ART 510: Art History Methodology and Practice
Fall 2015
Prof. Owen Doonan
office hrs: T 12:30-3:30 and by arrangement
e-mail owen.doonan@csun.edu
meetings: T 6-8:45 pm, SG 103
tel. 677-6753
office: SG 238
Catalog description:
Prerequisite: Minimum 1 year history of art (2 years recommended); graduate-standing
or instructor’s consent. Seminar examining the development of movements and ideas in
20th century art. Research in modern art and artists. (Offered fall semester)
Art 510 addresses the following MA/MFA SLOs in the Department of Art:
1. Basic Skills: Master advanced knowledge, theories, and concepts about art;
communication ideas and concepts through writing, speaking, and art making.
2. Art Knowledge: Broaden the knowledge of contemporary art and the understanding of
the theoretical, cultural and historical contexts of art through writing, speaking, and art
making on advanced levels.
3. Critical Thinking: Master processes of generating and solving problems in art;
analyze, interpret, and question traditional methodologies and preconceived notions of
art and art making on an advanced level.
4. Interdisciplinary Connections: Explore and engage in interdisciplinary forms of art
making.
5. Global Perspectives: Develop an appreciation and tolerance of diverse perspectives
dealing with art, culture, teaching, and learning.
6. Collaboration: Become involved in both individual and collaborative art experiences
among students, faculty, and community.
7. Professional Preparation: Master an understanding of what it means to be a
professional artist; develop an advanced understanding of the demands and
expectations of the art profession and art field.
Description:
Art 510 is a seminar designed to familiarize the student with the fundamental
philosophical ideas that have driven the production and interpretations of Art History in
recent centuries, and to build writing and analytical skills necessary for artists and critics
to express their ideas effectively.
Grading and classroom policies:
There will be no exams in this course but the reading and writing load is fairly heavy. All
assignments must be completed in order to pass.
Class participation
Weekly abstracts of readings
Projects
30 points
30 points
40 points
Grades are on a standard 100 point scale (A = 90-100 and so on).
All work that students submit in this class must be their own original thinking and writing.
Plagiarism (copying without citation from others) is a major offence in academic
contexts and will not be tolerated. A student caught plagiarizing will receive a grade of
0 for the assignment the first time and a grade of F for the course if caught a second
time.
Attendance is mandatory. One unexcused absence and one late arrival is permitted
per student. Attendance will be taken at different times during the class meeting. If a
student is not present at the time attendance is taken s/he will be counted as absent
(late if the student arrives later or departs earlier but attends more than 50% of the
seminar). A student missing two or three classes without a serious documented excuse
(doctor’s note, police report, etc…) will be docked 5 points per absence. Students
counted as late will be docked 2 points. More than three unexcused absences
constitutes withdrawal from the course.
Behavior in class is expected to be courteous and respectful at all times. Comments
(spoken and written) should be constructive in order to foster a cooperative learning
environment. Cell phones etc. should be turned off during class. Violation of this
behavioral code shall result in the student being asked to leave the class for the day
(counted as an unexcused absence) and repeated disruptions may result in the
student’s removal from the class.
Abstracts of readings
You will submit abstracts of two assigned readings from Preziosi and/or other
theoretical sources each week (abstracts from Barnet are not required but I will ask
questions in discussions about readings from that book). Abstracts will be graded on a
√+ √ √- basis. Abstracts will be word-processed, printed out in 12 pt font, and average
300-400 words in length. Each abstract will cover the basic methodology and main
topic of the article, and explain in clear language the relationship between theory/ ideas
and works under consideration.
Median √+ = A grade for abstracts portion of the course
Median √ = C grade for abstracts portion of the course
Median √- = D-/F grade for abstracts portion of the course
Adjustments will be made to accommodate variations in the number of higher/ lower
abstract grades, high quality comments on other student abstracts, and quality
discussion of abstracted topics in class.
Projects:
The following projects are due at different points through the term:
Project 1 (due week 4): Critical bio/ bibliography (part of class participation)
Develop and present an intellectual biography of a major art historian related to weekly
discussions; track the scholar of interest on academia.edu
Project 2 (due week 10): Museum exhibition review 4-5 pages (10 points)
Review a museum exhibition based on the issues raised in Barnet ch. 5.
Project 3: Research project and presentation (25 points for essay, 5 points for
presentation)
n.b. All assignments (including abstracts) must be turned in to pass the course. Late
assignments will have 10% deducted for each day late; after 3 days late assignments
will be graded pass/ fail (pass = √- or 60%).
Schedule of Class activities and assignments (subject to
modification)
(articles to be abstracted are in italics)
Week 1: Introduction to the course
Reading: Vasari, Life of Cimabue
Week 2: Art as History
Preziosi, Ch. 1 Intro, Winckelmann, Davis
Week 3: Aesthetics
Preziosi, Ch. 2 Intro, Kant, Critique; Kant, Enlightenment (MOODLE)
Presentation proposal due
Week 4: Hegelian idealism
Readings: Ch. 2 Hegel, Gaiger
Bio-bibliography due
Week 5: Style
Preziosi, Ch. 3 Intro, Wölfflin, Shapiro, Gombrich
Week 6: Advanced research methods (with M. Wahl, Oviatt Library)
Week 7: Culture as agent
Preziosi, Ch. 4 Intro, Riegl, Warburg, Wind, Iversen;
Project initial bibliography due
Week 8: Iconography and signs
Preziosi Ch. 5 Intro, Damisch, Bal and Bryson, Panofsky, Marin
Week 9: Deconstruction
Preziosi, Ch. 6, Heidegger, Shapiro, Derrida
Week 10: Structuralism: Culture and Art
Barthes 1978 (MOODLE); Bourdieu 1977 (MOODLE)
Week 11: Bourdieu, Distinction
Bourdieu, Distinction (selections); Routledge companion (selections)
Week 12: towards post-Modern
Preziosi, Ch. 6 Intro, Foucault, Owens, Huyssen
Week 13: Gender and alterity
Preziosi, Ch. 7 Intro, Salomon, Tickner, Kelley and Smith, Jones
W. Davis, “Gender” in Nelson and Shiff (MOODLE)
Museum review due.
Week 14: Postmodernism: Orientalism and Postcolonialism
Readings, Nochlin 1989, Celik 2002 (MOODLE) , Bhabba,
Postmodernism/postcolonialism in Nelson and Shiff (MOODLE)
Said, Selections from Orientalism (MOODLE)
Week 15: Presentation and discussion of final papers/ projects
Week 16: Final papers due.
Course bibliography
Required texts for purchase:
Preziosi, Donald, 2009. The Art of Art History: A Critical Anthology (Oxford).
ISBN 978-0-19-922984-0
Supplementary bibliography (available at course WebCT site):
Alpers, Svetlana; Emily Apter; Carol Armstrong; Susan Buck-Morss; Tom Conley;
Jonathan Crary; Thomas Crow; Tom Gunning; Michael Ann Holly; Martin Jay; Thomas
Dacosta Kaufmann; Silvia Kolbowski; Sylvia Lavin; Stephen Melville; Helen Molesworth;
Keith Moxey; D. N. Rodowick; Geoff Waite; Christopher Wood, “Visual Culture
Questionnaire” October, Vol. 77. (Summer, 1996), pp. 25-70.
Stable URL:
http://links.jstor.org/sici?sici=0162-2870%28199622%2977%3C25%3AVCQ%3E2.0.CO%3B2-G
Barnet, Sylvan, 2008. A Short Guide to Writing about Art. 9th Ed. (Longman)
ISBN 0-13-613855-1
Barthes, R. 1978. "Introduction to the Structural Analysis of Narrative" Image, Music,
Text (Hill and Wang).
Benjamin, W. (1936) “The Work of Art in the Age of Mechanical Reproduction” text
available on-line at
http://www.marxists.org/reference/subject/philosophy/works/ge/benjamin.htm
Bourdieu, Pierre, 1978. Outline of a theory of practice (Cambridge).
Bourdieu, Pierre, 1992. Distinction.
Celik, Zeynep; 2002. “Speaking back to Orientalist discourse,” in Orientalisms
interlocutors: painting, architecture, photography. Jill Beaulieu and Mary Roberts
(eds.). Durham and London: Duke University Press, 19-42. (E-reserve)
Coulangeon, Philippe (Editor), Julien Duval (Editor), 2014. The Routledge Companion
to Bourdieu's 'Distinction (Routledge).
Elkins, J. 2013. Visual Studies Reader. Wiki accessible via http://visualreader.ning.com/
Nelson, R. and R. Shiff (Eds.), 2002. Critical Terms for Art History 2nd Ed. (Chicago).
Selected passages available on WebCT.
Nochlin, Linda; 1989. “The imaginary Orient” in The politics of vision. New York, 33-59.
Said, Edward, 1977. Orientalism. Selections available at course WebCT site.
Vasari, “Life of Cimabue” Lives of the Artists (Penguin).
Grading principles – understanding the material
"A": Outstanding
Well-founded original thinking; well organized; superior understanding of the subject
matter leading to strong analysis and synthesis; shows broad and deep knowledge
base. Students in this category go beyond the basics to pursue deeper knowledge of
the subject.
"B": Very Good
Good understanding of the subject matter; some capacity to analyze and synthesize;
basic understanding of the relevant knowledge base. Students who master the basics
but who do not pursue deeper knowledge often receive this grade.
"C" : Average
Basic understanding of the subject matter; limited ability to analyze and synthesize.
"D" : Barely passing
Limited familiarity with the subject matter; little or no ability to analyze or synthesize
information.
"F": Failing
Some familiarity with fragments of the subject matter; attempts to synthesize/ analyze
show confusion or limited familiarity with the knowledge base.
Grading criteria – form and presentation of written assignments/
projects
Has a clear purpose/ goal that is stated from the outset and fulfilled
Organization, including effective introduction and conclusion
Statements are backed up with well-explained specific examples.
Sources of ideas and information are documented and acknowledged.
Language is well-chosen; spelling and grammar have no errors
Well-founded, original and creative approaches to the topic.
"A" papers are nearly perfect in all of these respects
"B" papers do a good job at 1-5; little originality
"C" papers are generally decent but show errors; need revision.
"D" papers show some familiarity with the subject matter but have serious flaws.
"F" papers show little or no understanding of the subject matter; overall weak structure
and documentation