Time Schedule:
Joanne Snow-Smith
ART H 202
Seattle Campus
The arts of the Byzantine Empire, Islam, and Western Christendom through 1520 AD.
Class description
This course traces the artistic creativity of the people who lived during the Early Christian, Medieval and Renaissance periods of history; that is, from about 1 AD to about 1540. Art History is a pictorial history of humanity understood through the religious, social and conditions of the period. Art serves as a tchnical and creative record of human needs and achievements. We shall begin with the important tomb paintings found in the early Roman catacombs, study, among other things, the marvels of the mosaics of Ravenna, the soaring French Gothic cathedrals, the beginning of the Italian Renaissance with Giotto's great fescoes in the Arena Chapel, the masterpieces of Massaccio, Botticelli, Leonardo da Vinci, Raphael and conclude with the magnificent Ceiling by Michelangelo in the Sistine Chapel (newley restored) and his huge "Last Judgment" fresco there. While styles may change, artistic quality is more constant: superior works of art occur in many periods in which the individual artist reveals his aspirations and the extent of his gifts.
We will learn that an historical context is necessary in order to study the art of a particular period. Three factors affect the work of the period: 1) what had gone before (tradition); 2) what is the current style; and 3) what is the local style. However, a genius transcends his milieu - he is above the current style and he anticipates future developments. Every work of art is determined by what preceded it. It is affected by tradition, whether the artist likes it or not. Even in revolutionary breaks in art tradition, the new forms are not without antecedents. As well as a tradition in form, there is a tradition of content. During the Early Christian, Medieval and Renaissance periods, there were certain traditional ways of protraying the Madonna, for instance, and certian attributes of the saints that were always shown with them in pictues. Iconography, which will be of major concern to us in this course, is the science of the traditions of artistic imagery of the subject matter. Excellent slides of all of the works of art discussed will be shown in class, with many details included, and these same slides will be able to be studied individually in the School of Art Media Center.
Student learning goals
General method of instruction
There will be three hours of class time per week during which the instructor will lecture on the new material to be presented and explain in detail the slides of the works of art. The other two days per week, the students will meet with their assigned Teaching Assistant for group discussions, readings, and weekly assignments of art history themes. The Teaching Assistants (who are all graduate students in Art History) have been encouraged to be creative and innovative and to share their enthusiasm for the subject with the students.
In additions, the instructor has prepared an in-depth syllabus for the class (available at the Media Center in Suzzallo for a nominal price) which outlines the material to be covered in the class lectures as well as explanations of important terms and themes.
The instructor will hold office hours twice a week and students are invited to come in with questions, etc. The hours will be announced. The Teaching Assistants will also hold regular office hours which will be announced. The textbook used for this course will be: "Gardner's Art Through the Ages" revised by Horst de la Croix and Richard G. Tansey, Harcourt Brace Jovanovich, Inc., latest edition. (These books will be available at the University Bookstore.)
Recommended preparation
There are no prerequisites required to enroll in this class because the assigned readings, the class lectures and the group sections would provide all the material needed to do well in this course.
Class assignments and grading
During the two weekly meetings with the Teaching Assistants, reading assignments in the textbook will be announced. In addition, the weekly assignments of art history themes will be discussed. The instructor will also give the students the opportunity to complete an artistic project in place of one of the assigned written art history themes for those who are interested in the creative processes used by the Medieval and Renaissance artists.
The students will be required to attend both the class lectures by the instructor as well as the sections taught by the Teaching Assistants.
Grading for the course will be based on: 1) a mid-term examination; 2) a final examination; 3) class participation in the bi-weekly sections; 4) the written art history themes; 5) also the artistic project if this option has been chosen.
MORE INFORMATION: This course will fulfill a VLPA requirement of the University of Washington. If space is available, ACCESS students are most welcome to enroll. There is also a Writing Link connected with this course sponsored by the English Department.
