❖ Art, Geology, and Place in Italy ❖ ❖ARH 364 (unique #19995, Spring 2020)❖

(the city of Orvieto atop a volcanic plateau)

Professor: Dr. Ann Johns (she/her/hers), (https://art.utexas.edu/about/people/ann-johns) Meeting place and time: T/TH 3:30-4:45, ART 1.204 (one of the New ART Classrooms) Contact Information: [email protected], office 471-1936 (but I don’t check voice mail) Office Hours: DFA 2.520, T/TH 2-3 and by appointment; mailbox DFA 2.526

❖ Course Objectives: “We return with pleasure to the geologists of Italy, who preceded…the naturalists of other countries in their investigations into the ancient history of the Earth…” --Charles Lyell, Principles of Geology, 1830-1833

“Why do we find the bones of great fishes and oysters and corals and various other shells and sea-snails on the high summits of mountains by the sea, just as we find them in low seas?” --Leonardo da Vinci, Codex Leicester, 1482

“Meanwhile on Mount Vesuvius broad sheets of fire and leaping flames blazed at several points, their bright glare emphasized by the darkness of the night…. that night the shocks were so violent that everything felt as if it were not only shaken but overturned… --Pliny the Younger to Cornelius Tacitus, 79

The most casual visitor to Italy immediately notices the tremendous diversity of “place” within the Italian peninsula: the hills of Rome, the canals of Venice, the hilltop cities of Siena and Orvieto, the flat, marshy expanses of the Po delta, and the dramatic and urgent volcanism of the region of Naples and the island of Sicily. In this course, we’ll explore the unique intersection of art, geology, and the geographic notion of “place” in Italy with a thematic rather than chronologic approach. While historical events and politics have unequivocally shaped the art and architecture of the various and highly distinct regions of Italy, geological, geographic, and climatic elements have also profoundly shaped both the landscape and the architecture, which in turn is manifested in the art.

Although this is an upper division course, there is no prerequisite. Nevertheless, you will be able to make more sense out of the material if you’ve had some art or architectural history, Italian history, or perhaps a historical geology class. Your most important assets will be enthusiasm, preparedness, and participation! If you have concerns, please talk to me early in the course. It is my hope that this class will be a collaborative effort. I hope and expect to hear your impressions, insights, and questions about these extraordinary objects and structures. This means you should come to class having done the readings and prepared to talk!

In this class, we will work on visual literacy, observational skills, critical reading and writing, classroom discussion, and group work. We will also be tackling the convergence of two venerable fields of inquiry that are rarely considered jointly, despite their contemporary origins as disciplines. Our current separation of the arts and the sciences would have been unrecognizable to Leonardo da Vinci; my goal for all of us is to break down these entirely artificial barriers and learn a lot in the process! 1

❖ Global Cultures flag (GC): This course carries the Global Cultures flag. Global Cultures courses are designed to increase your familiarity with cultural groups outside the United States. You should therefore expect a substantial portion of your grade to come from assignments covering the practices, beliefs, and histories of at least one non-U.S. cultural group, past or present.

❖ Writing flag (Wr): This course carries the Writing Flag. Writing Flag courses are designed to give students experience with writing in an academic discipline. In this class, you can expect to write regularly during the semester, complete substantial writing projects, and receive feedback from your instructor to help you improve your writing. You will also have the opportunity to revise one or more assignments, and you may be asked to read and discuss your peers’ work. You should therefore expect a substantial portion of your grade to come from your written work. Writing Flag classes meet the Core Communications objectives of Critical Thinking, Communication, Teamwork, and Personal Responsibility, established by the Texas Higher Education Coordinating Board.

❖ Required Readings: There is no textbook. Instead, each student must read all the readings posted on the Course Canvas site.

I HIGHLY recommend that you purchase the course packet of these readings, so that you can mark them up for class discussion. You can purchase these packets during the first couple days of class.

❖ Strategies for success in this course: We have no exams in this class, so your grade will be based on class participation (i.e. doing the reading), your group projects, and other smaller projects (see breakdown of grading later in the syllabus). In this class, it is CRITICAL that you do the reading and it is critical that you participate in discussions. The reading is not always “thrilling”, but it’s necessary for a fuller understanding of the artistic issues, the scientific background, and the pertinent cultural forces. I will expect you to have digested the main points of reading for all class discussions.

Remember to read for the main points; don’t get bogged down by the myriad of small details that constitute a scholarly article or book, and do remember that older accounts may be harder to read. If you’re not sure about what constitutes a “small detail”, please contact me. I will post some suggestions on how to read critically, or how to improve your critical reading and writing (and thinking!) skills.

❖ Canvas: All of the readings and course documents are posted on Canvas.

❖ Grading: (Please note: I will distribute individual detailed assignments for each of these class components):

Collections assignment (30%): Students will write a short (5-8 pages, same format as the reading responses, below), individual paper on two separate collection of objects, one “artistic” and one “scientific”. I will hand out a much more specific document, but this will involve picking a “collection” of 5-10 objects in an art venue (Blanton, HRC, Christian Green Gallery, VAC, etc.) and describing it for part one; doing the same for a geologic collection (Geology Building, Texas Memorial Museum, etc.); and then comparing your collections for part three. This paper will be a primarily descriptive and observational exercise rather than research-based paper, for 30% of your total grade. You will focus on acquiring the visual literacy and close looking skills that benefit every art historian AND geologist, and you will have a chance to consider the similarities and differences in these different collections!

Reading Responses (2% each for a total of 30%):

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I have placed an asterisk (*) next to most of the readings; you need to pick 15 of these readings and write a short (1-2 pages [max]) reading response, due the day we discuss the reading. Please use double-spaced, Times New Roman 12-point font with 1” margins and black ink, with any kind of header as long as it’s very short. Remember that this is not really a summary, although you may need to sum up some aspects of the essay or readings. Instead, in a reading response, the writer needs to explain, briefly, the point and/or position of the reading. In addition, the writer needs to argue whether the article is sufficiently convincing. Each response is worth 2% of your grade, for a total of 30%. I’ll post sample reading responses on Canvas.

Do not procrastinate on these! (It’s easy to do ☺)

Group Projects (30%): Team/group work is a key element of this class. Students must participate in one group project (2-3 people); here are the key elements of the project, with more details forthcoming in a separate handout. 1. Project research log: 5%. Each member will compile a separate research log, to be turned in 2 times during the semester. This helps you remember which resources you’ve already investigated, and it allows me to make sure that all group members are participating. 2. Preliminary project presentation: 5%. During the days before spring break, each group will present a preliminary report of how their project is developing, with a powerpoint presentation, a preliminary annotated bibliography, and a project outline (ONE PER GROUP). 3. Final project presentation: 10%. Students will present a polished, timed group powerpoint presentation during the last week of classes on their research. 4. Project final report: 10%. The final report will be due on Monday, May 13, at noon in the Art History office. I will need one hard copy and electronic copy per group. This report should be 5-8 pages, with proper citations, bibliography, and pertinent illustrations. 5. Let me know if there are any problems with group dynamics. 6. I will distribute a separate list of sample topics and presentation dates, but examples of projects include: A. Trade, distribution, and origins of pigments in Italy B. Geothermal resources and the Spa Life: Petrarch in the Euganean Hills, Dante in Viterbo, and the Medici in Bagno Vignoni C. Any individual city and its geological/topographic resources D. Roman Cosmati work: composition, usage, meaning E. The geology and use of spolia F. Artists and paleontology: depictions and collections G. Geography, urbanism, and the history of roads in Italy H. The changing nature of port cities and sea levels: Ravenna, Pisa, Venice, etc. I. Conservation issues of stone revetment (facing), for example the Palazzo Ducale in Venice J. Some very specific aspect of the aftermath of the eruption of Vesuvius on Pompeii or Herculaneum K. Mussolini’s use of stone to created Fascist propaganda maps L. The Phlegraean Fields, the Cumean Sibyl, and depictions in art

Class participation (10%): I have high expectations for full participation. I create the reading response assignments and the group presentation assignment to assist with class participation.

LATE ASSIGNMENTS WILL BE MARKED DOWN **ONE** GRADE A DAY, AND THERE IS NO FINAL EXAM. (By one grade, I mean from an A to an A-, for example)

We will use the +/- system of grading: A (4.00) = 94-100; A- (3.67) = 90-93; B+ (3.33) = 87-89; B (3.00) = 84-86; B- (2.67) = 80-83; C+ (2.33) = 77-79; C (2.00) = 74-76; C- (1.67) = 70-73; D+ (1.33) = 67-69; D (1.00) = 64-66; D- (0.67) = 60-63; F (0.00) = 0-59

❖ Class rules: 3

1. Talk to the ENTIRE class. I would much prefer that you make your comments to the class as a whole rather than to the person next to you. Let’s be good listeners as well as good contributors. 2. Arrive on time, as I will let you out on time. Also, please get a drink of water/go to the bathroom before or after class, not during class. 3. Feel free to bring coffee, sodas, or whatever else will keep you awake and participating! 4. Silence your phones and save your text messages until another time. Also, put them far, far away. 5. Use your laptops only for note taking or working on projects. I reserve the right to ask you to leave class if I find you using these devices inappropriately; this includes texting (phones) and checking Facebook, playing solitaire, etc., on your computer. For the most part, you should NOT even need your computer open. 6. At all times, you should be considerate and respectful towards your classmates and their opinions, which may differ from yours. This doesn’t mean that you must agree with everyone—discussions are much more fun if people disagree! But each person is entitled to her/his informed opinion. 7. When you send me an email, please remember that this is NOT a text and therefore you should use a salutation (Dear Dr. Johns or Hi Prof. Johns, for example) and a closing with your name. This is probably the most important thing you’ll learn in this class! See: http://www.inc.com/guides/2010/06/email- etiquette.html. 8. Don’t start “packing up” 5 minutes before class ends. I will let you out in time, but I need your full attention during class!

❖ Attendance: It is virtually impossible to get an “A” or “B” in this class unless you attend faithfully, as we do not use a single textbook, and I do take roll every class. On the other hand, if you attend, participate, do the readings and assignments, you should quite easily earn an “A” or “B”. Important religious holidays, serious illnesses, or true family crises are, of course, perfectly valid reasons for missing class. You are allowed THREE unexcused absences. More absences will result in a dramatic lowering of your grade.

❖ Religious Holy Days: It is university policy that you must notify me of a pending absence at least 14 days prior to the date of observance of a religious holy day. If you must miss a class, assignment, examination or in-class project in order to observe, I will give you an opportunity to complete the missed work within a reasonable time after the absence.

❖ Academic Honesty: Any type of cheating, plagiarism, collusion (except for group projects, of course), is grounds for an immediate “F” in the course, and often expulsion from the University. Besides being, ultimately, harmful to the student who cheats, it is extremely unfair to fellow students, and time-consuming and disheartening for the professor. It is absurdly easy to determine whether a student has plagiarized all or some of a paper, thanks to Google. I attempt to create courses in which students neither want to nor can cheat. You are welcome to discuss papers together but not write them together (all of this seems obvious, but every sentence is in here because it’s happened).

Please note that if I do find evidence of plagiarism, I will immediately report it to the Office of the Dean of Students. This is a very dispiriting exercise for me, so do your own work (except for group projects, of course).

❖ Learning Differences and Disabilities: The University of Texas at Austin provides, upon request, appropriate academic accommodations for qualified students with disabilities. For more information, contact the Office of the Dean of Students at 471-6259, 471-6441 TTY. Please inform me privately, well in advance, if you have the official University paperwork, and I will accommodate your special needs.

❖ Other Resources Available: The University has numerous resources for students to provide assistance and support for your learning: • The UT Learning Center: http://www.utexas.edu/student/utlc/ • Undergraduate Writing Center: http://uwc.utexas.edu/ 4

• Counseling & Mental Health Center: http://cmhc.utexas.edu/ • Career Exploration Center: http://www.utexas.edu/student/careercenter/ • Student Emergency Services: http://deanofstudents.utexas.edu/emergency/

❖ Emergency Evacuation Policy: Occupants of buildings on campus are required to evacuate and assemble outside when a fire alarm is activated or an announcement is made. Please be aware of the following policies regarding evacuation: • Familiarize yourself with all exit doors of the classroom and the building. Remember that the nearest exit door may not be the one you used when you entered the building • If you require assistance to evacuate, inform me in writing during the first week of class • In the event of an evacuation, follow my instructions or those of class instructors • Do not re-enter a building unless you’re given instructions by the Austin Fire Department, the University Police Department, or Fire Prevention Services

❖ Behavior Concerns Advice Line: If you are worried about someone who is acting differently, you may use the Behavior Concerns Advice Line to discuss by phone your concerns about another individual’s behavior. This service is provided through a partnership among the Office of the Dean of Students, the Counseling and Mental Health Center, the Employee Assistance Program, and The University of Texas Police Department. Call 512-232-5050 or visit https://www.utexas.edu/campus-life/safety-and-security

❖ Copyright issues: The materials used in this class, including, but not limited to, exams, quizzes, and homework assignments are copyright protected works. Any unauthorized copying of the class materials is a violation of federal law and may result in disciplinary actions being taken against the student. Additionally, the sharing of class materials without the specific, express approval of the instructor may be a violation of the University's Student Honor Code and an act of academic dishonesty, which could result in further disciplinary action. This includes, among other things, uploading class materials to websites for sharing those materials with other current or future students.

LATE ASSIGNMENTS WILL BE MARKED DOWN **ONE** GRADE A DAY (for example: An A paper would become an A- paper) THERE IS NO FINAL EXAM!!!!!!

❖ RECAP Collections assignment: 30% Reading responses: 15 at 2% (30%) Class participation: 10% Group projects: 30% Project research logs, preliminary project presentation, preliminary outline, and annotated bibliography: 10% Final project presentation: 10%; Project final report: 10%

Group projects: Project research log: 10% Project presentation: 10% Project final report: 20%

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(Left: Puccinelli, Michelangelo at the Carrara Quarries, 1860)

❖ CALENDAR OF READINGS and ASSIGNMENTS (subject to change)❖

(➔NOTE: The readings should be completed by the date under which they are listed) *=a reading that can be used for a Reading Response

PART I: EXAMINING THE ORIGINS OF THE DISCIPLINES Jan. 21-23, Week One: Syllabus Review and Class Objectives; A short history of Italy, land and art Reading: 1. Please closely read the syllabus! 2. *Heiken, Grant, Funiciello, Renato, and Donatella De Rita. The Seven Hills of Rome: a geological tour of the Eternal City. Princeton and Oxford: Princeton University Press, 2005, ix-xiii, 1-26. 3. *Eco, Umberto, “Many Italies”, in Italy: The Best Travel Writing from the New York Times (New York: Harry N. Abrams, 2004), 8-13.

Jan. 28-30, Week Two: The Discipline of Art History: methodology, historiography, and campus collections Reading: 1. An outline of the History of Art History: (https://arthistorians.info/about/outline) 2. *Vasari, Giorgio, Lives of the Artists (ed., trans. George Bull). London: Penguin Classics, 1965 (first published 1568), 25-47. 3. *Hatt, Michael and Charlotte Klonk, “A variety of interpretations: a preview” and “Morelli,” in Art History: A critical introduction to its methods (Manchester and New York: Manchester University Press, 2006), 11-20; 48-58. Activities: Tuesday, Jan. 28: meet with Katy Parker, Fine Art Librarian, Fine Arts Library Thursday, Jan. 30: meet at the Blanton Museum of Art.

Feb. 4-6, Week Three: The Discipline of Geology: methodology, historiography, and campus collections Reading: 1. *Lyell, Charles. Principles of Geology. London: Penguin Classics, 1997 (first published 1830- 1833), 5-25. 2. *Vai, G.B., and William Cavazza, “Ulisse Aldrovandi and the origin of geology and science,” in The Origins of Geology in Italy (G.B. Vai and W. Glen E. Caldwell, eds.). Boulder: Geological Society of America Special paper 411, 2006, 43-63. 3. Wicander, Reed, and James S. Monroe, Historical Geology. Belmont, CA: Thomson, 2007, 9-13; 22-33; 61-67; 85-93. Activities: Thursday, Feb. 6: visit the Geology building and meet with Dennis Trombatore, Geology Librarian **Turn in Part I of Collections Paper on Thursday, February 6

Feb. 11-13, Week Four: Historical collections: Art, fossils, minerals, and other curiosities Reading: 1. Scheicher, Elisabeth, “Kunstkammer,” in: http://www.oxfordartonline.com.ezproxy.lib.utexas.edu/view/10.1093/gao/9781884446054.001.0001/oao- 9781884446054-e-7000048290?rskey=JX3oN2&result=1. 2. *Findlen, Paula, “A World of Wonders in One Closet Shut,” in Possessing Nature: Museums, Collecting, and Scientific Culture in Early Modern Italy. Berkeley: University of California Press, 1994, 17-47. 3. *Settis, Salvatore. "Collecting Ancient Sculpture: The Beginnings." Studies in the History of Art 70 (2008): 12-31. Activities: Thursday, Feb. 13: visit Texas Memorial Museum

PART II: ART AND GEOLOGY IN ITALY IN ANTIQUITY AND THE RENAISSANCE Feb. 18-20, Week Five: Renaissance painting and the origins of geology: Leonardo, Mantegna, and Steno

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Reading: 1. *Rosenberg, Gary D., “The measure of man and landscape in the Renaissance and Scientific Revolution,” in Rosenberg (ed.), The Revolution in Geology from the Renaissance to the Enlightenment. Boulder: The Geologic Society of America, Memoir 203. 2009, 13-40. 2. *Pizzorusso, Ann. "Leonardo's Geology: The Authenticity of the "Virgin of the Rocks"." Leonardo 29, no. 3 (1996): 197-200. 3. *Vai, Gian Battista, “The Scientific Revolution and Nicholas Steno’s twofold conversion,” in Rosenberg, The Revolution in Geology, 187-208. * * * * * * * * * Turn in Part II of Collections Paper on Tuesday, February 18

Feb. 25-27, Week Six: Geology as destiny in Italy: volcanic activity and resultant resources Reading: 1. Christopherson, Robert W. “Volcanism,” in Geosystems: an introduction to physical geography. Boston: Prentice Hall, 2012 (8th ed.), 355-365. 2. *Cocco, Sean. Watching Vesuvius: a history of science and culture in early modern Italy. Chicago: University of Chicago Press, 2012, 52-78. 3. *Jackson, M. and F. Marra (2006). "Roman Stone Masonry: Volcanic Foundations of the Ancient City." American Journal of Archaeology 110: 403–436. Activities: Tuesday, Feb. 25: Harry Ransom Center (History of Science collection) * * * * * * * * * Turn in Research Log #1 on Thursday, February 27

Mar. 3-5, Week Seven: Marble and mining in central Italy: Carrara and “Etruria Mineraria” Reading: 1. *Hirst, Michael. "Michelangelo, Carrara, and the Marble for the Cardinal's Pietà." The Burlington Magazine 127, no. 984 (1985): 154-52. 2. *Scigliano, Eric. Michelangelo’s Mountain: the quest for perfection in the marble quarries of Carrara. New York: Free Press, 2005, 16-32. 3. *Corretti, Alessandro, and Marco Benvenuti. "The Beginning of Iron Metallurgy in Tuscany, with special reference to "Etruria Mineraria"." Mediterranean Archaeology 14 (2001): 127-45. * * * * * * * Turn in Part III of Collections Paper on Thursday, Mar. 5

Mar. 10-12, Week Eight: Group Project progress reports **Preliminary outline and annotated bibliography due Thursday, March 12

Mar. 16-20: Spring Break

PART III: URBANISM, GEOLOGY, AND GEOGRAPHY: THEN AND NOW Mar. 24-26, Week Nine: Geology, landscape, and urbanism: Central Italy Reading: 1. *Barker, Graeme and Tom Rasmussen. “The Landscape”. in The Etruscans, pp. 10-53. Malden, MA: Blackwell Publishing, 2000. 2. *Benton, Tim, “The three cities compared: urbanism,” in Siena, Florence and Padua: Art, Society and Religion 1280-1400, v. II, ed. Diana Norman (New Haven and London: Yale University Press, 1995), 6-27.

Mar. 31-Apr. 2, Week Ten: Local building materials, urbanism, and campanilismo: Siena, Florence, Venice Reading: 1. *Hills, Paul. Venetian Colour: Marble, Mosaic, Painting and Glass 1250-1550. New Haven & London: Yale University Press, 1999, 56-89. 2. *Haines, Margaret. "Myth and Management in the Construction of Brunelleschi’s Cupola." I Tatti Studies in the Italian Renaissance 14/15 (2011): 47-101 (read only 77-90). 3. *Frangipane, Anna, “From spolia to recycling: the reuse of traditional construction materials in built heritage and its role in sustainability today: a review,” Geological Society, London, Special Publications, 416, 2015, 23-33. Activities: Campus tour of different building materials (depends on weather)

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Apr. 7-9, Week Eleven: water resources: riparian (Florence, Rome) and land-locked cities (Siena, Orvieto). Reading: 1. *Masters, Roger D. Fortune is a river: Leonardo da Vinci and Niccolò Machiavelli’s magnificent dream to change the course of Florentine history. New York: Plume, 1998, 1-21. 2. * Rinne, Katherine Wentworth, “The Tiber’s Flow”. In The Waters of Rome: Aqueducts, Fountains, and the Birth of the Baroque City, pp. 11-37. New Haven and London: Yale University Press, 2010. 3. *Kucher, Michael P., The Water Supply System of Siena, Italy; The Medieval Roots of the Modern Networked City. New York and London: Routledge, 2005, 21-39. * * * * * * * Turn in Research Log #2 on Thursday, April 9

Apr. 14-16, Week Twelve: Italy and water: sea level changes, sustainability, and geotechnical challenges Reading: 1. * Cencini, Carlo. "Physical Processes and Human Activities in the Evolution of the Po Delta, Italy." Journal of Coastal Research 14, no. 3 (1998): 774-93. 2. *Burland, J.B., Jamiolkowski, M., and Viggiani. “Stabilising the leaning tower of Pisa,” Bulletin of Engineering Geology and the Environment (1998) 57: 91. 3. *Shrady, Nicholas. Tilt: a skewed history of the Tower of Pisa. London: Penguin Books, 2003, 1-17.

Apr. 21-23, Week Thirteen: Catastrophism, past and present: Gubbio, Florence, Venice Reading: 1. *Alvarez, Walter, The Mountains of Saint Francis: discovering the geologic events that shaped our earth. New York and London: W.W. Norton & Company, 2009, 90-113. 2. *Clark, Robert. Dark Water: flood and redemption in the city of masterpieces. New York: Doubleday, 2008, 123-163. 3. Mose Project, Venice, (peruse these sites): http://www.water-technology.net/projects/mose-project/, https://www.mosevenezia.eu/?lang=en

Apr. 28-30, Week Fourteen: Group research and Final Group Presentations (Thursday)

May 5-7, Week Fifteen: Final Group Presentations

May 13 (M): **Group project papers due in art history office at NOON

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