Italian Renaissance Art

Italian Renaissance Art 600:142 TTH 5:00-6:15 PM, 270 KAB

Dr. Elizabeth A. Sutton Email: [email protected] Telephone: 273-6260 Office: 224 KAB Office Hours: Wednesdays, 10:00 am-12:00 pm and by appointment Course Website: http://elearning.uni.edu/ Course Description and Objectives: The so-called “Renaissance” in Italy has served as a core to art historical scholarship because of the unique innovations in painting, sculpture, and architecture, and the copious primary source documents available from this period. This upper-level course will explore the historical context and major themes of the visual culture produced in Italy between ca. 1300 and 1600. Students will develop their critical, analytical, rhetorical, and writing skills using artworks and readings as a springboard. This course will be a combination of lecture and discussion. Discussion will be encouraged by a variety of activities prompting critical reflection on the art and readings. By the end of this course students should be able to articulate formal characteristics of artworks using art historical vocabulary, to identify major works, and to suggest reasons why these works are considered significant both in their historical context and in a contemporary context. By the end of the course, students will be able to: Identify major artists, works, and cultural developments of the 14th-16th centuries in Italy Explain the significance of these artists and works Analyze the visual material using relevant terminology Explain key themes of artistic and intellectual engagement Integrate the significance of the art and artists into the larger cultural context Evaluate selections of written primary and secondary historical sources Required text: Hartt, Frederick, and David G. Wilkins. History of Italian Renaissance Art. 6th ed. Pearson: Upper Saddle River, 2007. Supplemental primary and secondary source readings on Blackboard and e-reserve.

Etiquette and Expectations: I expect each student to respect the class learning environment. That means: No electronic devices that interfere with class. Cell phones, iPods, MP3 players, PDAs, etc. MUST be off and stored before class begins. No texting. If you take notes on a laptop, be responsible. If anyone misuses their laptop privileges (ie: websurfing, IMing, etc) laptops will forthwith be prohibited. Show up to class prepared and on time Turn in assignments on time Participate consistently and actively in class Do your best on creating thoughtful and meaningful work SDS: If you have a documented disability and anticipate needing accommodations in this course, please make arrangements to meet with me soon. Please request that a Student Disability Services (SDS) staff send a SAAR form verifying your disability and specifying the accommodation you will need. SDS is located at 103 Student Health Center, (319) 273-2676. Plagiarism and Cheating: Cheating or plagiarism of any kind will not be tolerated. It is your responsibility to understand what constitutes plagiarism and cheating. See Academic Ethics and Discipline in the student handbook available at http://www.uni.edu/policies/301. Ask me if you have questions. Academic Learning Center Resources: I encourage you to use the Academic Learning Center’s free assistance with writing, reading, and learning stratigies. UNI’s Academic Learning Center is located in 008 ITTC. The Writing Center offers one-on-one writing assistance and the Reading and Learning Center provides consultations on reading, note-taking, and other academic success strategies. http://www.uni.edu/unialc/. Phone 319-273-2361 for more information.

Course Requirements: ATTENDANCE is MANDATORY. You are responsible for content from class. If you miss an assignment, quiz, exam, or paper deadline because of a serious family emergency or for medical reasons and you would like a make-up or extension, you will need to provide appropriate documentation verifying your excuse. • READINGS, DISCUSSIONS, CLASS ACTIVITIES (10% of final grade, 20 pts) Come to class having thoroughly read the assigned text(s). Participate actively in discussion and class activities with critical insights, questions, and responses to peers. • 7-10 page RESEARCH PAPER (40% of final grade, 80 pts) The paper assignment guidelines are available on Blackboard. A list of possible topics is also available on Blackboard to help get you started. You may choose from the list, or clear a topic with me. Thesis statement and bibliography, due on Blackboard by 5 pm, October 1, 10 pts Paper Rough draft, due in class October 27, 20 pts Final draft paper, due in class December 3rd, 50 pts • EXAMS (50% of final grade, 100 pts) There will be a midterm and a final exam, 50 pts each. Exams may contain IDs, directed questions, vocabulary terms, and unknowns. Image IDs will require you to identify the artist, title, date, and location (if architecture) of the work shown. You may also be asked to discuss in a few short sentences the significance of the image. Comparisons will ask you to identify the two works shown, and discuss in short-essay form how the images together elucidate certain ideas. Some exams may include unknown images, which you will be asked to liken to images you have studied based on formal analysis. These help you build your connoisseurship of western art. Short essay questions will ask you to thoughtfully synthesize a response to a thematic question, drawing upon your repertoire of western art to support your answer. Questions may be based on content from lecture, the textbook, and readings. Before each exam, I will post an image study list on Blackboard. You will be responsible for the image information on this list. • Blackboard: Image lists, Readings, and Announcements I use the Blackboard course management system and will expect everyone in the class to stay up-to-date by accessing the course website. Image lists and images for study will be available on the course website, as will assignment sheets and additional readings. Check the website periodically for timely announcements. You will be expected to use image study lists as your study guides for the quizzes and exam. You should also print out the assigned readings and bring them to class on the appropriate day.

Schedule of Readings and Due Dates: Week 1. Tuesday 8/25

Topic: Introductions, overview. Read Chapter 1 “Prelude” pp. 17-36

Thursday 8/27 Duecento traditions

Finish “Prelude” and read Chapter 2 pp. 39-71; especially sections on Cimabue and Pisanos

Week 2. Trecento innovations: Giotto 9/1

Read Chapter 3 pp. 73-88

9/3

Continue Chapter 3 pp. 88-101

Week 3. 9/8 Sienese painting and architecture: Duccio and Simone Martini

Read Chapter 4 pp. 103-117; 130-136

9/10 Writing Workshop—Thesis statements; Skim/Browse Chapter 5 Finish trecento Siena

Week 4. 9/15 Quattrocento Florence The Dome of Santa Maria del Fiore and “The Gates of Paradise” 9/17 Orsanmichele and Brunelleschi

Read Chapter 6 pp. 159-166 and Chapter 7 pp.177-185

Week 5. “Gothic” and “Renaissance” Gentile da Fabriano and Masaccio; Fra Angelico and Fra Filippo Lippi 9/22 9/24 Quattrocento Architecture and Theory: nature, harmony, and ideals

Read Chapter 8 pp. 201-219 AND Chapter 9 pp. 221-237

Week 6. 9/29 Library Day—meet at Rod Library

Read Chapter 7 pp. 185-195 and Chapter 6 pp. 167-175

Read Chapter 10 pp. 239-252 AND Alberti on “The Art of Building” pp. 527-531 available on Blackboard

Library Day

10/1 ***No formal class meeting***

**Thesis statement and Bibliography due on Blackboard by 5 pm**

Week 7. Ucello, Castagno, and Della Francesca—Flemish influence and powerful Courts 10/6 10/8 Quattrocento Perugia, Urbino, and Venice

Read Chapter 11 pp. 265-297.

Week 8. 10/13 Discussion. Quattrocento Venice and Interculturation

Read excerpt from Global Interests “Exchanging Identity: Breaching the Boundaries of Renaissance Europe” pp. 32-49, available on Blackboard **Midterm Exam**

10/15

Read Chapter 14 pp. 375-381; 385-389 AND Chapter 15 pp. 391-412

**MID SEMESTER**

Week 9. Donatello and Medici Florence 10/20

Read Chapter 11 on Donatello, pp. 255-261; AND Chapter 12 pp. 299-305; 314-323

10/22 continue Florence

Begin reading Chapter 13 pp. 325-337

Week 10. 10/27 Peer Writing Review; Quattrocento Florence cont’d

Rough Draft due in class—at least 2 good paragraphs Continue Chapter 13 pp. 337-353

10/29

Continue Chapter 13 pp. 353-363

Week 11. Discussion on Piety, Materiality, and popular faith 11/3 11/5 Leonardo and Florentine painting and sculpture

AND “Ex-votos: Materiality, Memory, and Cult” by Megan Holmes (pp 159-181) on Blackboard Read Chapter 16 pp. 445-469 AND Leonardo, Varchi, and Michelangelo on the paragone between painting and sculpture pp. 4-14 on Blackboard (for class activity)

Week 12. Michelangelo and Raphael in Florence 11/10 11/12 Michelangelo and Bramante


Week 13. Raphael in Rome 11/17

Finish Ch. 17 pp. 521-547 AND read letter from Raphael to Castiglione pp. 32-33 available on Blackboard

11/19 Michelangelo and Mannerism



**THANKSGIVING BREAK**

Week 14. Michelangelo and Mannerism cont’d 12/1 12/3 Cinquecento Venetian painting, prints, and architecture


**Final Papers Due** Read Chapter 19 pp. 599-620; 627-654

“Perpetual Exorcism in Sistine Rome” by Michael Cole (pp. 57Week 15. Discussion on “Perpetual Exorcism in Rome” How does this article 76) on Blackboard bring out themes in the class? 12/8 12/10 The Renaissance Revisited—reviewing Review. major themes in a global context Week 16. Finals week

FINAL EXAM TBA

Neat websites: http://speculum.lib.uchicago.edu/ Lafreri’s Speculum Romanae Magnificentiae—prints of Roman architecture http://vesalius.northwestern.edu/ Vesalius’ De Humani Corporis Fabrica—prints and text http://www.noteaccess.com/Texts/Cennini/index.htm Cennino Cennini’s Craftsman’s Handbook http://www.noteaccess.com/Texts/Alberti/ Leon Battista Alberti’s On Painting text http://www.fordham.edu/halsall/basis/vasari/vasari-lives.html Vasari’s Lives of the Artists text