ARH f331J (77660): Art and Experience in Central Italy: Gothic and Renaissance Art and Architecture in Central Italy (VAPA) Castiglion Fiorentino, Toscana, Summer 2016 SYLLABUS Dr. Ann Johns, Senior Lecturer, Department of Art and Art History Spring Office Hours: DFA 2.520, MWF 12-2 or by appointment (MWF); email: [email protected] Course Description: (Siena Duomo, left; Brunelleschi’s dome for the Florence Duomo, right) "Then arose new architects who after the manner of their barbarous nations erected buildings in that style which we call Gothic (dei Gotthi)." --- Giorgio Vasari (1511–1574) In this course, we will focus on the rich tradition of both Gothic and Renaissance art and architecture in central Italy. In introductory art history courses, we learn that the Gothic style is the last and most elaborate of medieval modes—builders adorn churches with lacy, fanciful decoration (see Siena Duomo, above), sculpture consists of sweetly smiling saints positioned in a Gothic s-curve, and paintings are richly encrusted with gold leaf and ornamental splendor. In these same introductory courses, we learn that the art of the Italian Renaissance is a return to Antiquity, with its classical architectural forms (see the Florence Duomo, above), sculpture balanced into poses of perfect contrapposto, and painting endowed, thanks to the discovery of scientific perspective, with depth and clarity. What we find when we are in Italy and have the opportunity to look at the real works of art is something much richer and more interesting. We see “Gothic” painters who employ the rudiments of scientific perspective (such as Ambrogio Lorenzetti; image, below), while we encounter “Renaissance” sculptors and architects who also incorporate Gothic decoration and architectural features into their work. Painters like Fra Angelico (see image, below) and Gentile da Fabriano create stunningly convincing and naturalistic landscapes and fully modeled figures, while still using lavish quantities of gilding and decorative patterning. Brunelleschi encased his famous dome of Florence cathedral—the signature monument of the early Renaissance—with graceful Gothic ribs. All of the cities that we will visit—Florence, Rome, Siena, Orvieto, Arezzo, Cortona, and even our own Castiglion Fiorentino— possess countless works of art and architecture that demonstrate the difficulty of separating the Gothic style from the Renaissance. 1 Left: Ambrogio Lorenzetti, Justice, Allegory of Good Government, Palazzo Pubblico, Siena Right: Fra Angelico’s Cortona Annunciation, with its classical frame and gothic decorative surface Through reading, reading responses, discussion, presentations, drawing, blogging, and site visits, we will examine such topics as the development of style in art, the rise of the guild and workshop systems, and the social and economic factors that contributed to the manufacture and marketing of art in the late Middle Ages and Renaissance. We will discuss the development of humanistic classicism in art and architecture, as well as the growth of the pan- European style known as the International Gothic. Unlike classes here in Austin, few of our meetings will take place in a classroom. Instead, much of our class discussion will take place on site, in these famous art cities and in front of the objects and buildings of interest. One of the great joys of the Learning Tuscany program is the day-to-day interaction and confrontation with art and architecture, both old and new. Thus much of our examination of Gothic and Renaissance works will take place in cities like Florence, Siena, Orvieto (see image, below), and Rome, under the gaze of actual works of art such as Duccio’s Maestà and Brunelleschi’s Florence dome. A Gothic monument like the Cathedral of Siena holds, in fact, artistic treasures by some of the greatest sculptors of the Medieval, Renaissance and Baroque periods, including Nicola Pisano, Donatello, Michelangelo, and Bernini (see image). Left: Gothic Cathedral of Orvieto; Center: Bernini’s St. Jerome in Siena’s Gothic Duomo; Right: Castiglion Fiorentino’s Vasarian loggia 2 We will also have numerous opportunities to see and discuss works from other eras in Italy’s rich artistic tradition. Our own town of Castiglion Fiorentino was originally an Etruscan settlement, and there is an outstanding Etruscan collection in nearby Cortona. We will visit many of ancient Rome’s most famous monuments during our long stay in Rome; our hotel is adjacent to several Roman temples, and many students can see the roof of the Pantheon from their hotel window! Rome was also the artistic center of Europe during the Baroque period, and we’ll see many of Bernini and Caravaggio’s major works during our stay. Rome, Florence, and Venice also offer numerous venues for seeing both modern and contemporary art, both in museum and gallery settings. Even in our home town of Castiglion Fiorentino, we see examples of art and architecture from every major period, including Etruscan artifacts, medieval castles, churches and palazzi, Renaissance churches and civic structures, and numerous Baroque and Rococo interiors. Contemporary artists display their works throughout the city. Even our home base of Santa Chiara has a rich history, with much of the building dating back to the Renaissance. This course will be taught in tandem with the studio art class offered by Michael Mogavero. All students will be enrolled in both classes. Our aim is twofold: we want your studies and observations about older artistic practices to enrich the art you create over the course of 6 weeks, and we hope that both your on-site and studio projects will enhance your understanding of the art of the extraordinarily beautiful region of Tuscany. Michael and Ann teaching together in Florence (left, Ospedale degli Innocenti) and Rome (right, Ponte Sant’Angelo) 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. Visual and Performing Arts Credit (VAPA): This course may be used to fulfill the visual and performing arts component of the university core curriculum and addresses the following four core objectives established by the Texas Higher Education Coordinating Board: communication skills, critical thinking skills, teamwork, and social responsibility. Readings: You do not have a textbook; all of your readings will be available in the class packet. This packet will include materials for both the studio and the art history class, and thus it is mandatory. You will purchase this at our April meeting. You must also purchase the MANDATORY field trip course packet, containing maps, plans, and important information for our various field trips. You will also purchase this at our April meeting. 3 Grading: See the separate handouts for explanations and directions of the following assignments. All handouts and assignments are also posted on the program’s Canvas site, under “course information”, and I will repost them on our class site once it becomes available. Quiz: 10% (due date: Monday, 5/30) Five Short Reading Responses: each 5%, for a total of 25% (due date: no later than Thursday, 6/19) Blog Entries: 2 entries, each 10% (due dates: blog 1—no later than Wednesday, 6/22; blog 2—no later than Thursday, 6/30) On-site Presentation: 15% (finish by Thursday, 6/23) Participation and Attendance: 10% Group Project: 20% (due date: Friday, 6/27 or Monday, 6/30; short report due Wednesday, 7/2, but these dates are very much subject to change) Please note that unexcused absences or tardiness to classes or other appointments will greatly affect your grade. An unexcused absence or tardiness to a field trip will HUGELY and NEGATIVELY affect your grade. On field trips, we leave when the train or bus leaves, so if you are late, you will be left on your own. So plan accordingly. We will use the +/- system of grading, which is as follows: A (4.00) = 93-100; 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 If you show up, participate, work hard, and have a good attitude, you will get a good grade. In other words, it is your “A” to lose. There is NO final exam. Classes: Our class will (most likely) meet in CLASSROOM C (courtyard level) from 9-12. Most days, we will spend the first part of the class in the classroom and the second part of the class in the city of Castiglion Fiorentino. Classes meet on the days listed, below. Office Hours: I’m around all the time at Santa Chiara: before class, after class, before dinner, and on the weekends, usually in the courtyard. Call or text me at 339-186-1085 to set up another time, or email me at: [email protected]. 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 of any exam or assignment, if you have the official University paperwork, and we will accommodate your special needs. 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.