ART HISTORY

The Art History course is part of the Humanities track of the Foundation Year programme. The main objective of the course is to provide international students with a high level of competence in European arts and architecture, from Classical to Contemporary art, in order to prepare them for admission to Bachelor’s degree courses in Cultural Heritage Conservation (or equivalent) in Italy and Europe. In particular, the course aims to provide the basic critical and methodological tools to analyse works of art in relation to their historical, socio-cultural and geographical context.

At the end of the course, the student will be able to:
- Carry out a correct reading of the formal qualities of a work of art, using the appropriate basic terminology of the subject;
- Identify and describe, using appropriate vocabulary and methods, the main episodes in the production of an artist, school or movement and place them in their wider historical, socio- cultural and geographical context;
- Illustrate, in historical perspective, the main stages in the development of European art, through significant examples studied in class;
- Make minimal comparisons between the case studies illustrated by the lecturer during the course;
- Interact constructively with other students on course topics and present the results of independent research in a clear and methodical manner.

None. A basic knowledge of the history of religions and European history from antiquity to the beginning of the 21st century is recommended.

Through a selective examination of the main works and the most significant artists, the course aims to deal with the fundamental themes of Italian and European art history from the antiquity to the 19th century, and to provide basic critical and methodological tools for identifying, periodizing, describing and contextualising works, without neglecting aspects related to collecting and commissioning. In analysing the development of painting, sculpture and architecture, particular attention will be paid to the artefacts present in Venice, thus providing an opportunity to reflect on the tastes and fortunes of epochs and genres through the centuries and guaranteeing students the possibility of a direct study of the works under discussion.

- Lecture notes;
- E. H. Gombrich, The Story of Art, London, Phaidon Press, 16th edition, 2007 (selected chapters);
- F. Haskell, Patrons and painters. A study in the relations between Italian art and society in the age of the Baroque, London, Chatto and Windus Ltd, 1963 (selected chapters).

- Participation in class discussions: 30%
- Intermediate tests on the topics covered in class, with open-ended questions consisting of the analysis and critical reading of selected works: 30%
- Final oral presentation on agreed topics: 40%

Frontal lectures in which the main topics, examples and problems are presented and commented on. Group discussions on the topics covered in the lecture and the students' own final presentations. Intermediate tests. Two guided tours to a museum or historic Venetian palace covered by the course.

English

written and oral

This subject deals with topics related to the macro-area "Human capital, health, education" and contributes to the achievement of one or more goals of U. N. Agenda for Sustainable Development