"A masterpiece is when you find something that reminds you of one of your friends."
- Sadie, August 2009
Art History 101 Origins of the Work of Art
Section 1: TTH 10-11:20, section 2: TTH11:30-12:50
Instructor: Dr. Betsy Towns, 216 Gray Building
Office 631-1504, cell 919-428-1717
12-2 on Wednesday or by appointment. I like getting visits.
This course provides a survey of visual culture from 30,000 b.c.e. to about 1000 c.e. from around the globe. The course introduces a range of tools and methods for looking at and learning from artworks, and ways to find meaning in art and visual culture more broadly. This approach establishes a foundation on which to build understanding of the development of today’s visual culture, and of our notions of art-making and civilization.
Objectives –––––––––––––––––––––––––––––––––––––––––––––––––––––––––––––––––––––
Students will:
• Learn to recognize the basic elements and principles of art—the vocabulary and grammar of artmaking—that help us read visual culture of our own time and place, as well as art from around the world and throughout history.
• Develop college/professional level skills in reading/viewing, analyzing, evaluating and critically responding to texts and artifacts. Practice a variety of ways of looking at, thinking about, talking about and writing about art: creative, critical, theoretical, philosophical, historical, individual.
• Begin to recognize general characteristics of an art period, and to think critically about relationships between works and periods, particularly those of Mesopotamia, Greece, Rome, Egypt, China and Japan. Students will practice identifying the similarities and differences between works of art in different periods in written assignments and discussion, and critically appreciating different concepts of art in varied world traditions.
• Consider the contributing factors (social, cultural, religious, historical, technological, political, economic) relevant to significant periods in art, and begin to find the clues to these factors in the visual evidence, informed by readings and demonstrated by participation in class discussions and in written assignments.
• Build a visual vocabulary that will enrich the contents of their work in the arts.
• Draw connections between the visual cultures of the past and present, looking at the ways art of the past has informed artists working today, and discovering ways that art history can enrich their own art practices.
• Explore their emotional, visual, and critical responses to works of art. Work to understand their own map of visual culture, its images, theories, and narratives. Develop sensitivity to their influences, biases, and opinions.
Required Text 30, 000 Years of Art, Phaidon Press Inc. (October 22, 2007) ISBN: 0714847895 Available at the bookstore or online. I have never had to comment on the weight of a book. This book is overweight. You may consider partnering with someone, and bringing the book to class only tues or only thurs, and sharing with that person. However, if they don’t bring their book on days when it’s needed, both students share burden of responsibility. You must bring the book to class on dates marked with an asterisk. * Outside readings will frequently supplement this text, and I will post them or a link to them on the class blackboard site for you to download. Please bring a printed version of outside readings to class on the day for which they are assigned. This means you must have access to a working printer.
Course Requirements –––––––––––––––––––––––––––––––––––––––––––––––––––––––––––
1. Attendance and Participation
2. Short written assignments building to the two longer response papers that will comprise the major portion of your midterm and final exam grade.
3. Brief interpretive projects included in the notebook.
4. Research, writing, and presentation about a personal tomb, temple, sarcophagus, or other memorial object.
5. Reading: assessed by performance on quizzes, tests, class participation and use of readings on written assignments
6. Exams- midterm and final largely essay responses and analyses of specific works and also including identification of images
Grading Procedure Grades will be based on the following breakdown:
Grading:
Class participation 15%
Notebook—responses, classwork, keywork descriptions 20%
Presentation and companion paper: 20%
Midterm exam: 20%
Final Exam: 25%
If you accomplish all that is required in a satisfactory manner, you can expect a B. To earn an A, your must go above and beyond the minimums set for the project, and executed work in an exemplary fashion. Incomplete work or work that exhibits minimal effort or limited breadth in thought and/or effort will earn a C or lower; include errors and the work will earn a D. Failure to demonstrate understanding of the material, to follow guidelines of the assignment, and/or to show depth of effort will result in a Failing grade. I use a ten point scale.
Policy ––––––––––––––––––––––––––––––––––––––––––––––––––––––––––––––––––
Attendance: Students are expected to attend each class session ready to discuss the readings and artworks. Great discussions are built on creative thinking, respectful attention to others and thoughtful preparation. Study, thought, and writing about key works or passages from readings will pay off in terms of interesting class sessions and positive evaluations, which I note down at the end of every class. I permit two unexcused absences after which each absence will result in a five point deduction from the final grade.
Swine Addendum: This year we may have to make changes in the syllabus and the attendance requirements based on H1N1. If you have flu symptoms, call the school hotline Health Services Phone Number: 336-770-3288 (8 a.m.-5 p.m.) Campus Police Phone Number: 336-770-3321 (5 p.m.-8 a.m.) for evaluation. If they determine you likely have flu, they will notify your instructors. That excuses you from class. To make up the work, you must keep up with readings and keyworks for the sessions missed, making entries about the keyworks in your notebook as usual, and respond thoughtfully to the pertinent readings in a one-page typed response, included in your notebook. You may be creative with this response, writing it as an essay, a story, a chapter from a graphic novel, a carefully prepared and edited podcast, etc.
Late Work: Late work will result in a five points per day deduction. Technology does not always function perfectly. You must plan ahead to figure out how to submit your work on time. Printers on campus have attained notoriety for their failures. I will tell you if you may turn in assignments digitally, otherwise you need to plan ahead to deal with these chronic printer problems.
Plagiarism: Students must adhere to the UNCSA policy regarding plagiarism. We will discuss the appropriate use of your own and borrowed materials in regard to writing assignments. You are expected to create your own work throughout the semester, on papers, quizzes, and exams. I encourage you to study with you peers, to discuss papers, share ideas, and discuss reading prior to class. The essential work for each assignment must be your own, with sources for borrowed materials clearly cited. Any attempt to turn in another person's work as your own - whether it is from a book, journal, textbook, fellow classmate, web site, or other media source - will result in an automatic F for the course. A letter explaining the nature of the plagiarism will be placed in your academic file and a copy will be sent to your arts Dean.
Sensitive Material: we will discuss artwork of a variety of subjects that have been recorded by humans over time, many of them of intense emotional register for us and for their creators. This means that we will look at and discuss some works of art that may effect your sensibilities, works that deal with religion, sexuality, gender, death, violence, race, power, and other sensitive subjects. Please listen sensitively to different opinions and express your views.
Accommodation for Students with Disabilities: In compliance with the UNCSA policy and equal access laws, I am available to discuss appropriate academic accommodations that may be required for students with disabilities. Note that accommodations will not be granted without appropriate written documentation. Upon entrance to the course, students are encouraged to register with the Officer for Student Disabilities to verify their eligibility for appropriate accommodations.
Examination Policy: There are two in-class exams this term, including the final exam, which will include materials from class discussions and readings. Please note the date of the exams carefully, and should you have a professional conflict, make arrangements with me at least two weeks prior to the exam. As for the final exam, if it is necessary to take the exam early due to early departure you must discuss this with me one month before the intended departure and complete the Request for Early Departure Form at Academic House.
The Writing Center at UNCSA
Elizabeth Klaimon, Director, Writing Center, room 210 Gray Building, 631-1514 klaimone@uncsa.edu, http://faculty.uncsa.edu/writingcenter/
· Free one-on–one tutoring sessions: between 15 – 45 minutes long.
· Assistance in all stages of the writing process
· Our goal is to work with students to help them become better writers.
· The writing center is staffed by the director and faculty. We also hire a few peer tutors.
To make an appointment please contact klaimone@uncsa.edu
Laptops Except when working on in-class writing assignments or other specific tasks tba, I do not allow laptop use in class.
Assignments Schedule/ Class Calendar––––––––––––––––––––––––––––––––
Assignments: I place enormous value on your class notebook. Almost all your work for the term will appear in your notebook. Choose the form you wish it to take carefully, knowing that I will collect the notebooks three times, and I expect you to make it into a whole—intentional and careful in terms of form and content. In a way, you’ll be making your own art history book this term. I will explain this in detail, but here are the basics: create a container for all your class notes, sketches (which we will do every day), responses to readings, take-home exams, and the written portion of presentations. As well as other material you feel appropriate. Your notebook can take a traditional form (loose-leaf binder or spiral), or it may be a journal, a blog, or other. But you need to find a way to hold the pieces together. See my blog entry on commonplace books. You will receive specific assignment handouts for the midterm, final exam, and group presentation, and I will make smaller assignments for classwork and homework to complete in your notebook.
Course Calendar
NOTE: Prepare readings for the date on which they are listed, take time to study and make notes about the key works. ***Download, print, and bring handouts to class. ***
If there are changes in the readings calendar or essays posted on the class blackboard site, I will let you know and will update the calendar online.
I make the calendar so you can have a quick reference to what’s expected. The weekly and sometimes daily blog entries I prepare, however, give far more details and really outline my expectations and some examples of the kind of work I expect. So be sure to refer to those as you complete your assignments. Check the blog every day for updates.
September 18: introduction—looking at images, the visual field, blackboard, syllabus, web sites, Commonplace Books, On the limitations and problems of language, are we studying any art this term?
Week One: The oldest Visual Culture we Know
*September 22nd The origins of Figural Sculpture in Europe 30,000 bce-4000 bce.
Homework: complete the three step homework handed out in class including: signing up for blackboard and printing the syllabus, reading the blog www.artisanhistory.blogspot.com, and describing a figurative work (one including a human figure) made prior to 4000 bce in several carefully crafted sentences in your notebook.
Key works: Lion Man of Hohlenstein-Stadel, 4, Woman from Willendorf, 5 Enthroned Goddess from Çatalhöyük (19)
Note: September 23 is last day of drop/add
*September 24th: Cave Paintings and reading Visual Art
HW for Thursday: read the selection from Jean Baudrillard that I posted for you on blackboard. Read about at least three cave paintings in the 30k book. Check out the Lascaux cave website here: http://www.culture.gouv.fr/culture/arcnat/lascaux/en/
Choose one image of a cave painting. Sketch it quickly in your notebook and Describe what you see in the cave.
Key Works: Sash Painting (10), Hall of Bulls at Lascaux (11), Altamira Bison (13), Hand Stencils Argentina (also found in Lascaux) (16), Dabous Giraffes (29)
Week Two: Toolkit
*September 29th: Form
HW: find a VISUAL theme that connects three works between pages 30 and 60 of the 30k book. Read about the three images in the book and, if you like, in online sources. I will post some links to prehistoric art sources on the blog.
Sketch or print a representation of the images and explain the connection. Why might it exist?
In class: elements and principals of design, basic terminology
Key Terms this time, instead of key works: color, line, texture, tone, shape/form, space, balance, proportion, emphasis, unity, contrast, repetition, movement, rhythm, direction, composition and its rules.
*October 1: Content Early narrative art
Homework: Choose three works from pages 1-65 of the 30k book that show a connection in terms of CONTENT. Read about them, Draw or print a representation of the images and demonstrate the connection you see. Why do you think it exists?
Reading: Skim the text of this helpful website, and then read carefully the “Questions to ask a painting, work of architecture, sculpture” sections http://www.wesleyan.edu/writing/workshop/departments/arha.html
Key Works: Warka Vase (32), Palette of Narmer (50), Man carrying Male infant (57), Standard of Ur (67)
Week Three: Themes Emerge
*October 6: Animals in Ancient Art
Reading: John Berger, “Why Look at Animals?” posted on blackboard
Keyworks: Bull’s head rhyton 104, hall of bulls (11), antelope fresco (105), Ram in the thicket (63), Bull Standard (61), Lioness Demon (51), Kneeling Bull (49), You vessel (142)
*October 8: Heroes and Leaders in Ancient Art
Look at ten pieces that show heroes or leaders prior to page 255 of the 30k book. Draw three of them and describe some similarities and differences. Read what the text for each of the ten works, and be prepared to offer comments on a couple of them. Choose one piece and write the story that you can read in it about the relationship between this person of significance and those around him/her… or between the artist and his/her subject. You may do some research and treat the subject historically or look at the piece and write your own story.
Week Four: north Africa, Especially Egypt
October 13 Ancient Egypt
Reading: National Geographic http://ngm.nationalgeographic.com/2008/02/black-pharaohs/robert-draper-text.html another great resource Great resource: http://www.thebanmappingproject.com/
Keyworks: Khephren (67), Scribe (69), Hippopotamus Hunt (71), Hunting Fowl in the Marshes (113)
NOTEBOOKS DUE TUESDAY!
October 15
interruption: Where the Wild Things Are: reading picture books. How knowing more lets you know more.
Where in the World is Egypt? Is it in Africa, Europe, or Asia? New Kingdom Egypt. Akhenaten and his family. Reading the hints of style.
Reading: go to the Theban mapping project and do some surfing, hone in on the timeline and read about the time of Akhenaten: http://www.thebanmappingproject.com/resources/timeline_6.html
Keyworks: Akhenaten (117), Akhenaten and Nefertiti (118), Nefertiti (119), Mask of Tutankhamun, 121)
Week Five: Visions of Perfection, Ancient Greece
October 20 To piece together, or leave apart?
Reading: Reading: Page DuBois, “The Aesthetics of the Fragment” from Sappho is Burning, Chicago: University of Chicago Press, posted on blackboard, together with questions to aid your reading of this sophisticated article.
Keyworks: Exekias, Ajax and Achilles (197), Euphronios Krater (199), Wounded Warrior (212), Kritios Boy (214)
October 22 All Greek, continued
Reading from Black Athena, posted on blackboard
Key works: Warrior from Riace (223), Talos Krater (234), Alexander Sarcophagus (253), Marathon Boy (254), Ptolemy II (263), Laocoön (289), Yakshi (290)
Week Six: Big Midterm; Big Empire
Note October 28th last day to withdraw from a class
October 27 Midterm Exam, bring take-home essay in your notebook, and be prepared to identify and analyze key works listed in syllabus.
October 29 Roman Empire
Reading from traditional art history textbook posted on blackboard.
Keyworks: comparison between Tunisian frieze Eight Gods(276) and Pergamun Frieze (277), and portrait heads Brutus (264) and Antikythera Philosopher (265)
Week seven: PomPeii, An Instant Preserved
November 3: Rome, continued: Pompeii
Reading: from traditional archeological survey. http://archive.cyark.org/pompeii-info, specific reading described in class
Key Works: Mysteries Fresco (298), Perseus and Andromeda (310)
November 5: presentations
Week Eight: somewhat FleXible; somewhat Empirical
November 10 tba. If we’ve stayed on schedule despite the swine, we’ll have a digital day and break into small groups for online discussions, if not, we’ll use this as a make-up day.
November 12: Ancient China, Abstraction and different ideas of perfection and power evident in the key works. Focus on Tomb of Emperor Qin.
Reading: “A Magic Army for the Emperor,” by Lothar Ledderose, posted on blackboard.
Keyworks: Images from the tomb of Emperor Qin posted on the blog, plus Kneeling Archer (269) and Dying Gaul (268) comparison
Week Nine:
November 17 group presentations
November 19 Ancient Americas
Reading: on Geometric patterns and Universal abstraction TBA
Key Works: Chupicuaro Figure (285), Adena Pipe (286), Maize God (287), Oculate Being Mask (312)
Exams
Section one, classtime 10:00 TTH: Exam Time : Monday November 23, 9:00-11:00 AM
Section two, classtime 11:30 TTH, Exam Time Wednesday November, 25 8:00 – 10:00 AM
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