SURVEY OF WESTERN ART
(Art 150)

Required set book:

Hugh Honour and John Fleming, The Visual Arts: A History, Prentice Hall, Englewood Cliffs, NJ, 4th ed, 1995

BRING THIS BOOK TO CLASS

Requirements:

Two 500 word papers with full scholarly apparatus, three 300-word reviews of peers' papers exchanged in class, two prepared discussions, two terminology tests. Check web-site and e-mail for details.

Introduction

Survey courses can be a grind because of the sheer quantity of material to be learned. This course is different: you do not have to learn any identifications, and there will be only one test during the semester. But there is a lot of work. This course involves nearly three hours in the classroom each week. You should therefore expect to put in at least seven hours of your own time, outside class (10 hours is quarter of a normal working week). This is for reading the text, learning the terminology, and doing the assignments. You will remember the stuff you understand (terminology) and the stuff do and think for yourself (assignments, class discussion) infinitely better than anything you merely read or hear.

You are encouraged to exploit the Web. To help you, I have put the course materials on my teaching site: http://www.ariadne.org/studio/michelli/, and you will notice a link to "what you should be doing now". This will keep you up to date with current requirements. There is also a page of links to interesting sites which show galleries, prehistoric caves, individual artists, medieval manuscripts, architecture etc. Do visit that page (click on "Art History Browser"), and let me know if you discover other interesting links. The web is growing all the time and, as it grows, it slows down. So make a point of using the web in the MORNINGS when it is at its fastest.

Requirements

• Attendance at every class. If you have to miss a class, FOR ANY REASON, submit a 500 word summary of the assigned reading for each missed day. This should be word processed and is due on the day you return to class. This way, you will stay on top of the course, even if you have to miss some classes.

• Two papers (500 words, 3 illustrations, bibliography, and check requirements). Topics assigned one week before due dates. Check web-site and e-mail for details. Work on the papers in the Library. Note that there are 40-60 students in this class, so DO NOT CHECK OUT THE BOOKS. Library xerox machines are adequate for your requirements. You do not need colour, and you do not need exquisite clarity.

• Three peer reviews (300 words, and check requirements).

• Two prepared discussions. One will be just before Mid Term; the second will be in lieu of part of the Final Exam. Study questions will be supplied, check the web-site and e-mail for these. Use the internet and the library.

• Learn the terminology of art history. Learn ALL the words you personally don't understand, either in the text or in class. Ask me for clarification at any time in class or later. Terminology will be tested regularly in class. Learn it as you go. Terminology will also be tested in the final exam.

• Class contribution is required. It is tracked and graded through name tags: one tag per contribution, whether this is a question, a comment, or an answer. Apart from terminology, which you are expected to learn and to use accurately, there are few "facts" and many opinions in this field. Be prepared to speculate, and to have (courteous!) disagreements with other students and with the professor. If there are 40 students in the class, think in terms of speaking at least once per class. If there are more than 40 students in the class, students will be assigned to two groups who will dominate the discussion on alternate days. In that case, think in terms of speaking at least once on each of your days.

• Prepare for class discussion by reading the text. In class you will be asked to (a) DESCRIBE the work shown, (b) EXPLAIN what the book had to say about it, (c) ANALYSE the artist's approach, (d) DEFINE any terms.

Five assignments	100 points each	500 points total
Two written tests	50 points each	100 points total
Attendance	0.5 points each	20 points total
Participation 40 students, every day 60 students, alternate days	4.5 points each 9 points each	180 points total
Total:		800 points total

Final course grades are evaluated as follows:

A 765-800 points A-751-764 points

B+748-750 points B 744-747 points B-737-743 points

C+707-736 points C 525-706 points