REMAINING PAPERS FOR ART HIST 2A03, 2I03 and 3S03

Please know that all remaining papers will be made available for collection at the School of the Arts (SOTA) office after 1:00 pm., today. The office (TSH 414) is open from Monday to Friday until 4:00 pm.

Good luck on your remaining exams!

GD

ART HIST 2I03, 3S03 and 2A03: Assignment Collection

Hello everyone,

Please know that I will be on campus and in my office (TSH 429) on Thursday Dec. 12 from 10:30 am - 1:00 pm. I will have the papers for ART HIST 2I03 and remaining assignments for ART HIST 3S03 and 2A03 available for pick up.

Best,

GD

ART HIST 2A03 & 3S03 ESSAY PICK UP

Please note that I will be in my office today (Thursday December 5) from 10:0 am until 1:30 pm to return essays for ART HIST 2A03 (CMST 2I03) and ART HIST 3S03. Remaining papers will be brought to the final exams (to be collected at the end of each examination period).

ART HIST 3S03 FINAL EXAM QUESTION

The final for ART HIST 3S03 is a partial take-home exam. This means that you have the question in advance but you will not be able to bring aids (notes, etc.) on the day of the final. The question has been presented and discussed in class and it is once again presented below.

Written Response to Exam Question:  (Value: 100 points; Duration: 2 hours)

Read the following question carefully and present a response using full sentences in your examination booklet(s). All cited works of art or architecture must be identified by the title, date and the name of the artist or architect.

QUESTION: 

Discussions on early Renaissance art in Italy must, by necessity, draw upon some general, working definition. Using appropriate examples explain how it is that we can recognize a work of art as such and why our defining criteria might be problematic.  

ART HIST 2A03 / CMST 2I03 FINAL EXAM QUESTION

The final for Visual Literacy is a partial take-home exam. This means that you have the question in advance but you will not be able to bring aids (notes, etc.) on the day of the final. The question is presented below. Think carefully about your response. We will have our last class on Wednesday Dec. 4 during which time you may ask questions about the format, requirements, etc.

Written Response to Exam Question: (Value: 100 points; Duration: 2 hours)

Read the following question carefully and present a response using full sentences in your examination booklet(s). All cited images must be identified by the title, date and, whenever possible, the name of the maker or source (artist, magazine, website, etc.).


QUESTION:

Throughout history meaningful connections have been forged between people and ‘living’ images. This is particularly evident in the history of icons though it is also evident in a host of other images that have woven their way into the fabric of our lives. Using examples from the lectures and / or readings discuss several diverse types of images that rely upon our double consciousness to give them meaning and purpose in our culture.

ART HIST 4E03: Reading (Dec. 2)

Hello everyone,

We've had some problems getting this reading online in a timely fashion. Here is the link for Ailish's reading nonetheless:

(Guido Schoenberger, A Goblet of Unicorn Horn, Metropolitan Museum of Art Bulletin, vol. 9., no. 10, (June 1951), pp. 284-288.

http://www.jstor.org.libaccess.lib.mcmaster.ca/stable/3258091?&Search=yes&searchText=goblet&searchText=unicorns&list=hide&searchUri=%2Faction%2FdoAdvancedSearch%3Fq0%3Dunicorns%2B%2Bgoblet%26f0%3Dall%26c1%3DAND%26q1%3D%26f1%3Dall%26acc%3Don%26wc%3Don%26fc%3Doff%26sd%3D%26ed%3D%26la%3D%26pt%3D%26isbn%3D%26Search%3DSearch&prevSearch=&item=1&ttl=33&returnArticleService=showFullText

ART HIST 2I03 & ART HIST 3S03: Monday November 18

Please know that today's ART HIST 2I03 & ART HIST 3S03 classes (Monday November 18) will be cancelled. We will resume on Wednesday November 20. ART HIST 4E03 will be conducted at 3:30 pm as scheduled.

GD

ART HIST 2A03 / CMST 2I03: Spike Lee's Bamboozled

W.J.T. Mitchell discusses Spike Lee's film Bamboozled (2000) at length. In this satirical film Lee addresses racial stereotypes and the power of stereotypical and offensive images to endure (like 'living images').

You can watch the film here:

Bamboozled

ART HIST 3S03: Black Death Documentary

Here is the Black Death documentary presented in class, Monday Oct. 21:

ART HIST 4E03: Readings for Monday Oct. 28

Hello everyone,

I have the first of the readings for next week. Keisha's selected reading is the following:

John B. Lord, "Expanding the Heritage of Marketing Thought: The Significance of Martin Luther's Treatise Trade and Usury (1524)," (1989).

http://faculty.quinnipiac.edu/CHARM/CHARM%20proceedings/CHARM%20article%20archive%20pdf%20format/Volume%203%201987/32%20lord.pdf

Callie's reading is the following:

Galloway, J.H. "What Did the Dutch Have to Do with Sugar in the Caribbean?" In Major Problems in Atlantic History, edited by Alison F. Games and Adam Rothman, 216-222. Boston: Houghton Mifflin Company, 2008.

"What Did the Dutch Have to Do with Sugar in the Caribbean?"

ART HIST 2I03: Gattamelata

Since the question had been asked in class this morning... Gattamelata was the nickname of Erasmo da Narni.

ART HIST 4E03: Readings for October 21

Hello everyone,

The readings have been slowly coming in this week. I am posting as they arrive. The first is from Alex: 

Schmidt, B. “Mapping an Empire: Cartographic and Colonial Rivalry in Seventeenth-Century Dutch and English North America” The William and Mary Quarterly , Third Series, Vol. 54, No. 3 (Jul., 1997), Published by: Omohundro Institute of Early American History and Culture. pp. 549-578.

http://www.jstor.org.libaccess.lib.mcmaster.ca/stable/2953839?&Search=yes&searchText=benjamin&searchText=empire&searchText=mapping&searchText=schmidt&list=hide&searchUri=%2Faction%2FdoAdvancedSearch%3Fq0%3Dmapping%2Ban%2Bempire%26f0%3Dall%26c1%3DAND%26q1%3Dbenjamin%2Bschmidt%26f1%3Dall%26acc%3Don%26wc%3Don%26fc%3Doff%26Search%3DSearch%26sd%3D%26ed%3D%26la%3D%26pt%3D%26isbn%3D&prevSearch=&item=1&ttl=764&returnArticleService=showFullText

Daniela's reading is now in:

Luxury and Calvinism/ Luxury and Capitalism: Supply and Demand for Luxury Goods in the
Seventeenth-Century Dutch Republic
Author(s): Jan de Vries
Source: The Journal of the Walters Art Gallery, Vol. 57, Place and Culture in Northern Art
(1999), pp. 73-85

http://www.jstor.org/discover/10.2307/20169143?uid=3739448&uid=2&uid=3737720&uid=4&sid=21102771493131

ART HIST 3S03: Test Study List

First of all... many thanks to Toshawb Wilson for notifying me of a display problem with this post. I believe this issue is now rectified. Please find below the list of images for the upcoming test  (Friday, Oct. 18). In light of the fact that the initial post did not display I am going to provide the identifications (including dates) on the test. You should still be familiar with each of the works listed below so that you can respond effectively to the questions. The format for the test has been discussed in an earlier post on this blog (see: http://acabinetofcuriosities1.blogspot.ca/2013/09/art-hist-3s03-test-and-assignment.html)


Apse Mosaic with Christ and San Vitale (San Vitale, Ravenna)
Court of Justinian mosaic (San Vitale, Ravenna)
Cimabue, Madonna and Child Enthroned
Christ Pantocrator, Cathedral of Monreale, Palermo
Baptism of Christ mosaic, Hosios Loukas
Pietro Cavallino, Last Judgment fresco (Santa Cecilia, Rome)
Giotto, Ognissanti Madonna
Giotto, Kiss of Judas (Scrovegni Chapel, Padua)
Giotto, Last Judgment (Scrovegni Chapel, Padua)
Giotto, St. Francis Preaching to the Birds (San Francesco, Assisi)
Giotto, The Mourning of St. Francis (Bardi Chapel, Santa Croce, Florence)
Duccio, Maesta (Siena)
Coppo di Marcovaldo, mosaic of Christ (Baptistry, Florence)
Andrea Orcagna, Strozzi Altarpiece (Santa Maria Novella, Florence)

ART HIST 2I03: Test Study List

Please find below the study images for the upcoming ART HIST 2I03 test. The test will only use two of the works listed below (1 per question). You are responsible for knowing the artist or architect, title and date for each. Familiarity with the media used may also be helpful to know in the course of your responses.

Cimabue, Enthroned Madonna and Child

Giotto, Enthroned Madonna (Ognissanti Madonna)

Giotto, Arena Chapel (interior)

Giotto, Kiss of Judas (Arena Chapel)

Giotto, Last Judgment (Arena Chapel)

Duccio, Maesta (front)

Duccio, Noli Me Tangere (back, Maesta)

Ambrogio Lorenzetti, Effects of Good Government

Filippo Brunelleschi, Dome, Florence Cathedral

Filippo Brunelleschi, Hospital of the Innocents

Filippo Brunelleschi, Sacrifice of Isaac (bronze competition panel)
Lorenzo Ghiberti, Sacrifice of Isaac (bronze competition panel)

Donatello, St. George (Or San Michele)

Donatello, St. George and the Dragon (predella panel in relief)
Donatello, David (bronze nude)

Nanni di Banco, Four Crowned Saints (Or San Michele)

Gentile da Fabriano, Adoration of the Magi

Masaccio, The Virgin and Child (center panel of the Pisa Altarpiece)

Masaccio, Trinity

Masaccio, Tribute Money (Brancacci Chapel)

Masaccio, Expulsion of Adam and Eve (Brancacci Chapel)

Masolino, Temptation of Adam and Eve (Brancacci Chapel)

Fra Angelico, San Marco Altarpiece

Fra Angelico, Annunciation

Filippo Lippi, Madonna and Child

Paolo Uccello, drawing of a chalice

Paolo Uccello, Sir John Hawkwood

Paolo Uccello, Battle of San Romano (London panel)
Piero della Francesca, Flagellation of Christ
Piero della Francesca, Double Portrait of Federico da Montefeltro and Battista Sforza

ART HIST 4E03: Readings for Oct. 7

Here are the next set of readings for our October 7 session>

Adam has 9 pages of reading material which can be accessed on the Art History website, here:

http://gdavies3.wix.com/sotaarthistory#!art-hist-4e03-readings/c16wt


Anna's reading is available on jstor:

Elderkin, Kate McK. “Aphrodite Worship on a Minoan Gem”, The American Journal of

Archeology 29, no. 1, 1925. http://www.jstor.org/stable/497722

A Few Things to Consider:   

·        

      How does the archeological evidence at Phaistos regarding Conch and Cockle Shells prepare us for the precious materials used in the Baroque?

·        Do the ways in which the items are given/possessed change?

o   How does this reflect emerging Humanistic values?

·        What, if any, similarities exist between the fact that conch/cockle shells were sacrificed to Aphrodite vs being given by the Papacy? Do the moralizing ‘lessons’ change? How so?

·        For those of us who are familiar with Greco-Roman mythology, can we see a tie between Euhemerism, or perhaps etiological mythology and the Baroque? Authors such as Knipping observe that often the natural and supernatural interpenetrate one another in the Baroque, is this an antiquated convention or something more recent?

·        Is it possible to see themes of sensuality, erotic love, flightiness or perhaps even fertility in the Worldly Possessions exhibit? If so, why or why not? Do natural wonders always harken to such eroticism? How could this either entice someone to view the exhibit or alternatively cause them to dismiss Baroque wonders as mere frivolous indulgence?

Please Note:

Don’t feel the need to answer all of the questions, but rather use this as a guide to direct your thoughts.

·        Assuming everyone has read this article, I will bring in Hesiod to contextualize any questions regarding Euhemerism or etiological mythology, if needed. 

ART HIST 3S03: Art of Eternity - The Glory of Byzantium (BBC Documentary)

Here is the BBC documentary shown in class (Monday, September 30).

ART HIST 2A03 / CMST 2I03: Visual Literacy Test

The Visual Literacy test is scheduled for next Tuesday (Oct. 2). It will take place in class and the duration will be 30 minutes. As noted in lecture, the test will have only one question with an accompanying image (presented on screen). You will be required to use full sentences in your response. The test will evaluated on the overall quality of your response (how well you demonstrate your understanding of the concepts treated in lecture and the quality of your writing). The test will have a total value of 50 points but your work will be evaluated on the basis of a qualitative grade from A+ - F (rather like the grading of an essay). You will not be graded on a point-by-point basis (ie., you will not receive 50 out of 50 for noting a total of 50 points in your response!).

The test question will relate to one of the following sets of themes addressed in lecture:

1. Differentiating between object, picture and image

2. Defining and understanding a metapicture (What is a metapicture? Using a given example, how does it affect our response to the picture?)

One of the following images will be presented on screen to accompany the question. Please be familiar with these works and consider the points raised in relation to them during lecture:

Leonardo da Vinci, Mona Lisa, (c. 1503-06, oil on panel)

Jan van Eyck, Arnolfini Portrait, (1434, oil on panel)

Willem Kalf, Still Life with Drinking Horn of the St. Sebastian Archer's Guild, (c. 1653, oil on canvas)

Diego Velasquez, Las Meninas, (1654, oil on canvas)

Frere Luc, France Bringing Faith to the Hurons, (c. 1670, oil on canvas)

ART HIST 4E03: Readings for September 30

Sylvia's reading for next week's session (September 30) is the following (access through jstor):

Hannah Blumenthal, "A Taste for Exotica: Maria Sibylla Merian's Metamorphosis insectorum Surinamensium," in Gastronomica: The Journal of Food and Culture , Vol. 6, No. 4 (Fall 2006), pp. 44-52.

Published by: University of California Press

Article DOI: 10.1525/gfc.2006.6.4.44

Article Stable URL: http://www.jstor.org/stable/10.1525/gfc.2006.6.4.44

Ailish's reading is the following:

Models of Collecting
Collecting: An Unruly Passion by Werner Muensterberger; The Cultures of Collecting by John Elsner; Roger Cardinal; 
Interpreting Objects and Collections by Susan M. Pearce; Les Collections. Fables et programmes by
Jacques Guillerme; Dominique Poulot
Review by: Ting Chang
Oxford Art Journal, Vol. 19, No. 2 (1996), pp. 95-97
Published by: Oxford University Press
Stable URL: http://www.jstor.org/stable/1360732 .

Please read these for class on Sept. 30 and be prepared to discuss. I recommend that you make notes of relevant points in each reading before coming to Monday's seminar.

ART HIST 4E03: Sessional Dates

Here are the sessional dates for the upcoming classes as confirmed on September 16.


Reading Dates (Student-directed discussions on selected readings):

Sept. 30. Sylvia, Ailish

Oct. 7. Adam, Anna

Oct. 21. Alex, Daniela

Oct. 28. Callie, Keisha


Seminar Presentations (Student presentations on projects in progress)

Nov. 4. Keisha, Adam, Anna

Nov. 11. Daniela, Callie, Sylvia

Nov. 18. Alex, Ailish


I will be posting the references for the first readings from Sylvia and Ailish shortly!

ART HIST 2I03: TEST AND ASSIGNMENT GUIDELINES

School of the Arts                                            McMaster University

Renaissance Art

ART HIST 2I03, Term I, 2013

FORMAT INFORMATION FOR COURSE TEST AND ESSAY

TEST: (Course Value: 25% of final grade)

The test (October 16, in class) will be 30 minutes in length with 2 questions at 15 minutes each. Each question will be accompanied by a projected image of a work from the lectures and readings. Only images featured in both will be presented. A study list including only those images for which you are responsible will be posted here on this blog one week in advance of the scheduled test date. You WILL be required to identify each of the two presented works by artist's name, title and dat(es) as given in the readings. I will be providing sample questions in class prior to the test so that you will better understand what to expect. The total value of the test will be 50 points (25 points per question).

WRITTEN ASSIGNMENT: DUE NOVEMBER 8, 2013 (Course Value: 35% of final grade)

Note that your completed assignment must be submitted in class (in hardcopy only) to the instructor NO LATER THAN November 8, 2010. Late papers will be deducted at the rate of 5% per day. Papers submitted by email or any format other than hardcopy will not be accepted. Late papers resulting from illness must be accompanied by a doctor’s note (attached to your finished work). Late papers must be submitted to the School of the Arts office (TSH 414) and stamped by the secretary in order to receive credit. Please also note that papers may be subject to submission for textual similarity review to Turnitin.com for the detection of plagiarism. All submitted papers will be included as source documents in the Turnitin.com reference database solely for the purpose of detecting plagiarism of such papers.

The written assignment (due in class November 8) will consist of a short monographic research paper (5 full pages in length). For this paper you will need to discuss one particular work. You may choose to discuss a work (painting, sculpture, building, print, drawing) from an accessible collection (such as the McMaster Museum of Art, Art Gallery of Ontario, etc.) or one from a published source. Either way your selected work MUST be of the Italian or northern European Renaissance. Your essay discussion should offer the reader some insight into the significance of the work through a particular interpretation of the visual evidence provided by the work and the facts relating to the historic context in which it was produced and appreciated. To make the essay more manageable and interesting it is advised that you adopt a particular methodology for interpretation. For instance, if you were working on Leonardo da Vinci's Mona Lisa (this work is now off limits because it is being used as an example here) you might adopt, as your methodology, a psychoanalytic approach to interpreting the painting as a form of self-portrait. In an effort to make a strong case for your interpretation you would want to utilize the visual evidence of the painting to balance with the facts relating to Leonardo and whatever useful ideas you might want to adopt from psychoanalytic theory to give weight to your interpretation. In another approach to the same painting you might look more specifically at Leonardo's technique. How does Leonardo's unique handling of paint lend to the striking qualities of the portrait proper? Here you might want to compare and contrast with other portraits of the time to demonstrate Leonardo's unique achievement. 

The body of the text (your written discussion) must be 5 pages in length (double-spaced, 12-point type). In ADDITION to this you must include a cover page with title, course name and number, instructor's name and due date. To this you must  ALSO ADD footnotes or endnotes and a bibliography. Reference images (figures) may be included at the end of the paper. If you choose to use footnotes please bear in mind that the actual discussion  MUST STILL EQUAL 5 full written pages.

Citation methods must follow the Chicago Style guidelines.

ART HIST 3S03: TEST AND ASSIGNMENT GUIDELINES

School of the Arts                                McMaster University

ART & CIVILIZATION AT THE DAWN OF THE ITALIAN RENAISSANCE 1200-1400

ART HIST 3S03, Term I, 2013

Course Instructor: Greg Davies

FORMAT INFORMATION FOR COURSE TEST AND ESSAY

Test: (Course Value: 35% of final grade)

The test (October 18, in class) will be 30 minutes in length with 2 questions at 15 minutes each. Each question will be accompanied by a projected image of a work from the lectures and readings. Only images featured in both will be presented. A study list including only those images for which you are responsible will be posted here on this blog one week in advance of the scheduled test date. You WILL be required to identify each of the two presented works by artist's name, title and dat(es) as given in the readings. I will be providing sample questions in class prior to the test so that you will better understand what to expect. The total value of the test will be 50 points (25 points per question).

WRITTEN ASSIGNMENT: DUE NOVEMBER 11, 2013 (Course Value: 35% of final grade)

Note that your completed assignment must be submitted in class (in hardcopy only) to the instructor NO LATER THAN November 11, 2010. Late papers will be deducted at the rate of 5% per day. Papers submitted by email or any format other than hardcopy will not be accepted. Late papers resulting from illness must be accompanied by a doctor’s note (attached to your finished work). Late papers must be submitted to the School of the Arts office (TSH 414) and stamped by the secretary in order to receive credit. Please also note that papers may be subject to submission for textual similarity review to Turnitin.com for the detection of plagiarism. All submitted papers will be included as source documents in the Turnitin.com reference database solely for the purpose of detecting plagiarism of such papers.

INSTRUCTIONS: 

In his Introduction to Painting in Florence and Siena After the Black Death: The Arts, Religion and Society in the Mid-Fourteenth Century, Millard Meiss presents his thesis on the changes that occurred in Tuscan painting ca. 1350. In Chapter 1 he proceeds to illustrate these changes by comparing and contrasting works of art while, at the same moment, offering commentary to explain why these changes took place. The thesis set forth by Meiss was highly influential in its time and in many respects it remains compelling. However the method of argumentation offered by Meiss deserves close scrutiny. How effective, in your view, is his method? Consider this question carefully and write a short critique of the argument, taking into consideration the author’s treatment of the key points that are used to support his claims.

FORMAT:

            Your response will be 5 written pages in length (double-spaced, 12-point type) with an accompanying cover page (noting your name and student number, due date, instructor’s name and course name and number).  References to passages in the text should be cited (using footnotes OR endnotes). A bibliography must be included at the end of your paper (even if Meiss is the only source used).

Citation methods must follow the Chicago Style guidelines.

ART HIST 2A03 / CMST 2I03 (Visual Literacy): Course Assignment

Please find below the instructions and guidelines for the Visual Literacy course assignment due on November 6, 2013.

School of the Arts                                 McMaster University

VISUAL LITERACY

ART HIST 2A03 / CMST 2I03, Term II, 2013

Course Instructor: Greg Davies

COMPARATIVE  VISUAL ANALYSIS ASSIGNMENT: Course value: 35%,

Note that assignments must be submitted in class (in hardcopy only) to the instructor NO LATER THAN November 6, 2013. Late papers will be deducted at the rate of 5% per day. Papers submitted by email or any format other than hardcopy will not be accepted. Late papers resulting from illness must be accompanied by a doctor’s note. Please also note that papers may be subject to submission for textual similarity review to Turnitin.com for the detection of plagiarism. All submitted papers will be included as source documents in the Turnitin.com reference database solely for the purpose of detecting plagiarism of such papers.

INSTRUCTIONS: 

Select any current picture from the public domain dating within the past twelve months. Ideally the picture should be one of widespread public interest. Consider the image in terms of its visual messages. What ideas are projected through the picture? How and why does it project these ideas? Once you have drawn some conclusions about this picture begin a search for a second, comparative image that reflects, in your estimation, a shared set of ideas or principles. This second image can be taken from any period in history, culture, or context (art galleries, museums, magazines, internet, etc.). Note that it does not need to ‘look’ like the first selected picture (in fact, it will likely appear very different). It may share a set of ideas with the first picture or it may not. You will need to determine this for yourself.

Once you have selected a second image write a short paper (see below) clarifying your thoughts on the comparative relationship between the two pictures. Your discussion should clarify and convince the reader of the connections between the two images as you understand them. Utilize the visual information available within the images to support your comments and reference sources, if necessary, to strengthen your argument.

FORMAT:

Your paper will be 5 full written pages in length with an accompanying title page (noting the title of your essay, your name and student number, due date, instructor’s name and course name and number). You must include images of both pictures discussed and present this on separate pages, with identification of the source (artist, photographer, publication, site), title (if any) and date immediately after the body of the text. This should be followed by endnotes (unless you have used footnotes) and, finally, a bibliography. Your pages should be printed using 12-point type, double-spaced with the first line of each paragraph indented. Quotes, if included, should be used sparingly. Long quotes (of two full lines or more) should be fully indented and single-spaced. For citations and bibliographic format you must follow the Chicago Style guidelines.

Supercrawl Opportunity for Students!

The Supercrawl Curatorial Committee (SCC) is seeking Exhibition Attendants to supervise large-scale art installations on James Street North during this popular annual festival. Attendants will be asked to monitor installations for a scheduled four-hour shift to answer audience questions about the art and ensure its safety and security throughout the event. We are also seeking attendants for an interactive work by the renowned Quebec City collective BGL. Their Carousel requires two dedicated attendants in two-hour shifts to operate the work and engage with Supercrawl attendees.

Attendants will be scheduled for both the evening of Friday September 13 (7:00-11:00pm) and all day Saturday September 14 (12:00-10:00pm).

Both of these opportunities will pay attendants $11/hour for their dedicated time to animating and supervising this year’s curatorial projects, and provide an outstanding opportunity to play a valuable role in Supercrawl and meet the artists presenting their work at this year’s event. You’ll also receive a stylish Supercrawl 2013 Volunteer t-shirt to help set you apart from the crowd.

Website: http://www.supercrawl.ca/

Contact: supercrawlart@gmail.com

This message has also been posted on 'Slippers's Picks' on facebook. Slippers's Picks is your unofficial link to all things Art History and Studio related at Mac! Get connected today!!

Webpage: https://www.facebook.com/SlippersPicks

ART HIST 3S03: Apologies

My apologies to all for my scheduling mishap today.  I had the class time down for 2:30 instead of 1:30 pm. I regret any inconvenience this may have caused!

Worldly Possessions Exhibition @ the MMA

Worldly Possessions: Visualizing Ownership in the Age of the Baroque (August 27, 2013 - January 25, 2014) is currently on exhibit at the McMaster Museum of Art. The exhibition was curated by myself with five McMaster students: Adam Carter, Ariel de Aguiar, Taithleach Gillettsmyth, Mira Qamar and Anna Wisniowski. The ART HIST 4E03 course will focus on the exhibition material and students in that course will have a chance to also participate in ongoing research and curatorship. The video above is featured on the title wall of the exhibition space and offers a summary of the exhibit's themes. Please note that there is no audio soundtrack.

The exhibition blog can be reached here:

http://worldlypossession.blogspot.ca/

For All Students: Some Encouraging Words

Hello everyone! As we all launch into the first term, mindful of the work ahead, I just want to pass along this little video clip as a reminder of the importance of staying optimistic. Set your sights high, always strive for the best and give yourself credit for all of your accomplishments, be they great or small. Let Pops inspire you...

ART HIST 4E03: Course Outline

Please find below the course outline for ART HIST 4E03, Term 1, 2013. This is the only course outline to which students in the fall 2013 4E03 course should refer until further notice.

School of the Arts            McMaster University

SEMINAR IN ART AND VISUAL CULTURE 1400-1750

WORLDLY POSSESSIONS: VISUALIZING OWNERSHIP IN THE AGE OF THE BAROQUE

ART HIST 4E03, Term 1, Fall 2013

Lectures: Monday 3:30 - 5:20

Location: TSH 321

Course Instructor: Greg Davies                                 

Office: TSH 429

Office hours: Monday, 11:30 am -12:30 pm., or by appointment

Email: gdavies@mcmaster.ca

Exhibition Blog: http://worldlypossession.blogspot.ca/

Instructor’s Blog: http://acabinetofcuriosities1.blogspot.com

COURSE DESCRIPTION: This course runs concurrently with the Worldly Possessions exhibition at the McMaster Museum of Art (August 27, 2013 – January 25, 2014). A key theme of the exhibition concerns the relationship between works of art, collecting practice and the moral and intellectual imperatives of the Baroque age. In a time when European societies were confronted by the moral dilemmas of conquest, subordination and acquisition, works of art and collections provided a means of creating artificial justification for trade and corporate expansion by making possession an ostensible necessity.

Students who take this version of ART HIST 4E03 will engage with this theme by exploring the various ways by which visual culture in Europe (from around 1600 – 1750) effectively assisted in reconciling conflicting belief systems. Students will be required to look at specific works from the exhibition (along with the exhibition design) and develop their research into one of the following projects:

·         A written entry for the exhibition blog

·         A short video or powerpoint presentation to be featured on the exhibition blog and  / or Youtube

·         A public talk

Details relating to the coursework requirements will be discussed in class. 

COURSE TEXTS: Students are not required to purchase books for this course. Instead each student will be required to submit a group reading of her or his choice and lead discussion on that reading on a selected date (to be arranged with the instructor on Sept. 9). Familiarity with the selected reading material will be essential. Students should be prepared to think critically about the material selected and present leading discussions in class. All course participants must be prepared to engage with the material and speak up.

BLOGS: Additional information on the course and lecture material may occasionally be posted on the instructor’s blog located at the following link:  http://acabinetofcuriosities1.blogspot.com

All students should be familiar with the exhibition blog located at the following link: http://worldlypossession.blogspot.ca/

COURSE EVALUATION:  The final grade for this course will derive from three pieces of work and a participation mark. There will be one short, written project proposal, one oral presentation (on the student’s project in progress; 20 minutes with a question and answer period) and a final project (design to be approved by the instructor). The marking scheme for each is listed below.

Participation: 20%*

Project proposal: 10%                    (DUE IN CLASS SEPT. 23)

Oral presentation: 35%                 (DATE TO BE SELECTED IN CLASS)

Project: 35%                                       (DUE IN CLASS NOV. 25)

The requirements for each will be discussed during the first two weeks of class. Please be aware that a guideline for the assignment, including information on late penalties and the correct procedures for submission, will be distributed in class on Monday Sept. 10.

*The participation mark will be based upon the depth and quality of a student’s response to the task of leading discussion on a selected reading . Students are strongly advised to go over the readings carefully and develop leading questions to open discussion in class. ALL STUDENTS ARE EXPECTED TO PARTICIPATE IN CLASS DISCUSSIONS.

Note:  The instructor and university reserve the right to modify elements of the course during the term. The university may change the dates and deadlines for any or all courses in extreme circumstances. If either type of modification becomes necessary, reasonable notice and communication with the students will be given with explanation and the opportunity to comment on changes. It is the responsibility of the student to check their McMaster email and course websites weekly during the term and to note any changes.

ON ACADEMIC DISHONESTY:  Academic dishonesty consists of misrepresentation by deception or by other fraudulent means and can result in serious consequences, e.g., the grade of zero on an assignment, loss of credit with a notation on the transcript (notation reads: “Grade of F assigned for academic dishonesty”), and / or suspension or expulsion from the university.

It is your responsibility to understand what constitutes academic dishonesty. For information on the various kinds of academic dishonesty please refer to the Academic Integrity Policy (senate Policy Statements), specifically Appendix 3, located at http://www.mcmaster.ca

The following illustrates only three forms of academic dishonesty:

1. Plagiarism, e.g., the submission of work that is not one’s own or for which other credit has been obtained.

2. Improper collaboration in group work.

3. Copying using unauthorized aids in tests and examinations.

Please note the following statement from the Office of Academic Integrity:

McMaster University has purchased Turnitin.com, which is a detection service. Students submit their assignment/work electronically to Turnitin.com where it is checked against the internet, published

works and Turnitin’s database for similar or identical work. If Turnitin finds similar or identical work that has not been properly cited, a report is sent to the instructor showing the student’s work and the original source. The instructor reviews what Turnitin has found and then determines if he/she thinks there is a problem with the work.

Written work submitted in this course may be subject to review using Turnitin.com

POLICIES ON EMAIL COMMUNICATION, LATE AND / OR MISSED WORK:

EMAIL COMMUNICATION:  It is now the policy of the School of the Arts that all email communication between students and instructors must originate from their official McMaster accounts. This policy protects the confidentiality and sensitivity of info and confirms the identity of both parties. SOTA instructors will delete messages that do not originate from McMaster University email accounts.

LATE AND / OR MISSED WORK: It is the responsibility of each student to attend tests and exams and meet the requirements of submission for coursework. Missed tests and exams and late papers will automatically be assigned a grade of 0. Exceptions to this policy will only be made in the specific instances outlined below (see MSAF and Permission to use MSAF ), and only when met by approval from the Faculty/Program office and course instructor.

In the event of an illness or injury a student must complete a McMaster Student Absence Form online.

As of September 2011 the McMaster policy regarding the use of the MSAF is as follows:

•              The maximum course value of the missed work for which the MSAF can be used is 29%.

•              The MSAF can only be used by a student once per term. The on-line 2011-12 Undergraduate

Calendar will be updated to reflect this.

•              'Personal Reasons' are not a valid reason for using the MSAF.

•              The e-mail message that goes to students following their submission of the MSAF will clearly describe the steps that students must take to receive relief for the missed work, and the timelines for doing so.

Note that the MSAF is only available to undergraduate students whose absence is 5 days or less in duration

Please note: As of September 2011, students will be required to visit their Faculty/Program Office and complete a Permission to use MSAF form, for the following reasons:

•              The request for relief for missed academic work is personal.

•              The request for relief for missed academic work is religious.

•              A component of work they have missed is valued at more than 29%.

•              They have already used the MSAF once in the Term.

Such students may be asked by their Faculty/Program Office to provide appropriate supporting

documentation. If the student’s request to use the MSAF is approved, the MSAF link will be made available (on a one-time basis) to the student.

CENTRE FOR STUDENT DEVELOPMENT: Students who are experiencing (or anticipate) personal or academic difficulties (e.g., time management problems, language and / or writing challenges, undue personal stress, critical family issues, etc.) during the course of the semester are urged to consult with a counselor at the Centre for Student Development (CSD). For further information on the CSD and its services please call (905) 525-9140 [ext. 24711] or go to: http://csd.mcmaster.ca 

GRADING SCALE:

A+           90-100                   B+           77-79                     C+           67-69                     D+           57-59

A             85-89                     B             73-76                     C             63-66                     D             53-56

A-           80-84                     B-            70-72                     C-            60-62                     D-           50-52

                                                                                                                                           F              0-49

LECTURE SCHEDULE & READINGS:

Sept. 9                  Introduction (Course Design & Objectives)

Sept. 16                Exhibition Session (Meet at the McMaster Museum entrance)

                               

Sept. 23                Interpretations: Exploring Research Avenues

                               

Sept. 30                Group Reading Discussion 1

               

Oct. 7                    Group Reading Discussion 2

Oct. 14                  THANKSGIVING: No Class

                               

Oct. 21                  Group Reading Discussion 3

Oct. 28                 Group Reading Discussion 4

Nov. 4, 11            Seminar Presentations

Nov. 18, 25          Seminar Presentations

Dec. 2                    Conclusion

ART HIST 3S03: Course Outline

Please find below the course outline for ART HIST 3S03 (Term 1, 2013).

School of the Arts                                 McMaster University

ART & CIVILIZATION AT THE DAWN OF THE ITALIAN RENAISSANCE 1200-1400

ART HIST 3S03, Term I, 2013

Lectures: Monday & Wednesday, 1:30-2:20 pm.; Friday, 11:30-12:20 pm.

Location: TSH B106

Instructor: Greg Davies                        

Office: TSH 429

Email: gdavies@mcmaster.ca                           

Office hours: Monday, 11:30 am -12:30 pm., or by appointment

COURSE DESCRIPTION: This course will focus upon the visual arts in Italy during the thirteenth and fourteenth centuries, when the transition from the late Middle Ages to the early Renaissance occurred. Students will explore the important shifts in artistic theory, patronage, style and subject matter that arose during this time of dramatic social, political and religious change.

Due to the specialized nature of the course subject matter there is no singular survey text that will be used. The course text by Millard Meiss (see below) will serve as an important resource in the process of building a knowledge base, however students can only benefit from a diverse range of perspectives. As the course progresses other reserve readings (see below) will be introduced in order to augment the ideas addressed in the lectures.

COURSE TEXT & READINGS:

Millard Meiss, Painting in Florence and Siena After the Black Death: The Arts, Religion and Society in the Mid-Fourteenth Century, (Princeton, 1978). Text available at the McMaster University Bookstore

Select readings will also be assigned from the following books (on reserve at Mills Library):

Michael Baxandall, Giotto and the Orators: Humanist observers of painting in Italy and the discovery of pictorial composition, 1350-1450, (Oxford, 1971).

Hayden B.J. Maginnis, The World of the Early Sienese Painter, (University Park, 2001).

COURSE EVALUATION:  The final grade for this course will derive from three pieces of work. The requirements for each will be discussed in class. There will be one short test, one written assignment and a final examination. The marking scheme for each is listed below:

Test:                             25%     (written in class, Oct. 18)         

Written assignment:       35%     (due in class Nov. 11)  

Final exam:                   40%     (date TBA)

The requirements for each will be discussed in class.

*Instructions and guidelines for the essay will be provided during the week of Sept. 16.

MODIFICATIONS TO THE COURSE OUTLINE:

The instructor and university reserve the right to modify elements of the course during the term. The university may change the dates and deadlines for any or all courses in extreme circumstances. If either type of modification becomes necessary, reasonable notice and communication with the students will be given with explanation and the opportunity to comment on changes. It is the responsibility of the student to check their McMaster email and course websites weekly during the term and to note any changes.

EMAIL COMMUNICATION: 

It is the policy of the Faculty of Humanities that all email communication sent from students to instructors (including TAs), and from students to staff, must originate from the student’s own McMaster University email account. This policy protects confidentiality and confirms the identity of the student. Instructors will delete emails that do not originate from a McMaster email account.

EXTENSIONS OR ACCOMMODATONS:

Extensions or other accommodations will be determined by the instructor and will only be considered if supported by appropriate documentation.  Absences of less than 5 days may be reported using the McMaster Student Absence Form (MSAF) atwww.mcmaster.ca/msaf/  . If you are unable to use the MSAF, you should document the absence with your faculty office.  In all cases, it is YOUR responsibility to follow up with the instructor immediately to see if an extension or other accommodation will be granted, and what form it will take. There are NO automatic extensions or accommodations.

ON ACADEMIC INTEGRITY:

You are expected to exhibit honesty and use ethical behavior in all aspects of the learning process. Academic credentials you earn are rooted in principles of honesty and academic integrity.

Academic dishonesty is to knowingly act or fail to act in a way that results or could result in unearned academic credit or advantage.  This behavior can result in serious consequences, e.g. the grade of zero on an assignment, loss of credit with a notation on the transcript (notation reads: “Grade of F assigned for academic dishonesty”), and/or suspension or expulsion from the university.

It is your responsibility to understand what constitutes academic dishonesty.  For information on the various types of academic dishonesty please refer to the Academic Integrity Policy, located at http://www.mcmaster.ca/academicintegrity

The following illustrates only three forms of academic dishonesty:

1.Plagiarism, e.g. the submission of work that is not one’s own or for which other credit has been obtained.

2.Improper collaboration in group work.

3.Copying or using unauthorized aids in tests and examinations.

AVENUE TO LEARN:

In this course we will be using Avenue to Learn.  Students should be aware that, when they access the electronic components of this course, private information such as first and last names, user names for the McMaster e-mail accounts, and program affiliation may become apparent to all other students in the same course.  The available information is dependent on the technology used.  Continuation in this course will be deemed consent to this disclosure.  If you have any questions or concerns about such disclosure please discuss this with the course instructor.

SUPPORT SERVICES:

The University provides a variety of support services to help students manage their many demands. Reference librarians can provide invaluable research assistance. The Student Accessibility Services Centre (SAS) provides assistance with personal as well as academic matters. MUSC B107 and http://sas.mcmaster.ca/

GRADING SCALE:  The McMaster grading scale may be consulted at:

 http://registrar.mcmaster.ca/calendar/2012-13/pg145.html

LECTURE SCHEDULE & READINGS:

Sept. 6, 9, 11                           Introduction: The Issues of Early Renaissance Art in Italy

Students should begin reading Millard Meiss at this time. The Meiss text should be read concurrently with the reserve readings below and the book should be finished by Oct. 21.

Sept. 13, 16, 18                       Early Renaissance Humanism

Baxandall, Ch. 1., “Humanists’ Opinions and Humanist Points of View,” pp. 1-50.

Sept. 20, 23, 25, 27, 30;         The Impact of Humanist Thought on the Visual Arts I

Oct. 2 

Baxandall, Ch. 2., “The Humanists on Painting,” pp. 51-77 only

Oct. 4, 7                                  The Impact of Humanist Thought on the Visual Arts II

Baxandall, Ch. 2., “The Humanists on Painting,” pp. 78-120 only

Oct. 9, 11                                The Impact of Humanist Thought on the Visual Arts II (continued)

Baxandall, Ch. 2., “The Humanists on Painting,” pp. 78-120 only

Oct. 14                                    NO CLASS: THANKSGIVING

Oct. 16                                    Art and the Black Death

Oct. 18                                    TEST: IN CLASS (30 MINS.)

Oct. 21, 23, 28                        Art and the Black Death: The Problem of Regressive Style

Millard Meiss text should be finished by Oct. 21.

Oct. 30; Nov. 1, 4, 6, 8, 11     Siena: Artistic Production and Patronage I

(NOTE: ASSIGNMENT DUE IN CLASS MONDAY NOV. 11)

Maginnis, Ch. 1., “The Painter’s City,” pp. 16-44.

Maginnis, Ch. II., “The Painter’s Craft: Conditions,” pp. 83-118.

Nov. 13, 15, 18, 20, 22, 25     Siena: Artistic Production and Patronage I I

Maginnis, Ch. IV., “Painters and Projects, Major and Minor,” pp. 119-160

Maginnis, Ch. V., “The Painter’s World,” pp. 161-190.

Nov. 27, 29                             Reflections on the Histories of Early Renaissance Art in Italy

No readings assigned

Dec. 2, 4                                 Review

No readings assigned

Final Exam date and location TBA