AR222-5-SP-CO:
Picturing the City II
2016/17
Art History and Theory
Colchester Campus
Spring
Undergraduate: Level 5
Current
15
-
Requisites for this module
(none)
(none)
(none)
(none)
(none)
BA V3RB Art History and Modern Languages (Including Foundation Year and Year Abroad),
BA VR39 Art History and Modern Languages,
BA V3R9 Art History with Modern Languages,
BA VR3B Art History with Modern Languages (Including Foundation Year and Year Abroad)
Module Outline
In the fourteenth century, Italy was divided into a patchwork of city-states. A rich variety of urban environments coexisted on the peninsula, from merchant cities to courtly ones, port cities to mountain strongholds, famous cities to provincial backwaters, tyrannies to republics. Trading widely and engaging in intense cultural exchange, the Italian city states were part of a network of interlinked urban centres that stretched far into northern Europe and over the Mediterranean to the Levant. The practical issues connected to cities, such as sanitation, infrastructure, law, and so forth, were felt as pressing everyday concerns.
Meanwhile, cities were also at the heart of political debate and were the objects of their inhabitants most cherished dreams of human fulfilment and salvation. It is unsurprising then that cities feature continually in the literature and art of the period. This module will examine the city across a period of time stretching from the fourteenth to the sixteenth century that is sometimes termed the Renaissance. Although it will focus loosely on Florence, the module is thematic in nature and will take in examples from across Italy, as well as northern Europe. Considering how cities are represented pictorially, it will address themes that include the good and bad city, the ideal city, cities of carnival and plague, the city in ruins, the heavenly city, and more. Examining a number of art objects and primary texts, the module will include works by artists such as Ambrogio Lorenzetti, Botticelli, Ghirlandaio, Jan van Eyck, Carlo Crivelli, Pieter Bruegel the Elder, and others.
Aims
-to provide students with a grounding in urban material culture;
-to elucidate the role of art and architecture in the formation of urban identity;
-to develop skills of visual and conceptual analysis for concepts of considerable critical difficulty; and
-to encourage debate about the place of art and architecture in society.
Learning Outcomes
-By the end of this module the student should have:
-a sound grasp of a historical period in the life of a city;
-the ability to interpret works and texts based on sound knowledge of the appropriate historical and interpretative contexts;
-the confidence to subject the texts studied to critical analysis;
-good bibliographical and basic research skills; and
- the ability to communicate complex ideas concerning urban history, concepts of urban modernity, of art, architecture and photography.
No information available.
No information available.
Optional module for all art history courses (single and joint honours). Also available as an outside option to students on other courses with the Module Director`s permission.
9 x 2 hour seminars
1 x Reading Week
1 x Gallery visit
1 x Revision Session
Assessment items, weightings and deadlines
| Coursework / exam |
Description |
Deadline |
Coursework weighting |
| Coursework |
In-class slide test |
|
10% |
| Coursework |
Participation |
|
10% |
| Coursework |
Essay: 3000 words |
|
80% |
| Exam |
Main exam: 120 minutes during Summer (Main Period)
|
Exam format definitions
- Remote, open book: Your exam will take place remotely via an online learning platform. You may refer to any physical or electronic materials during the exam.
- In-person, open book: Your exam will take place on campus under invigilation. You may refer to any physical materials such as paper study notes or a textbook during the exam. Electronic devices may not be used in the exam.
- In-person, open book (restricted): The exam will take place on campus under invigilation. You may refer only to specific physical materials such as a named textbook during the exam. Permitted materials will be specified by your department. Electronic devices may not be used in the exam.
- In-person, closed book: The exam will take place on campus under invigilation. You may not refer to any physical materials or electronic devices during the exam. There may be times when a paper dictionary,
for example, may be permitted in an otherwise closed book exam. Any exceptions will be specified by your department.
Your department will provide further guidance before your exams.
Overall assessment
Reassessment
Module supervisor and teaching staff
Dr Caspar Pearson
Sarah Mumford, Deputy School Administrator, email: smumfo@essex.ac.uk
Yes
Yes
No
Prof Michael John White
The University of York
Reader
Available via Moodle
Of 20 hours, 6 (30%) hours available to students:
0 hours not recorded due to service coverage or fault;
14 hours not recorded due to opt-out by lecturer(s).
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