some of the themes to be discussed will include the critical reception of Baroque sculpture in contemporary and modern scholarship, connoisseurship and attribution of sculptures, the material manufacture of sculptures of diverse media (e.g. marble, bronze, silver, stucco), the role of ancient and Renaissance art, representing innovative and problematic subjects both secular and religious, the sculptor as designer/head of workshop, and the place of local and foreign sculptors in 17^th century court-culture.  Beyond a comprehension of Baroque sculpture, the course aims for a mastery of art historical research skills, the evaluation of current scholarship, and independent critical thought on art.

COURSE TITLE: “Roman Baroque sculpture: in the laboratory of design and media.

            The seminar examines the sculpted objects, in various media, of the Roman Baroque (late 16^th-17^th century).  Rome was the center of sculptural production under the patronage of cardinals, popes, and private individuals. It was also the school for sculptors who sought direct experience with the works of their predecessors: ancient Greco-Roman and Renaissance sculptures accessible in the early art collections, palace courtyards, piazzas, and churches of the city.  Dramatic religious change challenged sculptors to reinvent the classical tradition in the service of church ambitions, which prompted artists to experiment in design and mixing media.  Rome was the perfect laboratory for the sculptors of the 17^th century.  Although the number of painters outnumbered the sculptors working in the capital, they left the most diverse and lasting visual impact on the city by making everything from monumental fountains to delicate metal contains for relics.

The course will take place in the seminar meeting room at the JCU campus and on-site in museums and churches in Rome.

Students will learn to:

- identify and learnedly discuss Roman Baroque sculpture and its historiography.

- critically analyze modern scholarship relating to the interpretation of Baroque sculpture.

- critically examine methodological issues of using primary source material for interpreting Baroque sculpture, especially monuments in situ. 

One unexcused absence is permitted (but highly discouraged) without grade penalty. You are still responsible for the content of that missed meeting, which may include a site based writing assignment. Three “tardies” count as one unexcused absence.  Students are expected to plan accordingly to arrive on time to class, wear the appropriate shoes and clothing for in climate weather and dress appropriately for sacred spaces (knees and shoulders covered, and all parts in between!).  Please see the ATAC link below for directions on public transit to arrive. A document including tips on arriving to various sites will also be posted on the course page (MyJCU).

ARRIVE ON TIME. Students who arrive late to class will have to find the group on their own, disrupt class already in session, pay their own entrance to the museum, miss important information announced at the start of class, and/or possibly not be able to enter the museum due to group reservations.