Art 31-- History of Western European Art 
From Prehistory to Early Renaissance

Teaching Assistants:

• Laura André

Office hours: Fridays, 11:00 a.m. - 12:00 p.m.
--lmandre@email.unc.edu


• David Hart

Office hours: Fridays, 1:00 - 2:00 p.m.
--dchart@email.unc.edu


• Elizabeth Hudson

Office hours: Fridays, 10:00 - 11:00 a.m.
--ehudson@email.unc.edu


• David Wood

Office hours: Wednesdays, 2:00 - 3:00 p.m.
--dwood1@email.unc.edu

Calendar and Lecture Guide

Texts

1. Marilyn Stokstad, Art History, Vol. 1, Prentice Hall, 1995

Acquaint yourself with this textbook before you begin the course. The Introduction, Starter Kit and Use Notes will be invaluable to getting a good start on the course. In the back of the book is a Glossary and a Bibliography for those who want to read further.
2. Miranda Green, Celtic Art: Symbols and Imagery, Sterling, 1997

This is a comprehensive survey of Celtic Art which is not adequately covered in Stokstad's textbook

• J.H. Minor, Art History's History, 1994. (Art Reserve N380.M556 1984)
• W. Strunk and E.B. White, The Elements of Style, any edition is fine.
• The Bible --Douay Rheims Version On-line
  Revised Standard Version
• Greek Mythology
• Bulfinch's Mythology

Course Context

Art 31 is the first semester of a two-semester general introduction to the history of western European art, its ancestry and its heritage. It is designed for the beginning student, and assumes no previous experience in art or art history. Students are encouraged to take Art 31 in preparation for Art 32 (high Renaissance to the present).

In addition to introducing you to many of the major surviving monuments of painting, sculpture and architecture  from ca. 2500 B.C. to ca. 1500 A.D., Art 31 will teach you fundamental skills of visual analysis and provide you with the vocabulary and concepts for discussing works of art orally and in writing. No less important, the enormous geographical range and long time-span covered by the course provide a unique opportunity for investigating the relation between works of art and the varied cultures in which they were produced. In addition to learning about creative thinking and skills, understanding human cultural diversity is a major goal of this course, as it is of your liberal arts education.
 

Course Components

RECITATION SECTION :Discussion sections are integral to the structure of Art 31. They are keyed to the lecture-themes and provide you with an opportunity to discuss works of art and their historical context. If you cannot attend your given section for some reason, you should try and attend another section that week (giving the T.A. your name and regular section time). The section grade is based on your informed participation in both discussions and written exercises given over the course of the semester. If you have any difficulty with the course material, do not hesitate to ask your T.A. about it.

Recitation Sections are limited to 18 students, and meet at the following times:

31-601 :        Wednesday :         1:00 - 1:50 :             Rm. 117
31-602 :        Wednesday :         4:00 - 4:50 :             Rm. 117
31-603 :        Thursday :             4:30 - 5:20 :             Rm. 116
31-604 :        Friday :                 9:00 - 9:50 :             Rm. 116
31-605 :        Friday :                 10:00 - 10:50 :         Rm. 116
31-606 :        Friday :                 11:00 - 11:50 :         Rm. 116
31-607 :        Friday :                 1:00 - 1:50 :            Rm. 116
31-608 :        Friday :                 2:00 - 2:50 :              Rm. 118
 

Discussion Forum

EXAMS

1. Slide identification. For every work or monument, you are expected to include:
• the title (and in figurative works, the subject matter-- when it is not already part of the title);
• the date and (for non-portable works) the place of execution;
• the name of the maker or designer (when known);
• one or two sentences about its artistic or historical significance.
2. Definitions. You are expected to provide a short definition for, and an example of, terms that have been discussed in class lectures or sections. If you are unclear about the meanings of terms, you should ask your T.A. and consult the glossary at the back of Stokstad, and/or other books mentioned at the beginning of the syllabus.
3. Slide Comparisons. Two slides are shown, and you are asked to answer a question that involves comparing or contrasting them. In such comparisons, it is important to address specific qualities or features of the works of art, and use them as evidence to support more general conclusions.
4. Unknowns. You will be asked to discuss a work of art or architecture which you have not seen in lecture or in recitation. Based on the knowledge you have acquired, you will discuss the medium, the subject, the style, and the possible function of the "unknown" work of art.

Study Aids

*We recommend that you brush up on concepts of elementary geometry (plane and solid). They are important for a grasp of basic artistic approaches to architecture, sculpture and painting.

PHOTO-STUDY BOARDS:
To earn an "A" in this course, you must develop an accurate recall of the most important works discussed in class and in your recitations. The photos on display in the hallway of the Hanes Art Center are very useful for refreshing your memory about the art you have been studying. This resource is shared by the whole class. It is a violation of the Honor Code to tamper with or remove the photos, which are property of the State of North Carolina.

INTERNET WEB SITES:
Many of the works of art and architecture discussed in lecture or recitation can be viewed on web sites. These art web sites are highlighted in the Syllabus, providing you with a direct link to the site.

MUSEUM PAPER

Due Date: Papers will be collected on October 12, 1998 at the beginning of the lecture. Your TA will read and suggest revisions to your paper. Your revised and edited paper will be resubmitted on December 2, 1998. ANTICIPATE problems. Late papers will be graded down a half grade for each day it is late (i.e. A becomes an A-).
Mechanics: Your paper should be 4-5 pages in length. It must be typed on 8.5 x 11-inch paper and double spaced. Use 1" margins and 10 to 12 pt. font size.
Hints: Use your spell-checker and the Grammatik program (if your software has it).
The Writing Center is available to help you with your paper and is a valuable resource for you throughout your academic career at UNC. The consultants are graduate students who have received extensive training in the teaching of writing. Call 962-7710 for an appointment or just drop in. You can also e-mail your writing questions and learn more about the Writing Center by visiting their web site. Grammar hotline: 962-7710.
Click here for paper assignment.

Honor code reminder:

Art Department Information:

• Are you interested in Art History?
• Are you interested in Studio Art?
• Need more information about the Sloane Art Library?

Local Museums:

• North Carolina Museum of Art
• Ackland Museum

• the Mint Museum of Art in Charlotte
• The Metropolitan Museum, New York

• Webmuseum, Paris
• Vatican Museums--Christus Rex
• Art Museum Web site listing

Syllabus

Introduction:
    --Aug. 19
Readings: Stokstad, pp. 16-33

Prehistory:
    --Aug. 24, 26
Readings: Stokstad, pp. 36-59

• Stonehenge

• The Institute of Egyptian Art and Archaeology
  Mark Millmore's Ancient Egyptian Page
• Stepped Pyramid of Djoser

• Oriental Institute of Chicago

• Greek art and architecture
• Attributes of the Gods
• The Parthenon

• Etruscans
• Etruscan Resources at Carolina

• Celtic History
• Celtic Religions
• Dr. Verkerk's "Way Cool" Celtic site

• Roman Art and Architecture
• Roman Emperors

Assimilation and Transformation: Late Antique Art and Architecture
    --Oct. 19, 21
    --Oct. 23 **QUIZ**
Readings: Stokstad, pp. 280-308

• Early Christian Art and Architecture
• Christian Catacombs of Rome
• Ravenna

• Glory of Byzantium, Exhibition, The Metropolitan Museum of Art

• Lindesfarne Gospels
• Book of Kells
• More Book of Kells
• Palatine Chapel, Aachen; Book of Ebbo; Lindesfarne Gospels; Tor Halle, Lorsch
• An Apprentice's Handbook to Illuminated Medieval Manuscripts

• Romanesque Art and Architecture
• Durham Cathedral
• More Romanesque Art and Architecture
• Bayeux tapestry

• Late Gothic Architecture
• Gothic Painting
• Les Tres riches heures du Duc de Berry
• Amiens Cathedral

Competitions and Citizenship: Art of the Italian City States
    --Dec. 1, 3
Readings: Stokstad, pp. 590-608

• Italian sculpture
• Italian Art and Architecture
• Giotto
• Simone Martini