Course Description
An intensive 7-10 days of visiting sites (museums, churches, palaces, gardens) associated with travel to a major city or important location. The instructor lectures and leads discussion on site. Students participate by writing, discussing, or presenting.
Athena Title
LOOKING AT ART
Non-Traditional Format
Due to the structure of museum and site visits in different cities, the exact course hours may vary day to day, but the total contact hours will meet or exceed that required for a traditional three-credit course. In some cases, non-site meetings will be scheduled while traveling; in other cases, students will meet on campus. (Appropriate for study abroad.)
Prerequisite
Permission of department
Semester Course Offered
Offered every year.
Grading System
S/U (Satisfactory/Unsatisfactory)
Course Objectives
Students will learn how to appreciate, analyze, and think critically about original works of art in situations unlike the traditional art appreciation or art history classes. One of the main objectives of this course will be to teach students how to interpret and evaluate works of art that they actually see before them. Greater understanding of the roles of color, scale, and medium of specific works of art in relation to artistic movements or periods, location, provenance, and context are central objectives of this course. Students will come to understand the defining elements, concerns, and meanings of a specific artistic period, style and/or theme in its historical context. Additionally, the on-site experience will attune students to different cultures whether foreign or regionally in the U.S.
Topical Outline
The emphasis will be on seeing and discussing actual works of art in their cultural settings, not reproductions through digital images. The content of the course will vary depending on choice of city (for example, London, Rome, Florence, Paris, San Francisco, Washington DC, Chicago, NY City, etc.) or the periods or themes that are the focus of the particular trip; however, some elements will be consistent. 1. Careful planning of visits so that major works of a style, period and/or theme are viewed, lectured on, and discussed in a logical way. 2. Every day in the city includes at least one major site visit with specific works to be viewed and discussed. 3. Students will be encouraged to look at other works of art on their own and to engage in the history and culture of the particular city and country. 4. Looking and writing assignments will be required. In some cases, students will be asked to prepare in advance; in other cases, oral and/or written assignments will follow the return to campus. Some variable assignments can include: 1. Meetings upon return will center on selected works and problems, as well as with assignments based on works students engaged with during museum viewings. 2. Students will research works seen and present their findings to the class group. 3. Required readings corresponding to the artistic period or theme will be assigned.