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Survey of Western Art I Course Syllabus                                                                   Printable version

Survey of Western Art I - ART 250-02

Mon/Wed 5:50 - 7:10pm                                                 

Prof. Karin Sanders                                                                      

Office Hours: Mon/Wed 5:00 - 5:45pm & by appointment

Email: karinsanders1@msn.com / Tel: 917.846.6338

Website: www.aspasiaproject.com

This course is an introductory survey of western art from the Prehistoric era through the Gothic period. The development of civilizations and their influences upon one another, as well as on later western art will be examined. Basic comprehension of the time periods covered as well as the ability to discuss artworks in written form is expected. Slide presentations, class discussion, assigned readings, and visits to museums form the basis for the course.

Final grades are based upon the following:

            Museum Paper 1 - Descriptive (15%)

            Mid-term Exam (30 %)

            Museum Paper 2 - Comparative (15%)

Final Exam  (30%)

            Class participation / Attendance / Homework (10%)

Texts/internet:

• Gardner’s Art Through the Ages, Vol. I, Twelfth ed., Harcourt College Publishers (available from Barnes & Noble at 18th St & 5th Ave or shipped free online --> here)

• Sylvan Barnet, A Short Guide to Writing about Art, 8^th ed., Addison-Wesley Educational Publishers, Inc. (available from Barnes & Noble at 18th St & 5th Ave or shipped free online --> here)

• The Aspasia Project on the web: www.aspasiaproject.com - All students are required to consult the website weekly. 

• Weekly handouts: Distributed in class. Some also available for download on website (Microsoft Word required for download).

 Course Outline:

§         Introduction, Prehistory

• Read Ch. 1 in Gardner's Art Through the Ages

• Ch. 1 Study Aid

• Ch. 1 Glossary

• Caves at Lascaux

• Stonehenge

§         Ancient Near East / Mesopotamia

• Read Ch. 2 in Gardner's Art Through the Ages

• Ch. 2 Glossary

• Art of the First Cities at the Metropolitan Museum

• Standard of Ur

• Victory Stele of Naram-Sin

• Ziggurats

§         Ancient Egypt

• Read Ch. 3 in  Gardner's Art Through the Ages

• Ch. 3. Glossary

§         The Aegean / Mediterranean

§         Ancient Greece

• Read Ch. 5 in  Gardner's Art Through the Ages

• Ch. 5. Glossary

• Map of the Acropolis of Athens

§         Etruscan

• Read Ch. 9 (Italy Before the Romans, The Art of the Etruscans) in Gardner's Art Through the Ages

• Ch. 9. Glossary

§         Ancient Rome

• Read Ch. 10 (The Art of Ancient Rome) in Gardner's Art Through the Ages

• Ch. 10 Glossary

• Roman Architecture

• Augustus: Works - including the Ara Pacis

§         Late Antiquity / Early Christian

§         Byzantium (Eastern Empire)

§         Medieval in the West (Northern migrations / Dark Ages)

§         Romanesque

§         Gothic