University of North Carolina at Chapel Hill Carolina Courses Online

ART 151: History of Western Art I

Course Home Page	Blackboard	Instructor's E-mail
Overview	Texts	Course Components
Portfolio Essays	Class Discussions	Exams
Semester Project	Grades	Study Tips
Art at UNC-Chapel Hill	Museums to Visit	Honor Code
Course Mechanics	Schedule

Overview

This course is a general introduction to the history of Western European art. It is designed for the beginning student and assumes no previous experience in art or art history. We will examine the art and architecture produced from the prehistoric era (25,000 BCE) to the end of the medieval period (1300 CE). In addition to introducing you to many of the major surviving monuments of painting, sculpture, architecture, and the decorative arts, ART 151 will teach you the fundamentals of visual analysis. This course will provide you with the vocabulary and concepts for discussing works of art. The goal of ART 151 is to introduce you to the rich and diverse history of human cultures through the study of the visual arts.

Below you will find all of the necessary information you need to participate in and complete this course. This syllabus is a contract between the student and the instructor, outlining what each will do during the semester. You should read each section carefully, and note procedures for grading, due dates, and any other issues that affect you as the student. My policies about these issues are presented here, and in taking the course you are effectively accepting them.

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Texts

The required text for this course is Marilyn Stokstad, Art History, Vol. 1, 3rd edition, Prentice Hall, 2008. ISBN-13: 978-0-13-156610-1.

The required text can be obtained from Friday Center Books & Gifts in person, by ordering online, or by printing and mailing the book order form.

Acquaint yourself with this textbook before you begin the course. The Introduction, Starter Kit, and Use Notes will be invaluable to getting a good start on the course. The book includes a glossary and a bibliography for those who want to read further. A reproduction of every key work of art discussed can be found either in the required text or via links to Web sites provided in the lesson.

Optional Useful Works

J.H. Minor, Art History's History, 1994.
W. Strunk and E.B. White, The Elements of Style.
The Bible—Douay-Rheims Catholic Bible, Bible: Revised Standard Version

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Course Components

The course consists of assigned readings from the text and Web sites, and the following components, which are discussed in detail below:

portfolio essays
participation in class discussion
midterm and final exams
a semester project.

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Portfolio Essays

Portfolio assignments are designed to allow you to demonstrate your mastery of the material. Each portfolio assignment is intended to build the skills needed in art history as well as improve your general writing ability.

The portfolio assignments are formal essays. In other words, your essay must be organized around a thesis or argument, contain a coherent and thoughtful explanation of supporting evidence, and follow all rules of grammar and punctuation. You may be asked to research a topic and provide citations for outside sources. It is assumed you are aware of grammar and punctuation rules as well as how to cite sources, but there is help if you need a refresher:

For advice and tips on writing, please visit the UNC Writing Center, particularly their section on art history papers.
For advice on how to properly cite sources, please take the citation tutorial available through the UNC library.

All portfolio essays must be in a 12-point font (chose a font like Times New Roman), double-spaced, with 1" margins. Manipulating font or margin size to “pad” your essay will negatively affect your grade. Write your essays in Microsoft Word and save them as .doc files. If you use different word-processing software, save your file as Rich Text Format (.rtf). Make sure your name is at the top of your portfolio submission. Use a filename that includes your last name, such as “Jones-portfolio1.doc” and attach it to an e-mail to me. In the subject line, type “CCO ART 151,” the assignment, and your last name.

Late portfolio assignments will be graded down one grade per day (a late B will become a B–). I will not accept assignments more than one week late.

You should receive a grade for your essay one week after submission.

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Class Discussions

Participation in the discussion forum is a required element of the course. For lessons that do not have a portfolio essay assignment, keep in mind that your only grade for that lesson will be your discussion contribution. Our discussions are held on Blackboard. For details on Blackboard, see Course Mechanics.

The format of the discussion forum changes depending on other assignments. For lessons without a portfolio assignment, discussions will be in-depth investigations of a scholarly article or work of art. For lessons with a portfolio assignment, questions about the material will be posted. You will be graded on the quality as well as quantity of your participation. You should make at least two substantial contributions to the discussion forum each lesson to earn an average or “C” grade. Above-average work in the discussion component of this class includes, but is not limited to, responding thoughtfully to other students and introducing your own topics to the forum.

Please note that you are expected to submit only contributions that are both on-topic and respectful in tone. Students who are unable to keep a professional attitude in the discussion forum should note that their grade will be affected adversely. If you have any questions regarding the use of the forum, do not hesitate to e-mail me.

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Exams

There will be a midterm exam and a final exam. The exams will cover work discussed in the readings, class discussion, and portfolio essay assignments with some combination of the following:

Definitions. You will be expected to provide a short definition for, and an artistic example of, terms that have been discussed in the weekly readings. You also will be expected to explain how this artistic example relates to the term. (As you prepare for the exam, if you are unclear about the meanings of terms, you should consult the glossary at the back of the Stokstad text, search other books that have been recommended, or contact your instructor.) Remember: definitions must be in your own words.
Comparisons. Two works of art will be selected from the textbook. You will be asked to compare and contrast the two works, drawing on information you have learned from the textbook, the Internet readings, class discussion, and your portfolio assignments. In such comparisons, it is important to address specific qualities or features of the work of art, and use them as evidence to support more general conclusions. (Note: Even here, information drawn directly from any source must be cited appropriately.)
Unknowns. You will be asked to discuss a work of art or architecture that you have not seen before in this course. Based on the knowledge you have acquired (and not on any information gained from research or the source of the image), you will discuss the medium, the subject, the style, and the possible function of the “unknown” work of art.

There are no suggested lengths to the exam questions. This is your chance to demonstrate your knowledge.

I will send each exam to you by e-mail. You will have 72 hours to complete the work and return it by e-mail to me. The exams are, of course, open book, and designed to evaluate your mastery of the material. Material taken from any outside sources must be properly acknowledged, and never simply copied or paraphrased. Late exams will be not be accepted and will receive a zero. See the Schedule for the exam dates.

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Semester Project

I. Museum Visit Paper

Select an art museum within one hour’s driving time from your residence. You must notify me via e-mail the name of the art museum you plan to visit by the beginning of the Lesson 6 (a reminder will be sent out). Suggestions of museums to visit in the Triangle are may be found below. If you are unable to visit an art museum in person, please contact me via e-mail as soon as possible and we will work out a solution.

You must write a two- to four-page description of your visit (two is the minimum, four is the maximum). Focus on works of art that fall within the geographic span and time period of this course. In your description, make sure you discuss at least two works of art specifically. Talk about the arrangement of the galleries as well as the information provided by the museum staff about each work of art. Ask yourself: How accessible is the museum? What has the museum taught me? What would I do differently if I were the curator of this gallery?

Submission

Check the Schedule for the Museum Visit paper due date. It should be submitted via e-mail to me. Use a filename that includes your last name, such as “Jones-museumvisit.doc.” Submit your assignment as an attachment. In the subject line of the e-mail, enter “CCO ART 151” plus the assignment and your last name. Late papers will be graded down a full grade for each late day (for example, an A becomes an B).

II. Exhibition Catalog Paper

After your museum visit, you should have an idea of how museums can present their collections to the public. Another way the museum presents information to the public is the exhibition catalogue. Exhibitions are special shows of a group of art presented by a museum. The art objects shown in an exhibition are generally related around a time period or geographic range (for example, sculptures of Greek gods from the Classical period) or around another theme (for example, images of the Madonna). The exhibition catalogue is a collection of photographs of the works of art in exhibition accompanied by a short essay about each object. Catalogues also contain maps, images of related works of art, scholarly articles about the exhibitions theme, and an extensive bibliography. They are geared to an audience who may not know the specifics of the exhibition but are generally educated in the basics.

For this assignment, imagine you are an art historian who as been asked to contribute to an exhibition catalogue. The exhibition may include any works of art from 25,000 BCE to 1300 BCE and from any of the geographic regions we have studied. Your first task is to research and choose the works of art, in particular three works of art for which you will write the catalog entries. Your assignment is to write an annotated bibliography, a description of the exhibition, and three catalogue entries. The bibliography is due first—this means your research should be complete long before the rest of the assignment is due. Plan your semester accordingly! See the Schedule for due dates.

Annotated bibliography: Your bibliography should consist of six scholarly resources, two for each of the three catalogue entries you have chosen to write. Write a five- to six-sentence description about each article or book. Explain what the author’s thesis or main argument is, what evidence he or she used to support the thesis, and whether or not you agree.
Description of the exhibition: In no more than 250 words, describe the entire exhibition to which you are contributing. Topics to discuss would be which museum is hosting the exhibition and how the works of art are related.
Three catalogue entries: Choose three works of art from your exhibition and create a catalogue entry for each. Each entry should be three to four pages long. Each catalogue entry should consist of the following:
1. items at the top of the page:
  1. title
  2. find spot, if known
  3. date
  4. material(s)
  5. dimensions in metric measurements
  6. repository (collection holding the object).
2. items in the body of the catalogue entry:
  1. description (brief) of the piece
  2. discussion of its find spot context, if known
  3. comparison to similar type of objects. How does this particular piece fit into its “family” of objects? Is it unique, or does it have counterparts
  4. patronage, if known (who or what type of person would commission this art work)
  5. controversies in scholarship about this object.

Using Web Sites in Research

Wikipedia is not a legitimate scholarly resource. Why? People may contribute to or change Wikipedia without an editorial board of experts overseeing their writing. As a result, sometimes the information on Wikipedia is just plain wrong. The same goes for most other Internet sources—no one (such as a journal editor or publisher) has reviewed the information posted. So is the Internet just trash? No. Web sites like Wikipedia can be a good place to find images.

As a Carolina Courses Online student, you have access via the UNC library to Internet research tools such as JSTOR where journal articles have been scanned and made accessible. See Distance Education Library Resources and the Sloane Art Library’s Art Resources.

Format

Entries, description, and annotated bibliographies should be in a 12-point font, double-spaced, and with 1" margins. Please use an “academic” font, such as Times New Roman. Include an image of each object you are discussing as well as any other objects or maps that support your argument.

Getting Help on Your Project

Submitting a draft version of your paper before the due date is strongly recommended. Send your draft to me via e-mail well in advance so I have time to read your paper and suggest revisions, and you have time to make changes. Anticipate problems and give yourself plenty of time to solve them.

Submission

Check the Schedule for due dates. The annotated bibliography is due first. Both the bibliography and your paper should be submitted via e-mail to me. Use a filename that includes your last name, such as “Jones-annotatedbibliography.doc.” Submit your assignment as an attachment. In the subject line of the e-mail, enter “CCO ART 151” plus the assignment and your last name. Late papers will be graded down a full grade for each late day (for example, an A becomes an B).

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Grades

Grades will be determined on the basis of a C-scale, with students receiving C's for average work. B's will be given for those who perform above average, and A's for students whose performance is excellent.

Participation in the discussion forum is a required element of the course. Your contributions to the discussion forum will be evaluated in terms of quality and quantity.

Late portfolio assignments will be graded down appropriately; one grade per day (a late B will become a B–). Assignments that are over one week late will receive no credit. Late midterm or final exams will be given a zero.

Distribution:

Portfolio essays (6)	30 percent
Midterm and final exams	30 percent
Semester project	25 percent
Class discussion	15 percent

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Study Tips

Read Ahead

It is important to keep up with the readings in the textbook. You will learn to use a variety of terms that have special importance for art historians. Many of these are historical (“city-state,” “Pharaoh”); many of them identify materials and technical procedures (“fresco painting,” “modeling,” “casting”); many identify familiar artistic conventions or elements used in works of art (“perspective,” “pediment”); some are borrowed from plane or solid geometry (“perpendicular,” “ratio,” “hemisphere”). You may need to brush up on concepts of elementary geometry (plane and solid)—they are important for a grasp of basic artistic approaches to architecture, sculpture, and painting. If the glossary in Stokstad or the other recommended books do not list a term you are not familiar with, be sure to ask me about it.

Keep Up With Assignments

It is fundamental that you stay up to date with the assignments. The work load can become overwhelming and discouraging when one or more lessons are overdue. In addition, late assignments will lower your final grade. In working through each lesson, make sure to read the comments and the full assignment before beginning. Participate in class discussion. There may be several tasks to complete each week; reading each fully prior to beginning will give you a better framework for the whole lesson.

Explore On Your Own

Many of the works of art and architecture discussed in the course can be viewed on Web sites. Direct links are provided on each lesson’s page. In addition to the sites listed with each lesson, you are encouraged to explore the Web on your own and discover Web sites that complement the course. Two places you might begin your art historical surfing are listed below:

Mother of All Art History Links Page
Art History Resources on the Web—this page is comprehensive and easy to use.

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Art at UNC-Chapel Hill

If you are interested in learning more about the Department of Art at UNC-Chapel Hill, click on your area of interest:

Art History
Studio Art
The Sloane Art Library

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Museums to Visit

If you are able to visit an art museum or gallery in person, it will certainly enhance your course experience.

Two excellent museums in the Chapel Hill area are:

North Carolina Museum of Art
Ackland Art Museum

Museums in the Southeast:

National Gallery of Art in Washington, DC
Cameron Art Museum in Wilmington, NC
Mint Museum of Art, Charlotte, NC
The University of Virginia Art Museum in Charlottesville, VA
Virginia Museum of Fine Arts in Richmond, VA

Museums in the United States that are worth the trip:

Metropolitan Museum of Art in New York City
Philadelphia Museum of Art
Museum of Fine Arts, Boston
Art Institute of Chicago
J. Paul Getty Museum in Los Angeles
Los Angeles County Museum of Art

And finally, you might want use the Web to visit some virtual museums or museums that involve a passport to visit:

Webmuseum, Paris
Vatican Museums—Christus Rex
Museums Around the World
Musée du Louvre in Paris
The British Museum
Staatliche Museen
Egyptian Museum in Cairo

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Honor Code

Remember that as a student of UNC-Chapel Hill, you are bound by the University's Honor Code: “It shall be the responsibility of every student at The University of North Carolina at Chapel Hill to obey and support the enforcement of the Honor Code, which prohibits lying, cheating, or stealing when these actions involve academic processes or University students or academic personnel acting in an official capacity.” An especially serious Honor Code violation is plagiarism. If you are uncertain about what needs to be cited, please talk to your course instructor.

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Course Mechanics

Policy on Computer Difficulties

Enough time has been allotted in the course schedule so that any computer difficulties can be addressed and fixed prior to the due date for the assignment. Should emergencies happen, it is important that you contact me prior to the deadline for the assignment. If you wait until after the assignment is due, your assignment will be graded down regardless of computer difficulties.

Blackboard

Some of your class components (discussion forums, announcements, the class listserv) are accessed through a software package called Blackboard, and you will need to log in to Blackboard using a unique identifier known as your UNC Onyen (Only Name You'll Ever Need) and Onyen password.

If you do not already have a UNC Onyen, go to the Onyen Web site and follow the instructions for creating an Onyen. If you have an Onyen but have forgotten it (or the password), you will find help on the Onyen Web site.

Use your Onyen to log into Blackboard, then click on the "ART 151 CCO" link. You will see navigation buttons on the left taking you to the Discussion Forums.

If you experience problems accessing Blackboard, this is what you should do:

If you do not already have a UNC Onyen, go to the Onyen Web site and follow the instructions for creating an Onyen.
If you have an Onyen but have forgotten it (or the password), go to the Onyen Web site.
If you have your Onyen but can’t log in to Blackboard, contact Janice Durham at the Friday Center.
If you can log in to Blackboard but can’t find this course listed, contact Janice Durham at the Friday Center.
If you can’t locate a forum in Blackboard, contact the Instructional Designer at the Friday Center.

If you have other technical problems while using Blackboard, contact Blackboard Help (use the Help button in Blackboard, or call 919-962-HELP).

Library Services and E-reserves

Students enrolled in Carolina Courses Online have access to the UNC Library System. Visit Distance Education Library Services to access a wide array of online services and resources including e-reserves, online databases, online journals, online books, and live help with research and library access. Most online resources require you to log in with your Onyen and password. If you have any trouble finding the resource that you need or logging in to a resource, you can contact the library through the contact information at Distance Education Library Services. You can chat live about your problem, or send an e-mail to request assistance.

E-mail

All communication from your instructor will go to your UNC Onyen e-mail address (the one that appears when you post to the discussion forum). Off-campus users can access their UNC e-mail using Webmail. You can have your e-mail forwarded to a different e-mail address by clicking “Forward e-mail” at the Onyen Web site. We recommend that you use your UNC Onyen e-mail account for this course.

If you use a filter on your e-mail account, you are responsible for ensuring that it does not prevent you from receiving messages from me, the course listserv, or Friday Center staff. Hotmail users should be aware that Hotmail will block messages sent from within Blackboard because Blackboard uses “blind carbon copy” to protect privacy. We recommend that you use your UNC Onyen e-mail account for this course.

It is extremely important for you to save copies of any work you send to your instructor via e-mail. If your instructor doesn't receive your work, you must have a copy of the e-mail with the attached file, indicating the date sent, to prove that you submitted the assignment on time. It is your responsibility to maintain copies of your sent e-mails, as there is no way to guarantee that any e-mail message will be delivered. Please check your e-mail software to see how it manages sent and saved messages. Some software automatically deletes messages one month after they have been sent; others only save messages if they are filed in folders; others save messages received but not those sent. You may need to send yourself a copy of your e-mailed assignment at the same time you send it to your instructor, or you may need to print a copy of the e-mail message and any attachments to keep in your paper files. No matter how your system works, make sure you know how to save a copy of all work that you submit to your instructor and that you save the copy for several months beyond the end of the course.

Schedule

Our course follows the UNC-Chapel Hill academic calendar. All due-date times are Eastern Time. If you are in a different time zone, plan accordingly. Click on the link for each lesson to view your assignments and my comments on the material, including links to more resources.

Lesson	Topics and Due Dates
Lesson 1	Introduction Portfolio essay 1 due.
Lesson 2	Prehistory
Lesson 3	Priests and Kings: Art of the Ancient Near East Portfolio essay 2 due.
Lesson 4	Constructing Eternity: Egyptian Art and Architecture Portfolio essay 3 due.
Lesson 5	Ancient Aegean and Archaic Greek Art Portfolio essay 4 due.
Lesson 6	Classical and Hellenistic Greece
Lesson 7	Rome
The midterm exam will be e-mailed to you.
Lesson 8	The Celts and the Early Christians Museum Visit paper due.
Lesson 9	The Byzantine Empire Portfolio essay 5 due.
Lesson 10	Early Medieval Western Europe
Lesson 11	Pilgrimage Churches in France and Spain Annotated Bibliography due.
Lesson 12	Pilgrims and Crusaders Portfolio essay 6 due.
Lesson 13	Gothic Europe and Italian City-States Exhibition Description and Catalog Entries
The final exam will be e-mailed to you.
Please fill out a brief online course evaluation. We want to know if this course met your needs and expectations.