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JOHN CABOT UNIVERSITY

COURSE CODE: "AH 143"
COURSE NAME: "World Art III: Visual Culture of the Renaissance and Baroque Worlds (Partially on-site)"
SEMESTER & YEAR: Fall 2014
SYLLABUS

INSTRUCTOR: Carolyn Smyth
EMAIL: [email protected]
HOURS: TTH 4:30 PM 5:45 PM
TOTAL NO. OF CONTACT HOURS: 45
CREDITS: 3
PREREQUISITES:
OFFICE HOURS: Wednesday 14:00-17:00 [email protected]

COURSE DESCRIPTION:
The course is intended to offer an introduction to the most significant artistic monuments and trends of European art and architecture from the 14th to the late 18thC, as well as several sections on the Early Modern period in Asia. It is designed both for the student with no previous art history background, and for the student with some experience seeking a general historical overview. Through lectures, class discussions, readings and visits to sites and museums, the student will become familiar with a variety of period styles and cultures, artists and major works from the Early Modern era. In addition, the course should stimulate consideration of some of the various approaches of art-historical study – the different ways of looking and thinking about art. In this way, the student will be introduced to the basic methods of the field, as well as to the tools which enable a more informed appreciation of painting, sculpture and architecture.
SUMMARY OF COURSE CONTENT:

            The range of artworks presented in this course is selective rather than all-inclusive, in the belief that deeper knowledge of a few works will supply students with essential art-historical skills, and a foundation for what may be hoped to be a continued involvement with art.

 

            By including several visits to representative sites and collections, the course will take advantage of our special situation in Rome. For this reason, some emphasis will be placed on the art of Italy in the Renaissance and Baroque. Relevant temporary exhibitions which relate to our subject matter will also be included in visits. While not possible for all units, a number of on-site discussions, as well as the journal and paper assignments, will enrich this introductory course through the study of original works of art and architecture.

LEARNING OUTCOMES:

Students will be expected to develop, in the course of the semester, the following:

 

-          Ready recognition of selected works and knowledge of basic facts related to them. A basic understanding of the historical development of painting, sculpture, architecture and other arts from the cultures and periods of the course within their cultural, political and ideological contexts.

 

-          Awareness of problems of interpretation, in relation to the study of selected works; basic

Familiarity with the subject matter and iconography, function, issues of patronage and purpose   of selected works.

 

-          Development of the visual and analytical skills of looking. The student should achieve a recognition of major period styles; also essential is a perception of the ways in which form and meaning are conjoined.

 

-          A grasp of the changing function of art as a shifting expression of individuals and institutions in different moments of history. Awareness of the different functions and attitudes toward the purpose of art in different cultures, West and East, and the different values placed on artists, media, and the role of art in society.

 

-          Furthering of writing skills: declaration and development of a clearly stated theme, development of methods of argumentation and organization, written expression and structure.

 

-          Furthering of oral communication skills, through class discussion and oral presentation

TEXTBOOK:
Book TitleAuthorPublisherISBN numberLibrary Call NumberCommentsFormatLocal BookstoreOnline Purchase
Gardner's Art Through the Ages: A Global History - Volume IIFred S. KleinerInternational Edition, 14th editionXXXXX Textbook for the Class   
REQUIRED RESERVED READING:
NONE

RECOMMENDED RESERVED READING:
Book TitleAuthorPublisherISBN numberLibrary Call NumberComments
suggestedOther supplementary readings will beTBAXXXXX  
GRADING POLICY
-ASSESSMENT METHODS:
AssignmentGuidelinesWeight
Midterm Examination Review for Midterm, two evenings, probably Monday and Tuesday previous to exam (pick one) You will be asked to identify slides, and to write comparative essays on pairs of slides. In addition, you will be shown a slide of a work probably not familiar to you, to analyze and to compare to known works. A “Monument List” will be given to you in anticipation of the exam as well as more detailed instructions. All works on this list are reproduced in the textbook, with the exception of a few seen on-site in Rome. In addition, two review periods will be scheduled for the Tuesday and Wednesday evenings before the Thursday examination (choose one). 20%
Final ExaminationTO BE SCHEDULED DURING FINAL EXAMINATION WEEK Do not plan to leave Rome before the Final Examination Week is over! Review for Final, two evenings of last week of class (prob. Mon. and Tues.) (pick one) The Final Examination will follow the same format as the Midterm: monument list, reserve slides, etc. will also be provided as above. This exam will include in addition an essay question which will propose a theme interrelating various works and issues discussed during the semester, which will test you as well on command of the readings. You will be given a choice of three or four essay questions. 25%
Journal TBA (Sept.) – First entry to be submitted TBA – Second entry to be submitted TBA – All five entries (completed Journal, including first and second entry) The Journal is an informal but important assignment to get you to investigate works on your own, and to practice skills and apply ideas learned in class and from the reading. You will visit at least three different monuments, museums or sites and write 3 to 5 pages of analysis on four individual works. (These are to be handwritten – entries may be retyped if very messy, but be sure to hand in the original also.) Only one may be a work seen together on the class visits, and at least two should be a work not in Gardner. A variety of media should be addressed – painting, sculpture, architecture. Further instructions will be provided. 25%
Short Comparative Paper Paper Topic – due date TBA Paper- Due TBA A short (3-4 page) paper, well-organized, carefully written and edited, will address two works of art or architecture which are related by theme and/ or purpose. You might use a work addressed in your Journal (or a new work) and “match” it with another of the same subject, type, or purpose – for instance, two church facades, two portraits of noblemen, two Last Suppers, two marble seated figures, (etc.). The paper should demonstrate research on each work – at least four specialized articles or books (no “Wikipedia”!) – as well as a thoughtful comparison of how each artist or architect approached a similar but different task in a distinctive manner. More guidelines to come. 20%
Class participation and discussion Attendance is naturally a requirement of the course, since much material will be presented in lectures and discussions which is not available in the readings. Be sure to have completed the assigned readings before each class. Active participation and discussion in class and visits is of course toward your benefit for the grade – but also, helpful contributions and questions relevant to the material under consideration also make the class more interesting and lively for all of us. Keep in mind that this 10% of your grade is an assessment not simply of your physical presence, but of active involvement in discussion. More than two unexcused absences will lower your grade (for example, B plus becomes a B). This includes the official JCU Friday Make-up Classes. On-site classes are Real Classes, and your undivided attention, note-taking and active participation is expected. You are required to attend two of the three Friday visits – but why wouldn’t you want to be there for all three? A reminder of classroom and on-site etiquette – Punctuality is important, since announcements concerning assignments and visits will be made at the beginning of the class; it is tiresome for everyone if these must be repeated because of tardiness. Please be sure to accomplish telephone conversations, snacking, and calls of nature before the class – rising from class or wandering off from the on-site group or chatting is extremely distracting for me and for your fellow students, and prohibited except for the most dire of instances. Due to abuse of the employment of computers in the past, computers will not be allowed in the classroom. NB: Should you feel uncertain about an assignment, come to me and we can speak about it. I will supply ample handouts, guidelines, and give instructions orally in class for each project and exam, but I am also available for individual discussion in office hours and by appointment. I am also willing to read drafts (substantially complete papers and journals for which you have some doubts or worries) if they are submitted in advance for me to read. 10%

-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 cour
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:
See section under "Assessment Method"

Note that there will be probably three Friday morning visits (on-site classes). Students will be expected to attend at least two of these (but why wouldn't you want to go to all three!)
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

The professor reserves the right to make changes in the schedule with advance notice and the agreement of the students.

Pay attention to make-up classes, Friday morning visits, and the pre-examination evening reviews. Due the scheduling of classes to only 75 minutes, we will do several (probably three) on-site visits on Fridays mornings. I must be away for the entire week of Thanksgiving. In addition, the on-site visits provide the wonderful opportunity to learn about important works of art not just from your textbook, but in person, here in Rome!

Suggested supplementary readings will be indicated (forthcoming).

 

Exact dates forthcoming; below is the sequence of class topics ( in progress, there will be a few changes):

 

 

Introduction, to the course: goals, assignments.

Some basic terms, methods and aspects of art history through examples from the 14-18C.

Required Reading: Gardner, Introduction: “What is Art History”

 

 Late Gothic Art, including mosaics, crucifixes, reliefs for pulpits, frescoes, sculpture and architecture in Italy

Required Reading: Chapter19: “Italy, 1200 to 1400” (=” From Gothic to Renaissance: The Fourteenth Century in Italy”)

 

Early Renaissance Art in the Netherlands: especially the painting of Jan van Eyck and Rogier van der Weyden

Required Reading: Gardner, Chapter 20: “Northern Europe 1400-1500“ (=”15C Art in Northern Europe”)

 

FRIDAY VISIT, 12:00-13:00 (Date TBA)

     A Visit to the Villa Farnesina – Meet me at the entrance of JCU at 12:00 sharp!

An on-site introduction to some issues concerning High Renaissance painting and architecture: Patronage, society, and the model of classical culture.  

 

Early Renaissance Art and Architecture in Italy, especially in Florence. The interest in ancient culture for “humanistic” purposes; a new attitude toward rendering nature; courts vs. republics; one-point perspective; civic participation and individuality in the Renaissance and in Renaissance art and architecture of the 15C.

Required Reading: Gardner, Chapter 21: “Italy 1400 to 1500”(=“15C Italian Art”)

 

Some principles of High Renaissance art and architecture in Italy. Leonardo, Raphael, Michelangelo, and Bramante, especially in Florence and Rome. Pope Julius II and the triumph of the papacy in the Eternal City.

Required Reading: Gardner, Chapter 22:”Italy 1500 to 1600” (=“The High Renaissance and Mannerism”)

 

Other Currents in Italian Renaissance Art. Venice and Northern Italy, especially Titian and Correggio. The Later Renaissance and “Mannerism.”

Required Reading: Gardner, Chapter 22: later section on Venetian art and Mannerism.

 

The art of Northern Europe in the 16C: Dürer, and the legacy of northern naturalism in the North; the interconnections of Flanders and Spain in art, in collecting.

Required Reading: Chapter 23: “Northern Europe and Spain, 1500-1600”

 

Baroque art and architecture in Italy. The expression of the Counter-Reformation in Rome – St. Peter’s, Bernini, and Borromini. New trends introduced to Rome in the painting of Caravaggio and the Carracci. Opening the heavens – ceiling decoration in church and palace.

Required Reading: Gardner, Chapter 24, “Italy and Spain 1600 to 1700”

 

Baroque art in Spain, with special attention to Velazquez.

Required Reading: Gardner, Chapter 24, section on Spain

 

Friday Morning Visit – TBA – We might take advantage of a temporary exhibition, depending, or simply visit a monument or museum in Rome.

 

Mughal Art and Architecture: An introduction to non-Western art through some examples of Mughal art (Muslim art of India) contemporary with the Western “Renaissance and Baroque period:” intersections with Europe (to help understanding of our study of the various functions of art), and a study of different patronage, conceptions of creativity, and purposes of art in a diverse context  

Required Reading: Gardner, Chapter 26, “South and Southeast Asia after 1200”

 

Baroque painting in Flanders: Peter Paul Rubens: Rubens’ Italian experience and his international career.

Required Reading: Gardner, Chapter 25:”Northern European Art 1600 to 1700”

 

Baroque painting in Holland. The development of the humble genres -portraiture, still-life, genre and landscape.  Rembrandt’s spiritual vision in painting and prints.

Required Reading: Gardner, Chapter 25, section on Rembrandt and Dutch painting

 

FRIDAY VISIT (TBA)

Visit: “The Baroque Quirinale Experience:” four churches and some principles of Baroque art and architecture.

 

French art in France and beyond. Nicholas Poussin, a learned French painter in Rome. The court of Louis XIV and the style of absolute monarchy in art and architecture.

Required Reading:Gardner, Chapter 25, section on French art

 

The Baroque in England.  Inigo Jones and Christopher Wren – architecture reigns supreme in new interpretations of the Renaissance and the classical. Comparative discussion of the art of the 17thC in Italy, Spain and Northern Europe.

A comparative discussion of the art of the 17C in Italy, Spain, and Northern Europe. Is there a common thread?  What are regional and individual distinctions? What is the role of patronage?

Required Reading: Gardner, Chapter 25, section on English architecture

 

Evening reviews for the Midterm and Final Examinations will be scheduled for two evenings each in anticipation of the exams.

FINAL EXAMINATION – to be scheduled, December 7-13