Admission requirements
See MA Arts and Culture programme and Exam regulations.
Description
Current debates in the field of art history centre around such topics as art history versus visual culture and material culture studies; the Euro-American focus of the discipline and the globalizing world; the relationship between history, architectural history, and cultural heritage; the relationship between art and science; the notion of design and decorative arts as a form of material culture. Through these specialist debates runs the issue of two main ways of studying art, i.e. historical (that is primarily informed by the historical study of primary sources) versus theoretical (that is primarily informed by a variety of theories). Topics of debate will be exemplified and debated in a series of seminar meetings. Three viewpoints have our special interest:
Works of Art, Architecture, Design, and the notion of globalization
Art and Agency
Art and Science and the engagement of the artwork
Students will prepare readings and assignments for panel discussions in class.
Course objectives
Students will:
acquire insight into a variety of theories, debates, and practices in Art History
analyse and understand various scholarly positions and their consequences for the meanings and agency of artworks
position oneself in relation to these
develop skills in oral discussion while defending viewpoints and arguments with regard to artworks
present a scholarly paper that is related to the course objectives
Timetable
Mondays 10.15 – 12.30 and Thursdays 15.15-17.30; see the timetable on the Arts and Culture website.
Mode of instruction
Lecture and Seminar course
Attendance is compulsory. Students are allowed to miss a maximum of two seminars.
Assessment method
Oral panel presentation and class assignments (25%)
Written course portfolio of 3.000 words, excl. notes and references (75%)
Blackboard
Blackboard will be used for readings with the lectures (next to the course book).
Reading list
Course book: Donald Preziosi, The art of art history: a critical anthology, Oxford: Oxford University Press 1998.
Please make sure to have the course book before the course starts. There will be reading assignments from the course book each week.
Registration
Students are requested to register through uSis, the registration system of Leiden University for this course. General information about uSis is available in English and Dutch.
Exchange and Study Abroad students, please see the Study in Leiden website for information on how to apply.
Students who are not in the MA Arts and Culture programme, but who would like to take this course as an optional course, please contact the Co-ordinator of studies.
Registration Studeren à la carte and Contractonderwijs
Not applicable
Contact information
Remarks
General introduction MA and start of this course on 10 September, 10.15-12.00 AM;
The course runs in block 1 between 10 September and 18 October;
Paper due Monday 29 October 9.00 AM.