1 Maymester HART 3790 / May 2017 Professors
Maymester HART 3790 / May 2017 Professors Kevin D. Murphy and Betsey A. Robinson TA: Roxane Pajoul MONUMENTAL LANDSCAPES OF PROVENCE: NATURE, BUILDINGS, and SOCIETY (AXLE: HCA) Possible credit in Anthropology, Classical and Mediterranean Studies, Environmental & Sustainability Studies, European Studies, French The South of France is famous for its rich and varied history and spectacular land- and seascapes as well as lively street-markets and delicious foods and wines. It also offers almost infinite possibilities for studying the relationships between humans and the natural world, and among the diverse peoples who have coexisted in the region since antiquity. Gauls, Greeks, Romans, Crusaders, French Africans, and diverse others came together at this Mediterranean crossroads. Their diverse cultural production inspired countless artists and architects, as did the unspoiled natural environment. This Maymester course will explore the landscapes of southern France in geological time and across human history, sampling human inventions and experiences, from indigenous Celtic settlements to le Corbusier’s Unité d’habitation in Marseille. The course will be anchored in the landscape, and a recurring question will be how physical geography influences human experience. We shall take time to consider Southern France’s relation to the Mediterranean Sea and fresh water resources, the elements of art—from the mining of pigment and carving of stone to the handling of light and landscape in art and architecture, and the adaptation of architecture to the environment. Two major themes will develop: 1) the history of architecture and designed landscapes, including public and private buildings, temples, churches, monasteries, and cities; and 2) the artist’s gaze, and the “making” of the Provençal landscape by Vincent Van Gogh, Paul Cézanne, and others.
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