Heartland Community College
Humanities & Fine Arts
Course Syllabus for Students
Course Prefix and Number: ART 211
Course Title: History of Art I
Credit Hours: 3
Lecture Hours: 3
Laboratory Hours: 0
Days and times the course meets: Tuesday/Thursday: 2:00 PM – 3:15 PM
Room Number: ICB1702
Instructor Information:
Instructor name: Jenifer Dapper
Instructor e-mail address: Jenifer.Dapper@heartland.edu
Hours and days of instructor’s office hours: By appointment only
Introduction/Catalog Description:
A chronological survey of Western Art from Prehistoric, Egyptian, Ancient European,
and Near Eastern Art through the Gothic Period in Europe. This course will pay close
attention to the social, political, and religious function of the arts created by these cultural
traditions, what they might have meant to their original audiences, and the specific
cultural contexts that influenced their creation. The class will specifically deal with the
art of Neolithic Europe, the ancient Near East, ancient Egypt, the ancient Mediterranean,
and ancient Rome through the development of Early Christian Art, the decline of the
Empire, and the so-called Middle Ages through the Gothic Period.
Textbook: Kleiner, Fred S., Gardner’s Art Through the Ages, 13th Edition, Vol. 1,
Wadsworth, Boston, MA, 2011.
Relationship to Academic Development Programs and Transfer:
(Indicate if course is General Education/IAI)
ART 211 fulfills 3 of the 9 semester hours of credit in Humanities/Fine Arts required for
the A.A. or A.S. degree. It satisfies the Fine Arts component of this requirement. ART
211 should transfer to other Illinois colleges and universities as the equivalent of the
General Education Core Curriculum course F2 901, described in the Illinois Articulation
Initiative. However, students should consult an academic advisor for transfer information
regarding particular institutions.
Course Objectives (Learning Outcomes):
Through your study during this course you should learn to
1. Develop a solid foundation of vocabulary and grammatical skills for writing and speaking
about art.
2. Demonstrate familiarity with ancient and artistic cultural patterns and stylistic traditions,
and their continued relevance in the modern world.
3. Understand the complex relationship that exists between the visual arts and religion,
mythology, and the social and political context of a particular place and time period.
4. Discuss and remain aware of the relationship between art history and other disciplines
such as anthropology, archaeology, philosophy, theology, etc...
5. Participate in formal and critical analyses of aesthetic objects and art forms.
6. Demonstrate an understanding of written art history and art criticism.
7. Show visual recognition of the characteristics of art and architecture indicating the
cultural unit from which the example and other associate works originate.
Course Policies:
Method of Evaluation (Tests/Exams, Grading System):
Grading Policy:
Exams
Papers
Vocabulary Lists
Attendance
Extra Credit
150 (4 @ 50 pts/ea.—lowest score dropped)
100 (2 @ 50 pts/ea.)
150 (15 pts/ea. @ 1/unit @ 10 units)
Pass/Fail (See policy details below)
20 (See policy details below)
Total
400
A
B
C
D
F
90 - 100%
80 - 89%
70 - 79%
60 - 69%
00 - 59%
Exams: There will be four exams in this course, each worth 50 points. The lowest of these
four grades will be dropped for a total of 150 points. At the end of the semester, if you have
taken the previous four exams and are happy with your grade for this portion of the class,
you will not be required to take the fourth and final exam. The exams will be primarily
composed of short slide comparison essays and multiple choice questions about important
concepts and/or specific artworks.
Short Papers: Two times during the semester, you will be required to write a short 4-6 page
(typed, double spaced, 12 pt. font) paper that focuses on analyzing and/or comparing
artworks in different contexts. Specific instructions will be discussed as each paper comes
up. Each paper is worth 50 points, for a total of 100 points toward your final grade.
Vocabulary Lists: Each time we start a new unit, I will pass out a Unit Outline handout
containing a vocabulary list, the names of most of the artworks that we will look at in class.
Most, if not all, of the material on these outlines will be covered in class, and ideally, I'd like
them to act as a kind of note-taking guide for you during our lectures and discussions. They
will also serve as crucial study guides for your exams. Once we have gone over all of the
vocabulary in a particular unit, I will have you type up the terms and definitions and
hand them in to me for a grade. These will be collected roughly once a week, though
specific collection times may vary depending on the unit. You get points for turning them in
and for having the definitions complete and correct. Each vocabulary list is worth 15 points
for a total of 150 for the whole semester. No late assignments will be accepted!
Attendance: Attendance is absolutely mandatory and will be taken at the beginning of
each class. This class is heavily reliant on in-class material and interactions. All absences
MUST be excused with me BEFORE the missed class. If an emergency arises, talk to as
soon as possible after the fact, and we may be able to make an exception. Emergencies
include things like deaths in the family, extended hospitalizations, etc., and must provable
with written documentation. Vacations, getting arrested, sleeping in, etc. will not be
excused. In all cases, it is my call as to what constitutes a true emergency. Every
unexcused absence will result in the automatic lowering of a letter grade from your
final grade. YOU HAVE ONE FREEBIE. That means that missing more than four
classes is an automatic F.
Extra Credit: Any time prior to the last day of class, any student may visit any credible
art museum or gallery and write a two page (double-spaced) typed review of their experience
there. Such a paper should discuss specific objects from the museum’s collection and/or
special exhibit, and be accompanied by a pamphlet or program from the museum or hosting
establishment, or a photograph of yourself at the venue. The successful completion of this
option will result in a one-time 20 point increase of your final grade after all other grades
have been figured. You may also use the extra credit assignment to cancel out an
unexcused absence.
Student Conduct (Courtesy): Courtesy is a prerequisite of any college course. Thus, I will
not tolerate late arrivals or early exits from my class; doing so will result in ZERO points for
that day’s assignments. I will also not tolerate cell phone rings, text messaging, repetitive
noises, talking, sleeping, or any other general rudeness that could disrupt the learning
processes of yourself and your fellow students. As your instructor, I reserve the right to
dismiss you from an individual class or even the course as a whole if I feel your behavior is
inappropriate or improper for a setting of higher education.
Students with Disabilities: It is the student’s responsibility to contact the instructor in a
timely manner to arrange for appropriate accommodations or special arrangements.
Email Clause: Unless we've made some specific arrangement ahead of time, I don't want
emailed papers. This is more for your benefit than mine, since I get a lot of emails daily in
my faculty inbox, and it's easy for student papers to get lost in the shuffle. Hard copies only
please.
Academic Integrity and Plagiarism:
Academic Integrity: Academic integrity is a fundamental principle of collegial life at
Illinois Central College and is essential to the credibility of the College’s educational
programs. Moreover, because grading may be competitive, students who misrepresent
their academic work violate the right of their fellow students. The College, therefore,
views any act of academic dishonest as a serious offense requiring disciplinary measures,
including course failure, suspension, and even expulsion from the College. In addition, an
act of academic dishonesty may have unforeseen effects far beyond any officially
imposed penalties.
Violations of academic integrity include, but are not limited to cheating, aiding or
suborning cheating or other acts of academic dishonesty, plagiarism, misrepresentation of
data, falsification of academic records or documents and unauthorized access to
computerized academic or administrative records or systems. Definitions of these
violations may be found in the college catalog.
Plagiarism: Plagiarism is the presenting of others’ ideas as if they were your own. When
you write a paper, create a project, do a presentation or create anything original, it is
assumed that all the work, except for that which is attributed to another author or creator,
is your own. Plagiarism is considered a serious academic offense and may take the
following forms:
1
2
3
4
5
6
Copying word-for-word from another source and not giving that source
credit.
Paraphrasing the work of another and not giving that source credit.
Adopting a particularly apt phrase as your own.
Using an image or a copy of an image without crediting its source.
Paraphrasing someone else’s line of thinking in the development of a topic
as if it were your own.
Receiving excessive help from a friend or elsewhere, or using another
project as if it were your own.
*Note that word-for-word copying is not the only form of plagiarism.
The penalties for plagiarism may be severe, ranging from failure on the particular piece
of work, failure in the course or expulsion from school in extreme cases.
Course Outline: (May vary—all due dates are tentative until confirmed in class by the
instructor)
Week I
Tues. 8/23:
Syllabus, Course Objectives
Thurs. 8/25
Introduction Chapter: What is Art History?
Week II
Tues 8/30:
Chapter 1: Prehistoric Art
Thurs. 9/1:
Chapter 1: Prehistoric Art
Week III
Tues. 9/6.
Chapter 2: Ancient Near East
Thurs. 9/8:
Chapter 2: Ancient Near East
Week IV
Tues. 9/13:
Chapter 3: Ancient Egypt
Thurs. 9/15:
Chapters 3: Ancient Egypt
Week V
Tues. 9/20:
Exam 1 (Chapters 1-3)
Thurs. 9/22:
Chapter 4: Ancient Agean
Week VI
Tues. 9/27:
Chapter 4: Ancient Agean
Thurs. 9/29:
Chapter 5: Ancient Greece
Week VII
Tues. 10/4:
Chapter 5: Ancient Greece
Thurs. 10/6:
Chapter 5: Ancient Greece
Week VIII
Tues. 10/11
Exam 2 (Chapters 4-5)
Thurs. 10/13
Chapter 9: Ancient Rome
Week IX
Tues. 10/18:
Chapter 9: Ancient Rome
Thurs. 10/20: Chapter 10: Roman Empire
Week X
Tues. 10/25
Chapter 10 & 11: Roman Empire
Thurs. 10/27:
Chapter 11: Roman Empire
Week XI
Tues. 11/1:
Exam 3 (Chapters 9-11)
Essay 1 Due
Thurs. 11/3:
Chapter 12: Early Christian and Byzantine Art
Week XII
Tues. 11/8:
Chapter 12: Early Christian and Byzantine Art
Thurs. 11/10:
Chapter 16: Early Medieval Art
Week XIII
Tues. 11/15:
Chapter 16: Early Medieval Art
Thurs. 11/17:
Chapter 17: Romanesque Europe
Week XIV
Tues. 11/22:
Chapter 17: Romanesque Europe
Thurs. 11/24
NO CLASS - Thanksgiving
Week XV
Tues, 11/29:
Chapter 18: Gothic Europe
Thurs. 12/1:
Chapter 18: Gothic Europe
Week XVI
Tues. 12/6:
Chapter 19: Pre-Renaissance Italy
Thurs. 12/8:
Chapter 19: Pre-Renaissance Italy
Essay 2 Due
Week XVII
FINAL EXAM 4 (Chapters 12, 16, 17, 18 & 19)
TBA