Art History: Global Baroque Art

Selected aspects of the visual and material culture of the Early Modern world. Material emphasis and geographical focus will vary with instructor. Representative topics: Origins of Christian Art; Italian Renaissance. May repeat for credit with different content. Topics vary by offering; periodic offering at intervals that may exceed four years. Prerequisite: ARTH 1018 or ARTH 1420.

Prereqs enforced by the system: ARTH 1018 or 1420; PACE students by permission and override

“Baroque” style was the first truly international style in the history of art. More than even the Renaissance style that preceded it, the Baroque spread quickly across Europe and, through trade and other means, spread to the New World, India, China, and other far off lands. In this course, we will examine the root of this style, examine the reasons it was so popular in such vastly different cultures, and study what its dissemination tells us about the seventeenth century. The course will begin with and continually return to Italy, which is where the style originated. As we shall see, religious and political motivations were as important for the development of Baroque style as artistic ones. Artists and their work were sent all over Europe and facilitated the quick diffusion of this new “Italian” style. Soon, patrons in Spain, the Netherlands, Flanders, France, England and the Holy Roman Empire demanded that local artists adopt it, usually with some modifications to better conform to the differences in tastes, traditions, and the function and organization of religious and civic institutions in those areas. Then, since trade routes were so highly developed by this time, Baroque style paintings and sculptures were sent to every known area of the world and artists in those places took on some of the Baroque style as well. Because of the scope of the course and the limitations of time, we will focus on the major masters in architecture, painting, and sculpture, though students should be aware that there were many other significant artists who produced beautiful works of art in many types of media in this period.

General goals for the course: Students will be able to recognize the major stylistic movements, understand the varying functions, and know the contextual histories of the art produced between ca. 1580-1700 in Western Europe and identify how Baroque still was transmitted and transformed within and beyond Europe. This information will be gleaned from the in-class lectures, readings, discussions, and other online and in-class activities, including the research project. Student progress in reaching this learning objective will be discerned via exams, weekly online quizzes, and the research project. Students will work collaboratively so as to learn from each other, improve their communications skills, and engage more fully with the material. Collaboration will be facilitated through online and in-class discussions and the preparation of an online exhibition. Goals for the research project: Students will write and produce a exhibition-style text based on the research topic they choose. Students will peer-review and have their texts peer- reviewed so as to augment their critical, analytical, and editorial skills and have their texts enriched by peer feedback and suggestions. Students will learn curatorial skills and how to prepare an online exhibition as a group. Students will learn how to write effective, engaging object labels, will work collaboratively to devise the overall exhibition theme and subthemes, and then work in small groups on each theme to write wall text and collate the object labels, images, and catalogue essays (your research papers). The varied formats of information presentation (paper and digital presentation) are meant to provide varied learning opportunities for the students and have them learn about modes of presentation employed in the field of art history. Goals for discussions and other activities: Students will participate in discussions of advanced readings in the field so as to hone critical reading, analysis, and comprehension skills as well as improve the articulation of ideas verbally and in writing. Other in-class and online activites will provide a variety of means for students to learn and engage in the material.

The final grade will consist of two exams, Fleming and Special Collections assignments; a digital presentation of your research object; and online group exhibition work (selection of theme, object curation, main text for group, and labels)