ARTH 308 Syllabus
ARTH 308: Renaissance Tradition in Art
TTh 9 - 10:20
Room A20
Instructor: Dr. Valerie A. Kidrick
Office & Phone #: A36; 916-650-2942
Office Hours: TBA
email: kidricv@scc.losrios.edu
Course Description :
The course is intended to provide the student with an introduction to and an historical/cultural overview of the impact of the Renaissance in the visual arts. Essentially, it is the history of a specific tradition and a particular way of looking at art. For all practical purposes, this class will cover the history of Western art from slightly before 1400 to the end of the 18th century.
Objectives :
Students in this course will be expected to demonstrate: 1) a cognizance of major artistic monuments of various cultures under consideration, 2) an understanding of the relationship of these monuments to their cultural and historical context, and 3) an awareness of the artistic styles associated with the cultures and historical periods within the cultures.
Texts : Required: Janson’s History of Art, Volume II (Seventh Edition)
Recommended: Barnet, Sylvan. A Short Guide to Writing About Art.
Other reading to be handed out in class
Instructional Methods
This class is taught in a slide lecture format. There is no formalized discussion built into the schedule, although there will always be time for student initiated conversation concerning the matters at hand.
Grading
Final course grades will be assigned according to the following percentages; this course is not graded on a “curve.”
600-540 (100-90%) A
539-480 (89- 80%) B
479-420 (79- 70%) C
419-360 (69-60%) D
359 and below (59-0%) F
Exams
Two different types of exams will be given throughout the semester: Unit tests and essay exams. Three in-class essays will be given (at approximately weeks 5, 11, and 16 They will ask you to answer, in essay format, a question which requires you to synthesize and analyze information from lecture and from the text. Do not rely on only the textual information as you are studying. (In other words, you really need to come to class, take notes AND do the reading, since I will provide materials NOT in your texts, and, conversely, will not cover everything that is in the text in class lectures.) Essay exams are open note. Each essay exam is worth 100 points. No make up exams are given. (3 @ 100 = 300)
The five slide tests will usually cover two Chapters out of the text plus lectures, and will be slide identification. Sometimes, if the chapters are very large or important, the Unit exam will cover only ONE Chapter. There may be a few images shown in class not in the text for which you will be responsible on the Unit exams. You will receive a list of approximately 40 slides for each exam, and of these, I will select approximately 25 at random, and those will be the images you will be expected to identify during the slide ID exam. You will be asked to identify the image on the screen, with artist, title, and date. These tests will take approximately 30 minutes at the END of class. If you are not in class for the slide ID, you cannot make them up. There will be 5 extra credit slides on each test; I will ask you to supply the artist and approximate date. These will be images that are NOT in the text, which you have NOT seen in class. You should GUESS, based on your knowledge and understanding of what they appear to be. Each slide test will be worth 50 points, but the lowest Chapter test is AUTOMATICALLY dropped. Slide tests are NOT open note. No make up tests are given.. (4 @ 50 = 200 points)
Research/Writing assignments
There one major research/writing assignment expected of students; it is worth 100 points. It has the following components:
Research portfolio
Draft of the paper
Final version of the paper
Although the Portfolio and Draft are not worth any points, you MUST turn in the research portfolio in order to be allowed to turn in the draft; you must turn in the draft to be allowed to turn in the final. More information on the specific nature of all three research components, and on the methods of turning the materials into me, will be given out in class at the end of next week. No late Portfolia, Drafts, or Final versions will be accepted for any reason. Early Portfolia, Drafts, and Final versions are always accepted.
PROFESSIONIALISM IN THE CLASSROOM
I expect everyone to behave in a manner that encourages education. I believe that there are a number of components to that. They include:
COME TO CLASS
This class is about visual culture; therefore much of what you will need to know to pass the class is available primarily in class and through the lectures. Therefore, attendance is required. Students who accumulate more than four (4) unexcused absences may find their grade adversely affected.
DO NOT BE LATE
What would happen to you if you regularly showed up late to your job? You’d be fired. So don’t be surprised when you get a bad grade because you can’t make it to class on time.
TURN THINGS IN ON TIME
It is YOUR responsibility to make it here when you are supposed to be here, with the items you are supposed to have with you. I DO NOT ACCEPT LATE ASSIGNMENTS. I DO NOT GIVE LATE EXAMS. I WILL NOT GO BACK OVER SLIDES YOU HAVE MISSED. You may turn written work in early. If it is date and time stamped after the time class begins on the day the work is due, you WILL NOT receive credit for the work. Do not ask me to make an exception for you, because I will not.
DO NOT PLAGIARIZE
A pet peeve of mine. Plagiarism occurs whenever you use someone else’s ideas or words as your own, whether in writing or speaking. IT IS NOT JUST “COPYING” WORD FOR WORD!!!!. Let me elaborate: If you copy materials from any source, published or unpublished, and do not properly cite your source, that is plagiarism. If you use ideas from a source or paraphrase it closely without acknowledgement, that is plagiarism. If you present another student’s paper or other work as your own, that is plagiarism. If you get so much help that the result is quite different from your own work, that is plagiarism. As you can see, the term covers much more than simple copying of someone else’s written material. Suffice it to say, not only do I know it's the worst thing a student can do, so does the College. Anyone who is caught cheating or plagiarizing on a test or a paper will not be allowed to do the assignment over, will be given an “F” on that assignment, and will be referred to the appropriate college official. DON’T RUN THE RISK.
CHALLENGE ASSUMPTIONS
This course is about art, and art is usually a subjective thing. I happen to believe that it is exceedingly rare to find only one “right” answer to the questions that get posed by humans; most of the time there are multiple “right” answers--generally as many right answers as there are opinions. Therefore, I expect that not everyone will agree with me all the time. Actually, I’d prefer it if we all didn’t agree all the time--this lets me know you are critically thinking about what I’m saying. Please feel free to question and pose queries (in a nice manner, please) at anytime. Of course, this shouldn’t be taken to mean that ANY answer you give on a test will be marked as correct (alas, such is the way of College)--more that I expect you to gather all the pertinent information, assess the facts
critically, and make a case for your conclusions.
SHOW RESPECT TO YOURSELF, YOUR COLLEAGUES, AND ME
Harassment of any kind will not be tolerated in this classroom. If you feel you are being harassed in any way, please inform me. I expect everyone in my classes to be civil to each other, while encouraging diversity in beliefs and opinions. If you are unclear about what "civility" means, please ask me.
OPTIMIZE YOUR EDUCATION
I am always willing to talk to you about your performance in this class, and help you in any way that I am able. Take advantage of the help I might be able to give you, both in this class and perhaps in others. This does not mean I will write your papers, tell you what the answers are, or do anything else that could be misconstrued as “cheating”. It does mean, however, that your tuition also pays for some of my time outside of class, and if you have questions or concerns, I’d like to hear them.
Additionally, students with documented disabilities needing accommodations such as testing, interpreting, note taking, taped textbooks, assistive technology, equipment, accessibility arrangements, etc., must contact me as soon as possible after the beginning of the semester. Please let me know of any difficulties you may have, so that we can make arrangements for you.
If you have ANY QUESTIONS, PROBLEMS ,OR CONCERNS about the class: Please see me soon after the semester (or the problem) begins. I can’t help if I don’t know what the problem is.
Renaissance Tradition
Week 1 (August 25-29)
• Introduction to the course; course outline & syllabus handed out.
• Fundamentals of Art History: How to take notes to get a good grade in this class.
UNIT ONE: The Dugento And Trecento In Italy, And Courtly Art In The Netherlands (c. 1250-1480)
Weeks 2-3 (September 1-12)
Chapter 13: Art in Thirteenth- and Fourteenth-Century Italy. (pp. 437-468)
Weeks 4-5 (September 15-26)
Chapter 14: Artistic Innovations in 15th Century Northern Europe (pp. 469-502)
September ___: Slide ID ONE (pp. 437-502)
September ____: In-Class Essay # 1 (covers pp 437-502 plus handouts)
UNIT TWO: The Early Renaissance in Italy
Weeks 6-8 (September 29-October 10)
Chapter 15: Early Renaissance in 15th Century Italy (pp. 503-553)
October ___: Slide ID TWO (pp. 503-553)
UNIT THREE: The High Renaissance in Italy
Weeks 9-11 (October 13- November 7)
Chapter 16: The High Renaissance in Italy, 1495-1520 (pp. 555-585)
November ____ : Slide ID THREE (pp 555-585 plus Handout)
November ____ : In-Class Essay # 2 (pp. 437-587)
UNIT FOUR: The Sixteenth Century after the Reformation
Weeks 12-13 (November 10-21st)
Chapter 17: The Late Renaissance and Mannerism in 16th century Italy
(pp. 587-619)
Chapter 18: Renaissance and Reformation in 16th century Northern Europe
(pp. 621-657)
November ___: Slide ID FOUR (pp. 587-657)
UNIT FIVE: The Baroque and the Rococo
Weeks 14-15 (November 24th - December 5th)
Chapter 19: The Baroque in Italy and Spain (pp. 659-695)
Chapter 20: The Baroque in the Netherlands (pp. 697-731)
Chapter 21: The Baroque in France and England (pp. 733-755)
Chapter 22: The Rococo (pp. 757-787)
December ____: Slide Id FIVE (pp. 659-797)
December ____: IN -Class Essay # 3, 12: 45- 2:45 (pp. 621-787)
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