ARTH-224-01 Age of Michelangelo

Glass, Robert

Painting, sculpture, and architecture of the late fifteenth and sixteenth centuries in Italy, with a focus on the most seminal artists of the age: Michelangelo, Leonardo da Vinci, Raphael, Titian and Palladio. Their achievements will be discussed in relation to each other, the historical circumstances in which they were produced, and the academic traditions they helped establish. Lectures will also examine the artists’ careers, their interactions and rivalries, and their relations with patrons and other artists. In particular, the changing status of the artist during the period and the Renaissance origins of the modern notion of artistic genius and individuality will be discussed. Includes visits to the National Gallery of Art.

Evaluation
10% quiz (image identifications)
25% midterm exam
25% 6-8 page paper on a work of art in local collections
40% final exam

Also required: regular attendance and two trips to the National Gallery of Art.

Texts
Because this course focuses on five individuals, the primary texts are monographs. The following books will be read in their entirety or nearly so. You may therefore find it convenient to purchase them.

Clark, Kenneth. Leonardo da Vinci. Revised edition. Introduction by Martin Kemp. London: Penguin Books, 1989.

Hughes, Anthony. Michelangelo. London: Phaidon Press, 1997.

Boucher, Bruce. Andrea Palladio: The Architect in His Time. 2nd ed. New York: Abbeville, 2007.

Additional readings, including all of those for Raphael and Titian, will be selected from various sources and posted as pdfs on Blackboard. Assigned readings will also be on reserve in Lauinger.

Credits: 3

Prerequisites: ARTH 102 or equivalent recommended

Other academic years
There is information about this course number in other academic years:

• 2009-2010 Fall and Spring

More information
Look for this course in the schedule of classes.

The academic department web site for this program may provide other details about this course.