Art 209: Art History Survey 1: Ancient to Medieval Art and Architecture
Course meets: TTh 3:00- 4:30 PM Arts and Communication S149
Instructor: Renee Pasewald
Contact: e-mail: pasewalr@uwosh.edu; office phone: (920) 424-0919
Office: Arts and Communication Building 523
Office Hours: T 2:00- 2:50 PM and by appointment
Course Overview: This class explores canonical works of art from the Paleolithic to Medieval era with a
focus towards the western perspective. By studying the style, creation, purpose, and meaning of art
throughout history, this course aims to provide a more cohesive understanding of how art functions in
society. Through illustrated lectures, assigned readings, discussions, and in-class activities, students will
learn some of the most prominent interpretations of art and history, as well as the language and
methodology of art history.
Objectives: Learn the following:
-vocabulary used in art history and art criticism
-methodology of visual/formal analysis
-titles, dates, and cultures of art objects studied
-interpretations of eras and objects covered
In order to achieve these objectives, the following skills will be utilized and developed:
-information retention
-written, oral, and interpersonal communications
-critical thinking and creative problem solving
-visual literacy
Textbook: Gardener’s Art Through the Ages: The Western Perspective, Volume 1, 13th Edition by Fred S.
Kleiner. Wadsworth Cengage Learning, 2006.
Assessment:
Exam 1:
Exam 2:
Exam 3:
Participation:
30%
30%
30%
10%
Exams: Exams are non-cumulative and consist of the following sections:
Slide I.D.: Identify image by title, date, and culture/style
Short Answer: Identify image as above, and briefly define significance (beyond appearance)
Essay: Identify and compare two or more objects and answer an essay question. Such a question
might have you define the relationship between the objects, identify their influences, or connect
them to their original context. In all cases, you will need to support your argument with
examples, relevant course terminology, and compose an essay with an introduction, body, and
conclusion.
Participation: These exercises are designed to help you process the information we cover in order to
improve your understanding and retention. Example activities include discussion, in-class writing, object
analysis, peer editing, and timeline construction. You should be prepared to share your findings with the
class. These activities will be compiled into your participation grade over the course of the semester,
and, due to their interactive nature, cannot be made up outside of class.
Grading Policies: Letter grades are determined according to the following scale:
93 to 100 %
90 to 92%
87 to 89%
83 to 86%
80 to 82%
77 to 79%
73 to 76%
70 to 72%
60 to 69%
59% or less
A
AB+
B
BC+
C
CD
F
Course Guidelines: In Class: Please do not disrupt learning in the classroom. This includes, but is not
limited to: tardiness, side conversations, distracting use of electronics, and leaving early.
Note taking: In order for lectures to be effective, taking notes is necessary. This will greatly improve
what you retain from each presentation, thus increasing the likelihood of success on assignments and
exams. I recommend writing the title and date of each object we study with an asterisk in the margin,
and summarizing my comments and slide text below it. These comments include, in addition to the
appearance of the object itself, information on the history, culture, and artist related to it.
In Class Contact: Establish an in-class contact with whom you can exchange notes if you miss class. Do
not e-mail the entire class asking for notes. I do not e-mail class notes, assignments, or lecture files to
students for any reason.
Attendance: While attendance itself is voluntary, participation and in-class activities cumulate into 10%
of your final grade. Consistent attendance is therefore important to your overall success in the class. If
you have a pre-determined event that will prohibit you from attending, such as participation in athletics
or religious observances, please alert me within the first two weeks of the semester.
E-mail: Before e-mailing me, check the following resources:
-course syllabus
-D2L
-lecture notes
-textbook
-in-class contact
Please ensure that your message is clear and concise before you send it. Be advised that unreadable
messages or messages requesting readily available information will not receive a response.
Make up Policy: Exams may only be made up in the case of a documented emergency. You must contact
me as soon as possible if such circumstances arise and provide reasonable proof. There is no make up
for in-class activities and discussions.
University policy on Academic Integrity
The University of Wisconsin Oshkosh is committed to a standard of academic integrity for all students.
The system guidelines state: "Students are responsible for the honest completion and representation of
their work, for the appropriate citation of sources, and for respect of others' academic endeavors" (UWS
14.01, Wisconsin Administrative Code).
Students are subject to disciplinary action for academic misconduct, which is defined in UWS 14.03,
Wisconsin Administrative Code. Students on the UW Oshkosh campus have been suspended from the
University for academic misconduct.
Students are encouraged to review the procedures related to violations of academic honesty as outlined
in Chapter UWS 14, Wisconsin Administrative Code. The system guidelines and local procedures are
printed in the University of Wisconsin Oshkosh Student Discipline Code 2008-2009 and can be found on
the Dean of Students website.
Specific questions regarding the provisions in Chapter UWS 14 (and institutional procedures approved to
implement Chapter UWS 14) should be directed to the Dean of Students Office.
D2L: Our course D2L site is used for the following purposes:
- announcements
- syllabus
-select lecture images and vocabulary (posted every Monday)
-study guides (one week before exam)
-grades
I will alert the class when I have posted a new grade item; you have one week from that day to present
any discrepancies. I advise you to check in once per week.
Accommodations for Students with Disabilities: If you require a note-taker, extended exam time, or
another specific accommodation, please alert me immediately and contact Disability Services in
Dempsey 125.
Reading and Lecture Schedule:
Readings are not announced in class. It is your responsibility to complete the readings prior to the week
for which they are assigned, and be prepared to discuss them. I will announce any changes to the
schedule in class.
Week 1
9/6: Course introduction
Read: Syllabus
Week 2
9/11: Paleolithic Art
9/13: Neolithic Art
Read: Chapter 1: Art Before History
Week 3
9/18: Mesopotamia I: The Sumerians, Akkadians, and Babylonians
9/20: Mesopotamia II: Assyrians, Neo-Babylonians, and Persians
Read: Chapter 2: The Ancient Near East
Week 4
9/25: Egypt I: Pre-dynastic Egypt and the Old Kingdom
9/27: Egypt II: Middle and New Kingdom
Read: Chapter 3: Egypt Under the Pharaohs
Week 5
10/2: Minoans
10/4: Mycenaeans
Read: Chapter 4: The Prehistoric Aegean
Week 6
10/9: Exam 1 (Content 9/6-10/4; Chapters 1-4)
10/11: Ancient Greek I: Geometric-Early Classical Eras
Week 7
10/16: Ancient Greek II: High Classical Era
10/18: Ancient Greek III: The Hellenistic Era
Read: Chapter 5: Ancient Greece
Week 8
10/23: Rome I: Roman Republic and Roman Wall Painting
10/25: Rome II: The Roman Empire
Read: Chapter 7: The Roman Empire
Week 9
10/30: Rome III: The Decline of Rome
11/1: Early Christian Art
Read: Chapter 8: Late Antiquity
Week 10
11/6: Early Christian Art II
11/8: Exam 2 (Content 10/11- 11/6; Chapters 5, 7, and 8)
Week 11
11/13: Art of the Byzantine Empire I: Early Byzantine Art and Architecture
11/15: Art of the Byzantine Empire II: The Middle and Late Byzantine World
Read: Chapter 9: Byzantium
Week 12
11/20: The Early Islamic World
11/22: Thanksgiving Break: No Class
Read: Chapter 10: The Islamic World
Week 13
11/27: Art in Medieval Europe I: Manuscript Illumination
11/29: Art in Medieval Europe II: Christian Art and Architecture
Read: Chapter 11: Early Medieval Europe
Week 14
12/4: Romanesque Europe
12/6: Gothic Art I: Gothic Architecture in France
Read: Chapter 12: Romanesque Europe
Week 15
12/11: Gothic Art II and the origins of the Renaissance
12/13: Exam 3 (Content 11/13- 12/11; Chapters 9- 13)
Read: Chapter 13: Gothic Europe