Class Information and Requirements

Description/Texts/Meetings/Grading/Tests/Projects/Project Info/ Contact

Description

This course will survey the art and architecture of the 16th century in Italy. We will focus in particular on issues of patronage, and the dissemination of Italian styles throughout Europe in this period.

The class will consider the major artists and patrons of the period within their historical and social context. Organized by city, the class covers the major centers of Italy, including Florence, Rome, Venice, Mantua, and other courtly centers, as well as locations strongly influenced by Italian art, such as Nuremberg, Paris, Toledo, Madrid, Prague, Haarlem, and Antwerp. Finally, we will consider the effects of the Protestant Reformation and the Counter-Reformation on art and architecture in Italy and elsewhere.

Goals for the class include:

• Acquiring an understanding of the major artists and works of the High Renaissance period
• Understanding of the social and historical situation of the period, and the connections between the art and culture of the later Renaissance
• Enhancing the student's ability to produce effective art historical writing in a variety of styles
• Developing the student's knowledge of the methodology and texts of patronage and collection studies, and an ability to assess such texts critically

Texts
John Paoletti and Gary M. Radke. Art in Renaissance Italy. 2nd edition. 2002
Linda Murray. The High Renaissance and Mannerism. 1995

Additional readings will be assigned; see also the reserve shelf in Tutt library.

Meetings

Class will meet in Packard 126 daily from 1:00 to 3:00. Beginning in week two, there will be no formal class on Wednesdays - the time should be devoted to independent research and work on student projects. Attendance at all meetings is mandatory: all unavoidable absences must be cleared with Rebecca beforehand; unexcused absences will result in penalization of the student's grade.

Grading Policy

The grade for the class will be calculated based on the following criteria: texts (30%), presentations and class participation (35%), written work (35%).

Tests

Knowledge of objects presented in class will be tested through weekly quizzes, which will consist of slide identifications, factual questions, and/or short essay and comparison questions which test depth of knowledge about monuments, styles, themes, and issues. Images for study are available through the Art Department database on the web site; a link is provided for each day on the class schedule.

Projects

1. Research Paper. Each student will work throughout the block on a research paper focused on a single patron within the time period.

2. Presentation. Students will give oral presentations in which they present their research material to the class. An outline, bibliography, and abstract for the paper will be due on December 4 at 4PM.

3. Gallery Project. Each student will assume an imaginary identity, and construct a collection of art around their persona. The project will consist of images, labels, and a short essay explaining the goals and intentions of the collector. The collections will be hung on December 18.

Project Information

1. Presentation. The presentation is a chance for students to present the results of their ongoing research, to provide information about an aspect of Renaissance art not yet covered in class, and to receive input regarding their own work. Presentations should:

• be no more than an hour in length, including time for questions; aim for about 25 minutes of speaking time

• provide an overview of the topic, with information about the specific issues and questions the student is dealing with for their papers
• be geared to elicit discussion from the class be accompanied by appropriate visual materials (slides, Xeroxes, etc.)
  
  I recommend that as you do your research, you identify certain themes or goals that you want to communicate to the class; these will help you structure your presentation and guide your selection of visual aids. Also consider how you want to get the class involved in your topic, through discussion, projects, etc. A trial run through beforehand is a useful exercise, and will help with your self-presentation and oral clarity.
  
  Slides: You can check out slides from the slide library (Packard 130). The library is open between 9 and 4 M-F. You must bring with you a list of the artists and/or the buildings you want to get slides for. If a building, make sure you also bring information regarding the city where the building is located. It takes some time to pull slides, so I HIGHLY recommend visiting the library well in advance of your presentation.

2. Paper. The paper should be an essay based on your research, and should focus on a single aspect of the broader topic. It can be a single work, a theme, an issue, or a patron; but it should be a narrower topic, focused around a thesis or idea. Consult with me if you are unsure about the formulation of your paper topic.

• 8-12 pages, double spaced, typed. Lengths are approximate: please don't use tiny fonts to make it shorter!
• Footnotes and bibliography are required. Art historians use the Chicago style for footnoting; if you use another, that's fine, but be consistent and complete.

3. Gallery Project. The gallery project is an assignment intended to ask students to recreate the value systems and intellectual structures of certain patrons in the 16th century. Assuming an imaginary identity will require the student to define that identity, and to identify what artwork are best suited to it. The gallery project is a physical collection of images with written labels and an introduction, intended to be hung physically on the wall.

• Plan on between 6 and 10 images.
• Labels should be short - about one paragraph, explaining what features about the work were of interest to the patron
• The project should be accompanied by a 1-page summary of the themes and purposes of the collection you have assembled.
• Color copies, Xeroxes, and printed images are all acceptable. Please try to keep them around the size of an 8 1/2 x 11 sheet of paper, for legibility.

Contact info for Rebecca

Office: Packard 124, x6106
Email: rtucker@coloradocollege.edu
Hours: Tuesday 9-11, or by appointment