Admission requirements
Successful completion of 5481VS112 Classical Cultures of SSEA: Seminar I. Please, contact the Coordinator of Studies or Mw. Dr. E.M. Raven, if you are interested in taking this course, but do NOT fulfill the abovementioned requirement.
Description
Description
Asia’s religious art derives much of its distinctive visual presence from an intricate iconographic vocabulary. Message and meaning are expressed through systems of gestures, postures and attributes that manage to capture the essence of Hindu, Buddhist and Jain beliefs and practices.
This class focuses on developing skills to ‘read’ this iconography by carefully looking at, describing and understanding selected works of art from South and Southeast Asia.
These skills are trained by means of assignments related to selected literature dealing with iconography as a traditional science in ancient India) and with specific iconographies. Students are also introduced to a number of important digital image databases. A guided visit to a Dutch museum collection with Asian art is part of the programme.
This course is a vital component in a BA-programme of students focusing on the arts and material culture of South and Southeast Asia, but may be equally relevant for those studying Asian religions, cultural history, history or archaeology. Students of western art may consider to join and focus on a comparative approach. Students from other departments and contractstudents are most welcome to participate as well.
The classes are offered in a thematic sequence. Students are expected to prepare each week’s classes via readings and/or written assignments related to the literature read (graded, 20% of total mark). Most of the literature is made digitally available.
At the start of the second half of the semester the students are expected to present in class an iconographic case study on which they intend to write a concise paper. It needs to focus on the iconography of a work of art in a Dutch museum collection (presentation and paper together 30% of total mark). The series is concluded with an exam dealing with all literature and imagery discussed in class, with open questions (50 % of total mark)
Course objectives
Knowledge of the basic principles of Hindu, Buddhist and Jain iconographic language;
Awareness of the conceptual iconographic links between the arts of the various religious systems in South and Southeast Asia
Developing skills in describing and analysing Hindu, Buddhist and Jain art
Developing skills in presenting an iconographic analysis with the help of Powerpoint
Overseeing the landscape of digital resources for iconographic studies of Asian art
Developing skills to put the results of research into writing
Course objectives
Knowledge of the basic principles of Hindu, Buddhist and Jain iconographic language;
Awareness of the underlying, conceptual links in iconographic vocabulary between the arts of the various religious systems in South and Southeast Asia
Developing skills in describing and analysing Hindu, Buddhist and Jain art
Developing skills in presenting an iconographic analysis with the help of Powerpoint
Overseeing the landscape of digital resources for iconographic studies of Asian art
Developing skills to put the results of research into writing
Timetable
The timetable is available on the website
Mode of instruction
Seminar
Excursion
Course Load
Assessment
Participation obligatory;
home assignments related to the readings
Presentation of the paper topic
Paper
Written exam
Weighing
Home assignments: 20%
Presentation and paper: 30% (a passing grade of 5.50 or higher for this part is required).
Exam 50 %
The final mark of the courses is established by the weighted average, with the passing grade for the presentation/paper component as an additional requirement.
Assessment method
Students submit a version 1 of their paper. After receiving feedback, they may submit a final version for final grading. This arrangement is a form of ‘resit’. Students are allowed to skip version 1 and submit only a (final) version of their paper for grading (in that case a concise explanation for the grade is provided afterwards).
In order to pass the course, students must achieve a passing grade for the final version of their paper/paper combo and obtain an overall mark of “5.50” (=6) or higher.
The course is an integrated whole. All assessments must be completed in the same academic year. No partial marks can be carried over into following years.
How and when an exam review takes place will be determined by the examiner. This review will be within 30 days after official publication of exam results.
Blackboard
Blackboard is used for
Course info
Course documents, including pdfs of Powerpoints used in class
Supportive materials
Home assignments and upload links for the home assignments
Instructions for the final exam
Instructions for the presentation
Instructions for the paper and upload links for the paper version 1 and version 2.
Reading list
Selection from:
Martin Lerner and Steven Kossak, The arts of South and Southeast Asia (an issue of the Metropolitan Museum of Art Bulletin), 51/4 (1994), 1-88 (online, links provided via BB).
Steven Kossak, Art from South and Southeast Asia: a resource for educators (online, links provided via BB).
John Guy, Indian Temple Sculpture. London, 2007 (or later edition).
Selected reading materials (information offered via BB).
Registration
Enrolment through uSis is mandatory.
General information about uSis is available on the website