Art 192B: Senior Seminar in Art History
Thursday 3-5:50 pm
Library Media Center 1522
Professor Elaine O’Brien
Office: 190 Kadema Hall
Hours: W 1-2:30, Th 6-7:30
Email: eobrien@csus.edu
Website: http://www.csus.edu/indiv/o/obriene/
Seminar Description:
This is the culminating course for the art history major. It focuses on the
research, writing, and oral presentation of a 25-30 page thesis in your area of
interest. Seminar readings, discussions, and activities develop basic career skills
and support the thesis project. Readings survey methodologies and
historiographies of art history: exemplary figures in the history of art history;
connoisseurship and contextual understanding; iconography and iconology;
Marxist and psychoanalytic approaches; postmodern issues of multiculturalism
and anti-aesthetics; feminism and visual culture; postcolonialism,
transculturalism, and globalism.
 NOTE: The senior seminar will help present the CSUS Art History
Symposium, Collaboration and Competition, on Saturday, April 14.
Attendance is required, so please make needed arrangements now and see
me if you foresee any problem with attendance.
 NOTE: On Friday, March 2 we will take is a field trip to UC Berkeley for
the art history symposium on Picasso in the Late 1920s. If everyone can
come we will cancel the March 1 class. Please make arrangements now and
let me know if you cannot come.
Prerequisites: Senior status, completion of all lower-division requirements,
History 100, the CSUS Foreign Language Proficiency Requirement and
demonstration of Writing Proficiency as prescribed by CSUS.
Learning Objectives:
1. ability to apply the skills and knowledge gained in BA studies in art history
to an advanced research and writing project
2. familiarity with the history of art history and the most important historical
and contemporary methodological approaches
3. ability to situate your own ambitions and values within the field and
discourses of art history
4. advanced research skills
5. advanced analytic and critical thinking
6. greater ease with public speaking
Required texts:
Steve Edwards, ed., Art and Its Histories, Yale UP, 1999
Sylvan Barnet, A Short Guide to Writing about Art, 8th edition, 2005
 Bring your books to class each week marked for discussion.
Course Requirements and Grade Basis:
 Before beginning the writing assignments (below) you are required to
complete the Information Competence Assignment. Go to
http://library.csus.edu/content2.asp?pageID=205 and follow directions to the
WebCT exam and tutorial. Due before February 19.
40% Senior Thesis: 25-30 pages. This culminating project has 8 parts: 1)
proposal, consisting of a one-paragraph thesis statement and complete
bibliography (survey of the literature), 2) notes from thesis conference with
O’Brien 3) outline, 4) first draft, 5) peer-reviewed second draft annotated by
student colleague, 6) final draft, 7) a 300-word process memo in which you
describe your writing process and why you chose your approach (social history,
iconographical/formal, etc., and 8) portfolio including all 8 parts.

Use Sylvan Barnet as well as online resources for writing research papers.
Recommended online workshop for writing research papers:
http://owl.english.purdue.edu/workshops/hypertext/ResearchW/index.html

Develop your thesis from a previously written art history term paper.

Evaluation criteria for senior thesis:
Unacceptable performance (D or F level work) is full of mechanical
mistakes in structure, grammar, spelling and format. It might not respond to the
assignment or show no sign that enough time was spent thinking about the
subject. It might merely parrot clichés, be repetitive, vague, tangential,
uninteresting, or much too broad in scope. It might not be on time or
accompanied by required materials. D or F work fails to demonstrate knowledge,
comprehension, analysis, or evaluation.
Competent Performance: (C level work) often has flaws in grammar,
spelling, and structure. It might not quite follow the assignment. It has an
organizing idea but it might be vague, broad or uninteresting, obvious, clichéd. It
might be excessively subjective, mostly opinion, and not have enough supporting
evidence. It might demonstrate knowledge but doesn’t question, analyze,
synthesize, evaluate.
Above Competent Performance: (B level work) No writing mistakes.
Presentation is neat and orderly with good structure and argument. The thesis is
proportioned to the assignment, worthwhile, and well composed with no
digressions.
Outstanding Performance: (A level work) has all the good qualities of B
level work, but is also unique, lively, and interesting. Methodology and perspective
are evident. The writing has style and all elements in the piece are necessary for
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the thesis development. There is a feeling that the writer is engaged with the
ideas and is attentive to effective use of language.

Thesis dates:
o February 19: Peer review of original art history term paper
o February 22: Complete Information Competence Assignment
o March 1: Proposal and research bibliography
o March 8: Outline
o April 5: First draft
o April 19: Second draft submitted for peer-review
o April 26: Peer-reviews due
o May 3: Final draft and portfolio, including 300-word process memo
o May 10, 17: Presentations
o May 22: Art & Its Histories Public Symposium
15% Collaborative presentation of one section of Art and Its Histories
These are formal 15-minute illustrated presentations of the textbook readings.
Create a one-page handout to distribute to the class before your presentation.
The handout is an outline of your talk. For each reading, identify the author, date
text was written, the thesis, key points, key terms (defined). Show examples
(in addition to those given in the book) of specific works of art that can be
interpreted from the perspective under consideration, such as connoisseurship,
style/formalism, social history of art or Marxism, gender critique, and
postcolonialism. A culminating symposium will replace the final exam and bring
together the section presentations in revised professional form. The Art and Its
Histories symposium will conclude the course and act as a review. We will
attempt an overview of “art history” as a discipline and a discourse with its own
history and identity.
15% 2-page reader-response papers for each assignment from Art and Its
Histories. These papers are meant to prepare you for active participation in class
discussion. Identify author, nationality, title, original publication date, and thesis
for each text. Turn the response paper in after class. I will give them a check
plus, check, or check minus.
NOTE: Always bring your book to class. Mark it for discussion by writing
“discuss” in the margin next to the section you want to discuss.
10% Presentation of Senior Thesis: 20-minute PowerPoint lecture based on
your senior thesis. Presentations are scheduled for the end of the semester.
20% Participation: a positive, collaborative attitude is extremely important and
is evident in how much of a team player you are – never whiney, grumpy, lazy….
Attendance policy: Arriving late or leaving early is counted as a partial absence.
Each unexcused absence lowers your grade by a whole letter. Illness is excused if
you bring me a note from your doctor or the student health clinic. Work,
transportation problems, and scheduled appointments are not excused.
Late Assignments are accepted with excused absences due to illness (see above)
but are otherwise marked down 1/2 letter grade per week. If you have a
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situation that may affect the quality of your participation this semester, please
see me after class or during my office hours early in the semester.
Disability: If you have a disability and require accommodations, you need to
provide disability documentation to SSWD, Lassen Hall 1008, (916) 278-6955.
Please discuss your accommodation needs with me after class or during my office
hours early in the semester.
Schedule (subject to change in class or via email)
NOTE: Please make arrangements now to attend the art history symposium
brunch and lectures on Saturday, April 14, 11am – 5pm.
February 1: Introduction of people and topics, plan the April 14 art history
symposium, form three-student peer-review groups, schedule presentations and
thesis conferences.
Reading: Sylvan Barnet, A Short Guide to Writing about Art, pp.11-40,156166,198-237. Underline and annotate your book for class review.
Assignment: bring 3 copies of the art history research paper that you plan to
expand and develop as your senior thesis.
February 8:
Exchange term papers with your peer group members and decide as a group how
you will work together throughout the semester. Discussion of Barnet readings
with emphasis on research thesis: topics, proposals, bibliographies. Art history
research workshop in CSUS library.
Reading: Due February 22: Barnet: chapters 10 & 11; Edwards: “Introduction”
Assignment: Due February 22: peer review research papers using check-off sheet
in Barnet pp. 164-65 and meet as a group to discuss thesis proposals. For help
with writing the thesis statement go to:
http://www.indiana.edu/~wts/pamphlets/thesis_statement.shtml
 February 15: O’Brien at CAA conference/ Make up class: April 14 Symposium
Reading: and “Section One: Academies, Museums and Canons of Art: Introduction
and Source Texts pp.17-72
February 22: Information Competence Assignment due
O’Brien’s report on CAA conference, peer-review sessions, planning Collaboration
& Cooperation symposium, discussion of thesis proposals and bibliography;
presentation and discussion of reading
Reading: “Section One: Critical Approaches: Academies, Museums and Canons of
Art: Critical Approaches: E.H. Gombrich, from “Norm and Form,” Alex Potts, from
“Oneness and the Ideal,” and Thomas Crow, from “Introduction. The Salon
Exhibition…”
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March 1: Thesis proposal and research bibliography due (typed and in proper
MLA or Art Bulletin bibliography format); discussion of thesis outlines; symposium
planning, presentation and discussion of readings
Reading: Edwards, Section Two: The Changing Status of the Artist: Introduction
and Source Texts
 Friday March 2: U.C. Berkeley symposium: Picasso in the late 1920's
An international gathering of scholars will discuss Picasso's work between 1925
and 1932. Participants include Dawn Ades, Yve-Alain Bois, Benjamin Buchloh,
Elizabeth Cowling, John Elderfield, Lisa Florman, Hal Foster, Michael Fried, Amy
Lyford, Jeremy Melius, Eric Michaud, Charles Miller and Sebastian Zeidler.
March 8: Thesis outline due
Reading: Edwards, Section Three: Gender and Art: Introduction and Source Texts
March 15: Group 2 presents
Reading: Edwards, Section Three: Gender and Art: Critical Approaches
March 22: Reading: Edwards, Section Four: The Challenge of the Avant-Garde:
Introduction and Source Texts
 Spring Break
April 5: Thesis first draft due
Reading: Edwards, Section Four: The Challenge of the Avant-Garde: Critical
Approaches
April 12: Presentation of Section 4 entire: Julie Smith and Susanna Tu
Reading: Edwards, Section Five: Views of Difference: Different Views of Art:
Introduction and Source Texts
Saturday, April 14: Art History Symposium on Collaboration and
Competition – attendance required from 11am-5pm. Please make
arrangements and see me if you cannot. Our class is presenting this
symposium. You are also asked to attend the 11 am brunch for guest speakers in
the University Library Gallery. At the brunch you are encouraged to informally
interview the speakers about their education and career choices.

Keynote: “Participation Post-Kaprow (the art of doing something, anything)" by Jeff
Kelley, editor of Essays on the Blurring of Art and Life by Allan Kaprow and author of
Childsplay: The Art of Allan Kaprow
 “Anthony van Dyck and Peter Paul Rubens” by Renate Prochno, Ph.D., University of
Salzburg, Austria
 “Forging the Way in Early Japanese Photography: Collaboration between Ueno Hikoma
and Tomishige Rihei” by Karen Fraser, Ph.D., Santa Clara University
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 “Collaboration as Boundary Making” by Steven Doctors, Ph.D. Candidate, Architecture,
U.C. Berkeley
 “Robert Rauschenberg’s Soundings: A Perfect Protest” by Melissa Geiger, Ph.D., East
Stroudsburg University of Pennsylvania
 “Collection, Collaboration, and Confrontation: The 2004 Sydney Biennale and the
“Network of Uncollectible Artists“ by Royce Smith, Ph.D., Wichita State University
Take notes on each lecture and write a 100-word reflection paragraph on
each lecture for seminar discussion.
April 19: Second draft of thesis due - submit for peer-review
Presentation of Section 5 entire: Khasi Solomon, Tracy Anstead, and April
Orcino
Reading: Edwards, Section Five: Views of Difference: Different Views of Art:
Critical Approaches
April 26: Peer-reviews due
Presentation of Section 6 entire: Leah Jackson, Emily Mills, and Eileen
Peifer
Reading: Edwards, Section Six: Contemporary Cultures of Display: Introduction
and Source Texts
May 3: Thesis final draft and portfolio due
Reading: Edwards, Section Six: Contemporary Cultures of Display: Critical
Approaches
May 10: Thesis presentations
May 17: Thesis presentations
Assignment: revise group presentations in preparation for the Art and It’s
Histories symposium
Tuesday May 22, 3-5: Art and Its Histories Senior Seminar Symposium
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