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the nineteenth century.Click here for Midterm PRIMARY TEXT: Eisenman, Nineteenth-Century Art: A Critical History. This is a crucial sourcebook of images and ideas that will be covered in the course. It is strongly suggested that you have access to this text. Reading assignments will be given out of this book, and the material covered in those readings are "testable". You will find questions to accompany assigned readings in the packet noted below. SECONDARY TEXTS: CHOOSE ONE UNLESS YOU ARE WAY RICH!!!
SUPPLEMENTAL PACKET OF "STUFF": There is a packet of lecture outlines, reading questions, sample tests and other "stuff" available at the Nelson Copy Shoppe upstairs. I imagine that everyone will want to purchase this packet, as it will help organize your class notes and prepare you for the tests. It also contains templates for your writing assignments. NOTE ON PURCHASING TEXTBOOKS AND PACKETS: I understand that it has become fashionable to delay purchasing textbooks until the middle of the quarter or later, if possible. Please either buy the textbooks before the first exam or make arrangements to "share" books with others in the class. The bookstore will return books that are not purchased after about a month. I will not be able to lend you copies of the books or excuse poor test performances on the basis that you do not have the textbook. ***I am all in favor of the sharing of textbooks in these hideous economic times. I recommend that you form groups to purchase one of each of the books and then share them, making your own photocopies if necessary. *** OBJECTIVES: This course aims to provide an in-depth study of the art of nineteenth-century Europe and America and an introduction to a variety of methods by which art is customarily understood. It is also designed to explore the relationship between art history and history, between art objects and key episodes in political, social, and intellectual history. I want to help you achieve what I call a "critical awareness" of art and build a vocabulary with which you can describe artistic media and elements of style. This is an equal opportunity classroom in the presentation of ideas and issues raised by artists. It is important for you to understand that artists create works that become either personal or societal documents of a certain moment in their lives. Some of these issues may make you feel uncomfortable because of their unfamiliarity. Some works may make you challenge your belief systems. (This, by the way, is a characteristic that good art and a good college education have in common.) I recommend that you maintain an open mind and avoid rash judgments based on the artists' race, gender or sexual orientation. NOTE ON STUDENT RESPONSIBILITY: Your success in this course will be directly proportional to your "ownership" of the material. I am here to guide you in your study of this material and in your development of abilities (like written and oral communication) that you will need in the "real world." I have provided textbooks and review materials that you may use to learn the material. Please take responsibility for your education, if for no other reason than the fact that you're paying for it. When you come to my office to discuss a grade on a test or assignment, bring the notes that you've been taking in class and on the reading assignments. This will help me diagnose potential problems more quickly and ultimately help me to help you to achieve in this course. COURSE REQUIREMENTS
You will generally have your assignments/tests returned one week from the date they are turned in. Your attendance in class may affect your final grade one half step in either direction. POINT SCALE CUTOFFS:
TEST FORMAT: The final exam will not be cumulative. There are several types of questions that I might ask you on a quiz. The following are the types I use most often. (Refer to the course packet for further information and sample tests.) 1. Attribution Questions (featuring slides not studied in this course, but by an artist that has been studied). Look carefully and try to relate it to works you are familiar with. Do your best to attribute the unknown work to a tendency, artist and style. Support your attribution with reasons based on what you see and comparisons to works you are familiar with. 2. Comparison Questions (two slides will be shown at a time). These slides will have been studied in the course. Discuss similarities and differences presented within each pair. Develop a thoughtful and detailed essay that compares and contrasts key elements in the slide pair (considering style, subject matter, meaning, historical context, intended audience, artist's intent etc.) When studying for the tests, and when you begin the exam, ask yourself the following questions pertaining to slide comparisons:
Above all, when you are writing compare/contrast essays ask yourself the question SO WHAT? as much as possible. SO WHAT? are keywords to force you to think "Why is this important?" or "Why is this significant". For example, if you say "This slide is from Picasso's rose period" the first "SO WHAT" is... "The rose period was characterized, in addition to the color tonalities, the presence of themes drawn from the circus". If you ask "SO WHAT" again you can add... "These circus personalities seem emaciated and somewhat depressed, similar to the forlorn individuals seen in Picasso's blue period." 3. Directed Questions (one or two slides will be shown). I will ask you a to answer a specific question; this is the place where the reading assignments will come into play. THIS CLASS IS CONSTRUCTED TO HELP YOU LEARN KEY CONCEPTS AND ISSUES; MOST IMPORTANTLY, TO HELP YOU THINK CRITICALLY AND WRITE EFFECTIVELY. ***YOU ARE NOT EXPECTED TO MEMORIZE DATES*** Another hint: write the exam as if you were explaining the the works of art to a someone who is very interested in the subject but knows nothing about it. Don't assume that I will know what you mean. Explain terms and ideas carefully. READING RESPONSES FROM YOUR SECOND TEXT. Templates for your reading assignments are included in the packet as noted above. The grading criteria for these assignments are listed on the template. Use the form given for the completion of the assignments (augmenting sections with additional pages as needed), OR write a free-form response, depending on what you think will work better given your chosen text. Here are some questions you can ask yourself to help get you started on a response-- For Tomlinson: This is a book of essays on various topics. Choose two of the essays for your reading responses; choose others (at least two) to provide the focus of your paper or project.
For Zola: This is a novel written during the nineteenth century.
For Auden: This is a book of Vincent Van Gogh's letters to his brother Theo that relate to the motivation behind and creation of his art. Read the letters in chronological order, and for each response choose several that focus on a particular issue you are interested in.
READING RESPONSES SHOULD BE NO LESS THAN THREE PAGES FOR UNDERGRADS, AND FIVE PAGES FOR GRADS. DUE DATES ARE LISTED ON THE SCHEDULE BELOW. TERM PAPER/PROJECT: *** The criteria for grading these papers/projects can be found in the course packet, along with more details and ideas.*** Choose one of the following options: (1) Standard research paper, expected length = 5 pages (10 for grads.) plus footnotes and bibliography of no less than 5 sources. The topic may be a theme, an art historical methodology (i.e. feminism, social history) or the work of a specific artist. The topic must be drawn from the nineteenth-century and be supported by your second text. (2) Extended reading response paper, expected length = 5 pages (10 for grads). This must be a development on (not the same information recopied!) the reading responses to no less than 2 of the readings from Tomlinson. The readings must be compared and contrasted and actively evaluated (demonstrating critical thinking). (3) Analysis of a work of art (from the nineteenth century!) at the Minneapolis Institute of Arts. An upclose and personal examination of stylistic qualities and their significance in terms of the ideas studied in class. Expected length = 5 pages (10 for grads). Choose Van Gogh if you're reading the letters or choose one of the artists discussed in Tomlinson if you're reading that. (4) Creative project that involves a writing component. Expected length of written part = 3 pages (7 for grads). While the creative project may be literary or visual, the writing component must be completed in order for credit to be obtained. Relate the creative subject to your second text and see me before you start. (5) Journal. This option counts for the reading responses and the term paper/project. Your journal will be collected three times (when the reading responses are due and on the final due date). You will be graded on the extent to which you have demonstrated involvement with the ideas presented in your second text. You will be expected to move beyond rote repetition of facts to a synthesis of ideas and even extension beyond the scope of that text to the class in general and your own work (presuming you are an art student). The amount you have written should demonstrate that you took the journal seriously and dedicated time to it equal to the time it would take to complete any of the other options. LECTURE TOPICS/READING ASSIGNMENTS/TEST & ASSIGNMENT SCHEDULE:\ January 6
13
20
27
February 3
10
17
24
March 3
10
17
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aaron conway