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Fall 2021 Course Syllabus
Course: ARTS-1301- Section: 4B Art Appreciation |
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| Instructor Information | |||||||||||
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| Instructor | Donald Bullock | ||||||||||
| bullockdl@lamarpa.edu | |||||||||||
| Phone | 4099846209 | ||||||||||
| Office |
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| COVID 19 Information | The Lamar State College Port Arthur (LSCPA) Student Code of Conduct COVID 19 Policy requires students who have been exposed to COVID 19 or diagnosed with COVID 19 to report their condition on the COVID 19 Notification Form (available via a link on the Student Code of Conduct COVID19 webpage). This information will be provided to the Dean of Student Services. In addition, this policy requires all students to wear face coverings in compliance with the criteria included in the policy. For more information please refer to the COVID 19 link on the LSCPA website. | ||||||||||
| Course Information | |||||||||||
| Description | A general introduction to the visual arts designed to create an appreciation of the vocabulary, media, techniques, and purposes of the creative process. Students will critically interpret and evaluate works of art (painting, sculpture, architecture) within formal, cultural, and historical contexts. | ||||||||||
| Prerequisites | None | ||||||||||
| Learning Outcomes |
Upon successful completion of this course, students will: Apply art terminology as it specifically relates to works of art. Demonstrate knowledge of art elements and principles of design. Differentiate between the processes and materials used in the production of various works of art. Critically interpret and evaluate works of art. Demonstrate an understanding of the impact of arts on culture. |
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| Core Objectives |
Communication skills: Students will demonstrate effective written, oral and visual communication. Critical Thinking Skills: Students will engage in creative and/or innovative thinking, and/or inquiry, analysis, evaluation, synthesis of information, organizing concepts and constructing solutions. Teamwork: Students will demonstrate the ability to work effectively with others to support a shared purpose or goal and consider different points of view. Social Responsibility: Students will demonstrate intercultural competency and civic knowledge by engaging effectively in local, regional, national and/or global communities. |
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| Program Student Learning Outcomes | |||||||||||
| Textbooks |
Textbook Purchasing Statement: A student attending Lamar State College Port Arthur is not under any obligation to purchase a textbook from the college-affiliated bookstore. The same textbook may also be available from an independent retailer, including an online retailer.
Living with Art, 12th edition. Author: Mark Getlein. ISBN-13: 978-1259916755 and ISBN-10: 1259916758 |
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| Lecture Topics Outline |
Week 1: Course overview; This week introduces a brief overview of the class, covers chapters 1 and 2, contains a written homework assignment due on Friday, assigns reading for this week and next week, and assigns the students to their presentation groups. Chapter 1 Lecture Topics 1. Art Before History: Discovering the Earliest Forms of Visual Art 2. Who Collects Art and Why? 3. The Patron: An Artist’s Dream or Nightmare 4. Why Do People Talk About Art? Art Criticism from Classical Times to the Present 5. The Expressive Art and Writings of Van Gogh: Reaching Out From Within 6. Maya Lin: Art for the Public and Art with a Purpose 7. Why Art Doesn’t Send the Same Message to Everyone Discussion Topics 1. Under what conditions does art flourish in a civilization? Or decline? 2. Why is it important to know why artists create works? Pick one artwork to support and explain in detail. 3. Who can be considered an artist? Why? 4. How does art relate to and/or differ from nature? 5. How can the traits of creative people be applied to endeavors other than the arts? 6. Who would you give as an example of a creative person who is not an artist, and why? 7. Do artists help make history, as well as sometimes recording it? How and why? 8. What factors make a painting valuable in different ways to different people? Written Assignment Students should choose an image of an art object from their textbook that they like and explain in a one page paper why they think it is a “good” work of art and what it means to them. This image will be used again for other written assignments to measure their understanding of art terms and visual analysis learned later in the course. Discussion Ideas 1. Ask students to discuss an example of art or music, literature, etc., that they believe expresses an idea. This is a great opportunity to relate various art forms so that students begin to see art as similar to other forms of expression and communication. Ask students if they agree on the idea being expressed in a particular song, painting, sculpture, or poem. Try to lead the discussion toward enhanced realization of the ways a work of art can be used to communicate an idea. 2. Ask students to cite examples of creative people in various walks of life as well as in the visual arts, and have students talk about the traits of creativity that these individuals demonstrate. What do these characteristics tell us about artistic creativity? Chapter 2 Lecture Topics 1. How symbolism expands the meaning of an artwork 2. The inter-relationship of art, artists, fame, and value 3. The relationship between words and images in various cultures 4. Art and its audiences 5. Art as a cultural artifact; art as personal expression 6. Outsider Art: Artworks and their artists Presenting the Ideas 1. Analyze the values societies place on art and artists, considering the roles of patrons, collectors, and other viewers. How many of these values are contemporary, and how have these roles changed over time? Are these categories applicable to non-Western art? 2. Introduce the concepts of representation and abstraction, stressing that there are degrees of abstraction, and noting the differences between abstracted art and nonrepresentational art. Examples could include the works of Picasso, Bourgeois, Goya, Rothenberg, Delauney, Donovan and Kandinsky. 3. Lecture on an art first, focusing on the story and formal elements/principles of design. Then lecture on another image but giving information about the artist as well, any connection to the subject matter portrayed and historical context. Then ask students “Which image do you connect with more and why? What gives you a better understanding of it or takes away from your enjoyment of it?” Discussion Topics 1. Is any painting worth millions of dollars? If yes, why some paintings and not others? (Use two extreme examples: Damien Hirst’s For the Love of God and a Jackson Pollock (or something else “anyone” could do.) 2. Who determines whether a person is an artist: the person or the public? How is that determination made? What factors in the life and times of an artist might contribute to his/her fame? 3. What is the relationship between “beauty” and content and form? Is this relationship universal, or does it change with different cultures and times? 4. What is your perception of an artist? Explain. Chapter 3 Lecture Topics 1. Iconoclasm: the destruction of images 2. Using art to change the world: in the past and in the present 3. Art about Nature: how artists have transformed our understanding of nature 4. Art of the sacred realm: visions of and spaces for spiritual experience 5. Preserving individual and cultural identity with visual stories and histories 6. Frozen moments: the dynamics of daily life 7. The Here and Now: Who are we and what are we doing here? Presenting the Ideas 1. Select and present several works that can be classified into more than one theme. Give students some background information about the artist, period, and culture of the work. 2. Show at least three different works that tell stories that are not already familiar to students. Explain each work and tell the story or stories the work relates. Then show three more works that tell the same story with different visual and narrative techniques, and ask students to discuss their differences. Discussion Topics 1. How and why do several people respond differently to the same artwork? 2. How can we expand our understanding and appreciation of artworks? 3. How and why can a single work of art be classified into more than one thematic category? 4. How have artists and/or patrons used art to attempt to influence social or political issues? 5. How have artists and/or patrons tried to use art to shape life beyond the grave? How have certain civilizations tried to do this? Week 2: This week covers Visual elements, the vocabulary of art: line, direction and movement, shape and mass, light, color, texture and pattern, space, perspective, time and motion. This week also covers the Principles of Design: unity and variety, balance, emphasis and subordination, scale and proportion, and rhythm. Assign images to groups for week 6 group presentation. Quiz on Monday covering assigned reading from weekend. Assign this week’s Written Assignment Assign reading for next week. Written Assignment Students should choose an image of an art object from their textbook that they Do NOT like and explain in a one page paper why they think it is a bad work of art and what it means to them. This image will be used again for other written assignments to measure their understanding of art terms and visual analysis learned later in the course. Chapter 4 Lecture Topics 1. Compositional journeys – how artists’ compositions lead the viewer’s eye 2. Defining space in on a flat plane – linear and atmospheric perspective 3. The power of colors and their emotional and mental effects Presenting the Ideas 1. Lines as “symbols of perception” – consider how the mind draws conclusions about form and mass based on the various types of lines artists use. Talk about the ways lines can be used to represent light, shadow, and texture. View works by Haring, Calder, and Sze, for instance, to illustrate lines in obvious linear format; Eakins’ Biglin Brothers Racing and its accompanying linear analysis illustrate the dynamic qualities of lines in representational art. Further the discussion by considering implied lines that direct the viewer’s eye, possibly referring to Watteau’s The Embarkation for Cythera. 2. Present the distinctions between two- and three-dimensional works and similarly between shape and mass, showing examples of each to the class. Then indicate the categories of geometric and organic shapes. Present the concept of figure and ground by referring to works by Matisse, and/or by placing cut-out shapes over a background. Also draw attention to positive and negative shapes and the phenomenon of figure-ground reversal. Figure 4.15 [the triangle that isn’t there] illustrates implied shapes. Raphael’s Madonna of the Meadows illustrates implied shapes in representational art and can lead to a discussion of the formal aspects of implied line and shape in Renaissance Art. 3. Present the distinction between actual and visual texture, showing examples of both. Discuss pattern, showing examples such as quilts, or works by Haring or Fosso, for instance. Move to the concept of space by indicating that visual texture is to actual texture as linear perspective is to architecture, for example. Emphasize again the concepts of two- and three-dimensional space [see #2 above], presenting the concepts of the picture plane and the contrasts between “flat”-looking works of art and those which give the illusion of depth. Give some brief history of the development of linear perspective in the Renaissance, showing examples of works that apply the rules of diminishing size and higher placement on the picture plane as objects recede, and convergence of parallel lines to a vanishing point. Also introduce atmospheric perspective as another technique for creating the illusion of depth on a flat picture plane. Contrast linear and isometric perspective systems by showing illustrations of each and identifying the specific differences, particularly in the handling of parallel lines and the absence of the vanishing point in isometric perspective. 4. Indicate the relationship between the changing appearance of light and the passage of time, with particular reference to the works of Claude Monet. Also present the idea of photography in relation to time and motion, referring to Chapter Nine for examples and information on early experiments in photography, later experiments with capturing motion (perhaps mentioning Muybridge’s work), and the development of motion pictures. Present examples of kinetic art, particularly the mobiles of Calder, as examples of the parallel advances of sculpture from static to kinetic along with similar advances in photography from still to moving. Emphasize that the incorporation of actual time and motion into works of art is mainly a 20th- and 21st-century activity and relate this to the cultural, social, and technological aspects of contemporary life as compared with that of earlier centuries. Chapter 5: Discussion Topics 1. How do artists use directional and implied lines to guide our attention within an image? 2. Do colors have psychological effects on us? Are these effects personal, or universal? 3. What are artists communicating in their works through the use of actual texture? 4. How does the experience of a kinetic work of art differ from that of an unmoving sculpture? Lecture Topics 1. Balancing unity and variety in design 2. Design conventions of the classical artists: the golden section, hierarchical scale, etc. 3. Using scale and proportion to communicate ideas 4. Analyzing composition and compositional elements 5. Guiding the eye through emphasis Presenting the Ideas 1. Visual order helps the eye and the brain understand a visual work – how does this happen? How do artists and designers create visual order? Does visual order imply total unity? How do compositional elements and variety help to guide the eye through a composition? How are unity and variety created in a composition by using the elements of art? In reference to works in which the artist seemingly created total unity or variety, rather than a combination of these, the reasons an artist chooses to make a work as unified as possible…or as varied as possible: what ideas or emotions do such works convey? 2. Define and explain symmetrical and asymmetrical balance, with special emphasis on the general precepts about asymmetrical balance explained by figure 5.9. Also present the concepts of emphasis and subordination and consider the interrelationships among these principles of design. While projecting several images of works such as the Executions of the Third of May, 1808, discuss the artists’ decisions to employ different types of balance and to emphasize or subordinate elements of the work and to successfully communicate ideas and emotions. 3. Discuss scale and proportion, as well as rhythm, as used in the works illustrated in Chapter Five, as well as in works from Chapter Ten (Graphic Design). Presenting examples of cartoons/comics and advertising from current media can also energize the class. Ask the class to select several works from these sources that use scale, proportion, and rhythm to convey messages. Discuss which examples seem most successful or dynamic, and why. Discussion Topics 1. What are some everyday objects that play with expected proportional relationships or were created on an unusual scale? How do we respond to these objects? Why did their designers create them in these ways? Do scale and proportional relationships communicate particular messages? If so, how, and why? 2. How do artists create visual rhythm? For what reasons do they incorporate rhythmical elements in their works? How are viewers influenced or affected by these rhythmic elements? 3. How can we use the principles of design in our daily lives and creative endeavors? Can being aware of these principles help us make judgments and decisions about our surroundings? Week 3: This week covers the different mediums of drawing, painting, and print making in art. Monday off for Labor Day. Assign this week’s Written Assignment Assign reading for next week. Written Assignment Students will revisit the images they used in their first two written assignments, describe them using their new understanding of visual elements and principles of design, explain how the works are different from each other and how they are similar. Finally, the student should note if their views on the two images have changed. This paper is 2 – 3 pages in length. This paper will be used to gauge how much the student has learned about engaging a work of art and how well they use their new found vocabulary, concepts and terms Chapter 6 Lecture Topics 1. Ledger drawings of American Indians 2. The history of paper 3. The use of paper for non-traditional purposes 4. The characteristics and appearances of various drawing materials 5. Drawing throughout history 6. The intimacy of the drawn line 7. Drawing personal responses 8. Drawing in preparation for works in other media Discussion Topics 1. How do artists use drawing for social or political commentary? 2. Which materials lend themselves, because of their working qualities and appearance, to certain subject matters or concepts? 3. How do artists use drawings as preliminary works? Name some artists who use drawings for this purpose. When viewers see preliminary drawings as well as the finished artwork, do they better understand the creative process and the evolution of the final work? If so, how and why? Chapter 7 Lecture Topics 1. Artists who prefer a single medium; artists who experiment with various media 2. How formal aspects of painting relate to and reinforce content 3. Qualities, characteristics, and limitations of various painting media 4. Artists’ preferences for certain media to fulfill purposes of certain works 5. Painting: pre-history to post-modern 6. Painting application techniques and style 7. History and fresco painting 8. Non-easel painting and how it challenges tradition Discussion Topics 1. What is it about certain paintings that make them memorable? What media, techniques, and compositional methods? 2. What painting media are consistent in appearance? What painting media can appear very different if applied differently? Why do some artists prefer a specific medium or technique? 3. Why are mosaic and tapestry discussed in a chapter on painting? In what ways are these art forms similar to painting? How do they depart from painting? 4. In this chapter The Idea of a Painting: Painting without Paint is introduced with the following “What makes a work of art a painting? The most obvious answer would seem to be “paint,” but a number of artists today are challenging that assumption. They make works that have the scale and force of paintings, that are clearly informed by the history and tradition of painting, and yet that do not use paint as a medium.” What do you think is meant by the “force” of paintings as opposed to other media? How is this evident in some of the examples given in this section? Chapter 8 Lecture Topics 1. Recognizing and evaluating machine-printed versus “limited” artists’ prints 2. Connections among printmaking, music, literature, politics, and advertising 3. Historical backgrounds of printmaking techniques 4. Characteristics, materials, and techniques of the four major printing methods 5. Rembrandt and the concept of “limited” editions 6. The prints of Käthe Kollwitz 7. The formal and technical influences of Asian wood cuts on 19th- and 20th-century artists 8. The use of caricatures in newspapers and magazines 9. The diversity of media, techniques, and purposes of prints 10. How printmaking has been changed by computers and digital technology Discussion Topics 1. What is a monotype and how is one made? 2. How do the subjects and forms of prints differ from painted works? Are prints a more democratic medium than painting? 3. In what ways have recent technological innovations expanded the creative options of artists who create prints? 4. Can prints created digitally or via computer printer, scanner, fax, or copier be considered “original” artists’ prints? If so, why and how? Week 4: This week covers the mediums of photography, computer arts and graphic design in art. Quiz. Assign this week’s Written Assignment Assign reading for next week. Students will break into their groups and work on their presentations. Written Assignment The student will look through copies of magazines, websites, or newspapers and find a graphic designs or illustrations that they believe is meant to convey a social message and another one that they feel is meant to sell a product. Explain the ways in which the elements of graphic design are used to achieve these differing goals. 1- 2 pages. Chapter 9 Lecture Topics 1. The history of photography 2. Photography and the painter: friends or foes 3. How photojournalism influences history 4. Movies: The history of an industry 5. Expanding concepts of art: video and digital imaging 6. The emotional impact of photography and film 7. The auteur and the amateur in film and video Discussion Topics 1. In what ways have film and video affected our lives in the late 20th and early 21st centuries? 2. What does the term “pure photography” mean and with whom was it first associated? 3. Consider the history of photojournalism: How have the roles and purposes of photojournalists evolved during the past century? In what ways can the public rely on photography to tell the “truth” about historical events? 4. How have the video camera and associated technological advances changed society? Consider the benefits and drawbacks of the many uses of video cameras in daily life. 5. Television, movies, videos, computers, and photography: how has human life been enriched, impoverished, or both by these technologies? Chapter 10 Lecture Topics 1. The history of graphic design and the use of symbols 2. Graphic design as a tool for social and political change 3. Designing for media in the 21st Century 4. Web page as billboard 5. From handbill to blog: the evolution of advertising 6. Logos throughout history 7. The use of graphic design in art Discussion Topics 1. What makes a graphic design memorable? Which designs can you recall? Do you remember the design more than the product or vice versa? 2. What is the relationship between iconography and graphic design? 3. What is the relationship between images and words in graphic design? How do artists make words interesting in ads and other forms of graphic design? 4. How has the artist’s role changed in the graphic arts as computer software has been developed and improved? Consider the work of Shepard Fairey in your discussion. 5. Discuss the various ways that artists use and/or incorporate graphic design principles into their work. Week 5: This week covers the mediums of sculpture and installation, Architecture, and the subjects of Ritual and Daily life in art through examining arts and crafts. Quiz. Assign this week’s Written Assignment Assign reading for next week. Written Assignment What sculptural works exist in your local area? What purposes do they fulfill? How do we respond to them? 1- 2 pages. This assignment seeks to prompt the student to start looking at and engaging art in their local community. Chapter 11 Lecture Topics 1. Sculpture and the spiritual and physical worlds 2. Sculpture and the human body: figurative and metaphorical 3. The influence of African sculpture on European modernism 4. The artistic translation of a work from medium to medium 5. The permanent or impermanent qualities of a work of art 6. The viewer’s or patron’s interpretive role in accepting or rejecting works of art 7. Christo and Jeanne-Claude: purpose, process, performance, and promotion Discussion Topics 1. How and why do viewers respond differently to a three-dimensional work than to a two-dimensional work? 2. What sculptural qualities do we find in utilitarian objects that we use daily? Can you find pictures of or bring actual objects to class to view and discuss that illustrate the incorporation of sculptural qualities? 3. What objects in our environment were/are created by the same processes, methods, techniques, and materials that are typical in the creation of sculptural works of art? 4. Many of the works discussed in this chapter are ephemeral and exist only in photographs. How does this affect the work? How does it relate to the traditional commerce of art making? Chapter 12 Lecture Topics 1. Crafts: the useful arts 2. Major methods of forming and finishing clay works 3. Glass works from Roman to contemporary times 4. The history of metal crafts 5. New craft materials and techniques of the 21st century 6. Non-western craft traditions and materials 7. The re-evaluation and appreciation of traditional Native American crafts in the 20th century and today 8. Crafts as fine art Discussion Topics 1. What and how can we learn about other cultures from their crafts? 2. Discuss the concept of “blurring the boundaries” between art and crafts. 3. Should distinctions be made between fine art and crafts? If so, what and how? 4. How have women and other artists formerly excluded from galleries and museums used “crafts” to express their unique vision and gain acceptance into the world of “fine arts”? 5. How do you classify these works as “art” or “craft”? For what reasons do you make your classifications? 6. Who has the right to treasure found at archaeological sites? What circumstances do you think determine the ownership of artifacts found at dig sites? Chapter 13 Lecture Topics 1. The history and technological development of structural systems in architecture 2. The development and use of non-traditional materials for building 3. Interrelationships between cultural lifestyles and traditions, and architectural design 4. The Rural Studio: student architects meet the community and its needs 5. The Crystal Palace: architecture meets industry 6. The elements of art and principles of design as applied to architecture 7. Designing and building for function and purpose 8. Green architecture: conserving Earth’s resources through design Discussion Topics 1. How do architects’ philosophies affect the structures that they build? For instance, Wright, Hadid, Gehry, etc. 2. How does the environment affect architects’ choices of materials and structural systems? 3. How do you think green architecture will change the look and functions of cities? Why do you think green architecture will be accepted or rejected by the public? Why do you feel it’s important or not? 4. In what ways does the proposed function of a structure and/or its environment affect the architect’s decision to employ either geometric or organic forms? 5. How have architectural styles reflected the philosophies, religions, and politics of various cultures throughout history? 6. What architects have best created or developed architectural styles that blend aesthetically into their surroundings while still fulfilling the primary functions of the structure? 7. How has the architecture of the Greeks and Romans influenced the architecture of modern Europe and America? Week 6: Group Presentations Week 7: Review for Mid-term Exam and Mid-term Exam. Quiz will be a review for exam Review for Mid-term Exam Mid-term Exam Assign reading for next week. Week 8: This week examines the Ancient World, Christianity in Europe, and the Renaissance. Quiz. Assign this week’s Written Assignment Assign reading for next week. Written Assignment Find an examples of a contemporary work of art that relates in some way to ancient works. Explain the connections you observe. 1- 2 pages. This assignment encourages the student to begin looking at art in a historical context. Chapter 14 Lecture Topics 1. Changing interpretations of the significance of cave art 2. The stability and continuity of Egyptian civilization and art 3. The developing styles of Greek representations of the human body 4. Multiculturalism in the Roman world 5. Neolithic technological advances and the development of civilization 6. Beliefs about the afterlife and their influences on art and architecture 7. The Amarna period in Egyptian art, religion, and history Presenting the Ideas 1. Consider examples of art works from ancient cultures such as Mesopotamia, Egypt, and the Aegean. Explain what is known or believed about the cultural groups/artists that created those works and the reasons the works might have been created. Emphasize the information such works reveal about the cultures they represent and the ways that art images and objects also function as historical data. In addition, compare similarities in the styles of each for any sign of possible influence or communication between the cultures. Explain your thoughts/observations. 2. Present images of works that relate to political, religious, and economic aspects of the ancient and classical cultures, particularly images related to war and power. Discussion Topics 1. How can archaeologists and historians justify removal of objects from tombs and graves? How does the clash of cultural values affect our perception of artifacts in the graves of other cultures? 2. How did Mesopotamia “jump start” civilization with innovations that enabled government and literature to develop? How did these innovations affect the visual arts? 3. What cultures developed planned cities and what aspects of those cultures caused such planning? 4. Discuss the concept of cultural diffusion or the spreading of ideas, technology, and imagery from one culture to another, making reference to specific cultural transmissions. Chapter 15 Lecture Topics 1. The causes and effects of the decline of the Roman presence in Western Europe 2. Structural systems and styles of architecture in the Middle Ages 3. Byzantine influence on art, architecture, and crafts 4. Differences between Western European and Byzantine art and religious expression 5. Finding evidence of the influence of animal-style art throughout northern Europe 6. The Holy Roman Empire and emerging European kingdoms 7. Contrasting the Romanesque and Gothic styles Presenting the Ideas 1. Present images of early Christian art and Roman art and give background information about the historical relationship between the Roman Empire and the adherents of the new religion, citing works that are illustrative. Identify elements in the iconography of Greek and Roman beliefs that may have been translated into Christian symbols. 2. Introduce the structural and internal elements of the basilica and the way in which those elements were transformed for the uses of early Christian churches. Compare the uses of Roman temples and Christian churches to emphasize the differences in structure and purpose. 3. Discuss the organization of the Roman Empire into the western and eastern empires and introduce the Byzantine rulers and masterpieces of art and architecture. Point out some of the stylistic characteristics of Byzantine style and iconography. 4. Acquaint students with the influx of various groups which invaded or revolted against Roman territories and the art forms, particularly the animal style, that were incorporated into medieval art, particularly in the illuminated manuscripts. Also discuss the Carolingian style, particularly in architecture, as a transition into the Romanesque. 5. Exhibit images of both Romanesque and Gothic architecture, along with information about the two periods and the structural characteristics and innovations of the architecture of each period. Additionally, present the works of artists who transitioned into the Early Renaissance with comparisons of their styles and those of the earlier artists of the Middle Ages. 6. Compare Early Renaissance works to works from the Middle Ages and Byzantine era. Focus on spatial considerations, emotional expression in figures and storytelling techniques. How are they different? What remains the same throughout? Discussion Topics 1. How did Western Europeans compensate for the loss of Roman civilization and power? 2. What evidence suggests that medieval art was dominated by the Christian religion? 3. How have works such as stained glass windows, illuminated manuscripts, and tapestries been important to our historical understanding of the Middle Ages? Chapter 16 Lecture Topics 1. The historical background of the Renaissance 2. The emergence of new techniques and media in the Renaissance 3. The Protestant Reformation and the Northern Renaissance 4. Renaissance humanism and changing attitudes toward the individual 5. The Classical foundations of the Renaissance 6. The rising status of the arts and artists 7. The Medici, the Church, and other important patrons of Renaissance artists 8. The traditional subjects of Renaissance painting 9. The elements of art and principles of design in Renaissance art Presenting the Ideas 1. Identify the historical trends that provided the backgrounds and foundations for the Renaissance. Indicate the ways in which such ideas and attitudes transformed society, and how these ideas in turn influenced the visual arts. Also discuss the influence of the church on the arts. 2. Present the concept of the “Renaissance man” or “Renaissance person” and mention several individuals from the period in both the arts and other areas who can serve as exemplars of these terms. Mention the cultural and ideological changes that enabled this new attitude toward the role of individual human beings that had changed so much since the Middle Ages. 3. Indicate the typical relationship between the patron and the artist during the Renaissance, with reference to specific relationships that were typical and atypical. Point out specific projects that reveal aspects of those relationships. Indicate that future chapters will reveal the changing relationships between artists and patrons and ask students to consider the various relationships and to compare them in relation to their conduciveness to enabling the artist to achieve goals, both his/her own and those of the patron(s). Discussion Topics 1. Renaissance means “rebirth,” implying a revival of classical culture. How did artists of the Renaissance revive classical art and ideals? How did they move beyond the example of Greek and Roman art? 2. What are the differences in the art of Italy and northern Europe during the Renaissance? 3. Why is the human figure so important to Renaissance art? What ideals were expressed through depictions of the human body? Week 9: This week examines art in Europe during the 17th and 18th Centuries and the Arts of Africa and Islam. Quiz. Assign this week’s Written Assignment Assign reading for next week. Written Assignment In what ways does Islamic religious art differ from Christian religious art? What are the uses of text and images in both cultures in secular and religious art? Can an understanding of the arts and humanities foster better relations between conflicting cultures and different religions? If so, in what ways might this be accomplished? This assignment encourages the student to examine art through the lens of the culture that created it and compare and contrast it with art from other cultures. 2- 3 pages. Chapter 17 Lecture Topics 1. Monarchies and colonies in the 17th and 18th centuries 2. Renaissance order and Baroque dynamism 3. The return of classicism to art 4. Bernini’s environments: Baroque theatricality and the Cornaro Chapel 5. Versions of the Baroque in various European countries 6. The new patrons of art of the Baroque era 7. The power of artists to create images of political and personal power Presenting the Ideas 1. Relate historical information about the Baroque period, focusing on the social, economic, political, and religious developments that relate to the styles and subjects of Baroque art and architecture. Mention powerful individuals and institutions that served as patrons of art during this period. 2. Inform students of the rise of the middle classes and the role of revolutionary ideas and historical actions in the art of these centuries. 3. Define the changing role of the patron in relation to the artist and society, indicating particular works that represent the interests of groups and individuals other than the church and the aristocracy. 4. Consider works such as Bernini’s Cornaro Chapel, Versailles, and other such works that incorporate more than one medium and involve viewers in a highly participatory manner. Review the reasons that artists of this era might have created works that enabled expanded sensory and emotional experiences of the viewer. Discussion Topics 1. How do religious works in the Baroque era differ from religious art of the Renaissance? What are some historical reasons for this shift? 2. In what ways was Neoclassical art similar to or different from Renaissance art? How did these styles treat the same ancient Greek and Roman influences? 3. What are some characteristics of Rococo art and design? How does it relate to Baroque art? Chapter 18 Lecture Topics 1. The early history of Islam 2. Islamic architecture: mosques and palaces 3. Decorative arts in Islamic cultures 4. The Qur’an and the importance of the word 5. Purposes of the arts in African cultures 6. The multiplicity of arts and cultures in Africa 7. The importance of the spirit realm in African culture 8. The masquerade’s function in African life and arts 9. Gender roles in African cultures Presenting the Ideas 1. Introduce students to images and historical information relating to the beginnings and development of Islam, and the arts associated with it. Discuss the conventions related to representations in painting and drawing and also enlighten students about the importance of the book arts, calligraphy, ceramics, and architectural developments. Mention might also be made of the contacts between western Europeans and Islamic cultures throughout the centuries and how these contacts have fostered and hindered understanding between the cultures. 2. Show images of the various arts from a number of the African cultures and impart information about the uses of works of art and the functions of artists in those cultures. 3. Offer historical information about the scholarly preservation of knowledge in Islamic culture. Relate how many subjects we study and use today have roots in Islamic scholarship, such as math, medicine, poetry, and astronomy. Discussion Topics 1. What similarities and differences exist between the Christian cathedral or church and the Muslim mosque? 2. What are the major influences that formed and enriched Islamic art? 3. Discuss the styles of the decorative arts of Islam. 4. What is the relationship of Islam to African culture? 5. Discuss some of the major art forms of Africa. 6. What role does art play in African culture? 7. What incorrect perceptions have existed (and still exist) in the West about African art? 8. What themes of art are most frequently explored in African art? 9. Explain the importance of sculptural images such as the minkondi and the continuing change associated with those images. Week 10: This week examines the arts of East Asia, Pacifica, and the Americas. Quiz. Assign this week’s Written Assignment Assign reading for next week. Written Assignment How might the cultures of the Pacific and the Americas have developed if they had not been invaded and conquered by Europeans? What do you think their works of art and architecture would look like today? 2- 3 pages. This assignment encourages the student to draw on their newly learned skills of viewing art through historical and cultural lens to formulate their own theories and ideas of an imagined style of art. Chapter 19 Lecture Topics 1. The cultures of East Asia 2. Indus Valley civilizations and arts 3. The design of Angkor Wat 4. The influence of Buddhism on the arts 5. Shamanism in the Shang dynasty 6. Confucianism and its influences on art and scholarship 7. Hinduism: history and influence 8. Contemporary trends in Chinese and Japanese arts 9. Scholars and the arts in Chinese culture 10. The Tale of Genji and its author and influence on art 11. The importance of the Silk Road in cultural diffusion 12. Styles of Japanese painting: Reflections of ideas and issues Presenting the Ideas 1. Introduce Indian art starting with the Indus River Civilization, one of the great centers to emerge in the early years of civilization. Their art, urban organization, and representations of human forms can be compared to other cultures you’ve covered so far. Likewise, Chinese civilization has very deep roots, with early artifacts including Neolithic sites, bronze metalwork, and the terra-cotta army of the first emperor of Qin. Ask students how this creation compares to the Egyptian pyramids or other artifacts. 2. Discuss the centrality of Buddhism across Asian cultures, and trace the evolution of Buddhist imagery from early Indian depictions (relating the influence of Greek art from Alexander the Great’s conquest). Then note the changes of Buddhist imagery as the religion entered China and then Japan, comparing individual depictions of the Buddha through time and culture. 3. Review the differences and changes in Asian religious architecture, starting with the Hindu Kandariya Mahadeva temple in India and Angkor Wat in Cambodia. Then consider the changes in Buddhist architecture from the Great Stupa in Sanchi India to the Chinese Nanchan Temple in Shanxi (review the structural systems of East Asian architecture in Chapter 13), and compare that to the Japanese Horyu-ji Temple. Discussion Topics 1. In what ways is our understanding of a work of art dependent on an understanding of the religious and cultural beliefs from which the work arose? What can we assume about a work of art without such knowledge? 2. How does visual imagery differ among the various belief systems of East Asia? 3. What are the effects of war and revolution on art movements and works of art? 4. How is the handscroll a form that is particularly apt for storytelling? 5. How do the different forms of Buddhism affect the arts differently? 6. How did the political changes in 20th-century China affect the nation’s art? Consider both the purpose of the art, as well as its aesthetics. 7. What analogy can you create between the influence of Greece on Rome and the influence of China on Japan? Also, what influences did Hellenistic culture have on Buddhist imagery? Chapter 20 Lecture Topics 1. Age of Discovery: assessing and affecting native arts during European conquest and colonization 2. Prehistoric art of the Pacific and the Americas 3. The purposes and functions of art in Polynesian cultures 4. Changing perceptions: archaeology and anthropology as tools for understanding art 5. Symbolism and dreaming in the arts of the Americas and the Pacific 6. Cultural accomplishments and arts of pre-Columbian Mesoamerica 7. Architecture and sculpture in Mesoamerica 8. Ceramic arts of the Americas 9. The materials of North American native art: before and after European contact 10. Ritual objects: masks, dolls, and other representations of human and supernatural beings Presenting the Ideas 1. Provide students with historical backgrounds on pre-colonial and post-colonial arts in the Americas, as well as social, political, and religious information; and exhibit and explain images of works and archaeological discoveries related to these cultures. 2. Display images of monumental works created by cultures discussed in this chapter, along with those of European, Asian, African, and Middle Eastern cultures. Present ideas about the functions of these works and the roles of the artists/craftsmen who created them, the patrons, and the cultures within which these works were created. Ask students to make comparisons among the monumental works of the Old World and New World. Discussion Topics 1. What are some of the materials used in the art of the Pacific and the Americas? How were these materials used to create art, and what do they reveal about these cultures? 2. What are some examples of art in Oceanic and Native American cultures that have a ritual and religious function? How does their form reflect those ritual functions? 3. What are some differences between the art of South and Central America and the art of North American peoples? How do differences in these civilizations affect the forms and cultural functions of these artifacts? What similarities, if any, exist? Explain. Week 11: This week examines Modern art from 1800 to 1945. Quiz. Assign Group Presentation for Week 14 Assign this week’s Written Assignment Assign reading for next week. Written Assignment Why was cubism such a break from other established art traditions? 1- 2 pages. This assignment encourages the student to better understand why art movements happen. Chapter 21 Lecture Topics 1. Paul Gauguin: his search for his own truth in subject and style 2. Picasso and Braque: the fragmentation of the image 3. Cézanne and the foundations of Cubism 4. The “isms” and expanding definitions of 19th- and 20th-century art 5. The establishment and evolution of avant-garde art 6. Subjects and technique in academic art of the 19th century 7. The Impressionists: breaking away from the academy and the studio 8. The effects of wars and politics on 20th-century art movements Presenting the Ideas 1. Display academic paintings and sculptures that were shown in the French Salons and explain the stylistic characteristics, subject matter, and techniques that works were required to present in order to be exhibited. Discuss the roles of the artists and patrons in such a system. Then display works, like some of those by the early Impressionists, that were refused admittance to show in these exhibits. Ask students to compare the works and think about their differences. 2. Show a few images of American art from Colonial times to the 20th century and ask students to compare these works with contemporary European works. Emphasize the points in time at which American art began to be more widely appreciated and indicate the movements after WWII that brought prominence to American artists and the New York art scene. Ask students to consider the possible reasons for American art’s initial lack of acceptance in European art circles and to determine at what point or with which artists American art began to gain acceptance in Europe. 3. Present images and a brief explanation of the theories/manifestos of the major late-19th and 20th century “isms,” emphasizing relationships and connections with movements in other disciplines, specific works, ideologies, and philosophies. 4. Make reference to a few incidents or works of visual art that were considered to be shocking in their own time frame—for instance, Manet’s Le Déjeuner sur l’herbe—but that were in later times not considered at all scandalous. Perhaps include more recent incidents from popular culture as well as from the visual arts to emphasize parallel situations. Ask students to consider the term “avant-garde” in light of today’s communications and technology and determine if the term retains the same connotations as in earlier times. Discussion Topics 1. What new statements and ideas about art did Courbet espouse? In what ways is Courbet’s The Artist’s Studio an example of Realism, but not really “realistic”? 2. How was Impressionism a radical departure from traditional, studio-based academic art? How did the Impressionists capture modern life in both subject and style? 3. What sorts of space exists in Cubist paintings? Are there self-conscious references to traditional linear perspective and modeling in Cubist works? If so, what does their inclusion imply about Cubism’s relationship to artistic traditions? 4. How did the emerging field of psychology and psychoanalysis influence the avant-garde art of the early 20th century? What theories, put forth by Freud, influenced Surrealism and Dada? Do these influences continue to affect art today? How so? Week 12: This week examines Postmodern Art and the globalization of art. Quiz. Assign this week’s Written Assignment Assign Homework: Bring in an image of an art object that has importance in your community for the class to examine on Monday. Counts as Quiz grade. Written Assignment 1. Which art movement since World War II has been the most influential to you personally and why? As an artist in any medium, would you have a movement, theory, or manifesto that expresses what you believe art should or could be doing now? This assignment encourages the student to develop their own theories and tropes in order to better understand why others start art movements and how they evolve. 1- 2 pages. Chapter 22 Lecture Topics 1. Postmodern art and the incorporation of the non-visual: words, music, and theater in contemporary art 2. The last half of the 20th century and the art of the United States 3. The New York School and improvisation 4. Society, politics, and the American art scene in the Sixties and Seventies 5. Conceptual art: images in the service of ideas 6. Art, human bodies, and the human spirit Presenting the Ideas 1. Review technological developments during the modern era, including the camera, electricity, Internet, and the computer. Emphasize the impact of specific technological developments on the roles of artists and the functions of art, as well as on the effort, materials, and expertise required to create art that can reach viewers. How do artists use technology to reflect upon or comment on these changes? 2. Present examples of and review art as it has gone beyond the canvas to environmental art, performance art, and other venues and media. Ask students to consider how definitions of art have changed over the centuries and to construct/develop their own definition for art. 3. Display works of art from movements that have served as mirrors of change throughout recent history. Ask students to identify particular works that they believe represent turning points in cultural attitudes and traditions. Convey to students some of the ideas and hopes related to both art and society that have been associated with specific works and movements. Discussion Topics 1. What are the roots of Abstract Expressionism in earlier modernist art? How did the Abstract Expressionists both extend those traditions and depart from them? 2. How did Pop Art challenge conventional ideas about originality? Consider the subject matter and techniques of artists like Andy Warhol and Roy Lichtenstein. How does Pop Art relate to art movements that came after it, such as Photorealism and Conceptual Art? 3. How are the ideas of Feminism communicated through Feminist art? Consider subject matter, media, and concepts used by these artists. Compare and contrast 2 different feminist artists and their approaches. What about their backgrounds and influences impact the look of their art? 4. What are characteristics associated with Postmodernism? Compare the degrees of appropriation and conscious references to other art in the works of Sherrie Levine, Damien Hirst, and Kara Walker. What forms of art today have these same qualities? Chapter 23 Lecture Topics 7. Contemporary art across borders 8. The effect of globalization on the art world 9. The media and methods of contemporary artists 10. The commentary of contemporary artists on globalization Presenting the Ideas 1. Together as a class, discuss and define globalism. Discuss the effect of globalization on the work of the eleven artists discussed in this chapter. 2. Display works of 20th century art from Japan that demonstrate the contrast between those that continue Japanese art traditions and those that have imported Western concepts. Have the student identify each and discuss the influences for each. 3. Show students contemporary works that deal with social or political issues and discuss how these works promote a viewpoint about that issue. Ask students to look for other visual works in various media that present aspects of important issues in current society. 4. Present works by global artists that incorporate culturally traditional means in their work (Yinka Shonibare, Imran Qureshi, Sopheap Pich and Subodh Gupta). Compare to traditional works from each culture. Discuss the possible reasons for incorporating traditional aesthetics and materials in those works. How do they affect the meaning? Week 13: This week the class will discuss images of community art objects, practice doing visual analyses, and work on their group presentation due next week. Homework image due on Monday: Bring in an image of an art object that has importance in your community for the class to examine on Monday. Counts as quiz grade. Written Assignment due. Assign this week’s Written Assignment Written Assignment Write about the community art object you brought an image in for this week using the tools you have learned during this course? 2 - 3 pages. This assignment builds on the student’s engagement with art found in their community and asks them to view it through a variety of lenses including historical, cultural, and theoretical perspectives. Week 14: Group presentations Week 15: Group presentations Week 16: Review for Final Exam and Final Exam. |
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| Major Assignments Schedule |
Week 6 : Group Presentation Week 7: Midterm Exam Week 14: Group Presentation Week 16: Final Exam |
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| Final Exam Date | December 9, 2021 - 11:5 AM Through December 9, 2021 - 11:50 AM | ||||||||||
| Grading Scale | 90 - 100=A 80 - 89=B 70 - 79=C 60 - 69=D Below 59 = F | ||||||||||
| Determination of Final Grade |
Class Room and Group Discussions - 10% Group Presentations (2 total) - 20% (10% each) Quizzes (10 total) - 10% (1% each) Writing Assignments (10 total) - 20% (2% each) Mid-Term Exam - 20% Final Exam - 20% |
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| Instructor Policies | |||||||||||
| Attendance Policy | Students must follow the attendance policies of Bob Hope High School. | ||||||||||
| Academic Honesty | Academic honesty is expected from all students, and dishonesty in any form will not be tolerated. Please consult the LSC-PA policies (Section IX, subsection A, in the Faculty Handbook) for consequences of academic dishonesty. | ||||||||||
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| Important Information | |||||||||||
| ADA Considerations | The Americans with Disabilities Act (ADA) is a federal anti-discrimination statute that provides comprehensive civil rights for persons with disabilities. Among other things, this legislation requires that all students with disabilities be guaranteed a learning environment that provides for reasonable accommodation of their disabilities. If you believe you have a disability requiring an accommodation, please contact the the Office for Disability Services Coordinator, Room 231, in the Madison Monroe Building. The phone number is (409) 984-6241. | ||||||||||
| MyLSCPA | Be sure to check your campus E-mail and Course Homepage using MyLSCPA campus web portal (My.LamarPA.edu). When you've logged in, click the email icon in the upper right-hand corner to check email, or click on the "My Courses" tab to get to your Course Homepage. Click the link to your course and review the information presented. It is important that you check your email and Course Homepage regularly. You can also access your grades, transcripts, and determine who your academic advisor is by using MyLSCPA. | ||||||||||
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| HB 2504 | This syllabus is part of LSC-PA's efforts to comply with Texas House Bill 2504. | ||||||||||
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