Jeffrey Chipps Smith

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This class is about the art and culture of northern Europe during the late Middle Ages and Renaissance. It is inherently interdisciplinary since we have to address the reasons art was made, where it was placed, how it was used, and how it relates to broader historical developments. With the advent of book publishing and prints, these technological innovations impacted literacy and the dissemination of knowledge across Europe. This was a period where the status of the artist rose dramatically. Much of the art was religious so we explore iconographic themes.

Please check back for updates.

Please check back for updates.

Please check back for updates.

Please check back for updates.

Please check back for updates.

Please check back for updates.

This class is about the art and culture of northern Europe during the late Middle Ages and Renaissance. It is inherently interdisciplinary since we have to address the reasons art was made, where it was placed, how it was used, and how it relates to broader historical developments. With the advent of book publishing and prints, these technological innovations impacted literacy and the dissemination of knowledge across Europe. This was a period where the status of the artist rose dramatically. Much of the art was religious so we explore iconographic themes.

Grading

• Test 1 – 30%
• Test 2 – 30%
• Research paper – 40%.

Texts

• Jeffrey Smith, The Northern Renaissance
• Other readings online.

Out of the radical artistic experiments and social upheavals of the fifteenth and sixteenth centuries one of the most brilliant, innovative periods in the history of art: the Northern Baroque. Much of the class will focus on the art of the Low Countries beginning with Rubens, van Dyck, and such Dutch artists as Rembrandt, Vermeer, Frans Hals, Jan Steen, and their contemporaries. This was a period of intense specialization as artists created landscapes, still life pictures, portraits, and genre scenes. We shall explore the artistic and cultural developments in France, Germany, and England.

Art and cultural development in the sixteenth century; artists include D rer, Gr newald, Holbein, and Brueghel.

Grading:

Test 1: 30% Test 2: 30% Paper 1: 20% Paper 2: 20%

Texts:

Jeffrey Smith, The Northern Renaissance (London, 2004 with later re-printings) – available at UT Coop. (The readings are listed below as Smith plus page or chapter numbers.) Fine Arts Library Reserve: Among the books placed on reserve for our class is James Snyder (revised by Larry Silver and Henry Luttikhuizen), Northern Renaissance Art (2nd rev. ed., Upper Saddle River, 2005) [N 6370 S6 2005]. This provides useful background on the artists (etc.) discussed in class. On-line reading assignments (= E-R): I have placed readings on the class Blackboard website. Find and click on the appropriate reading for a pdf copy. Remember if the pdf is sideways, you can rotate it with a right click of the mouse. On-line digital image reserve: Our class has a digital image reserve. You have two options for accessing the images. Go to the class Blackboard site’s external links and click on: https://dase.laits.utexas.edu/tag/smithjc1/smith_jeff_northern_renaissance_1500_1600 Or from the UT home page, go to Libraries, next Research Tools and click on databases. Go to D and click on DASE (Digital Archive Services). At the left side of the page, click on Public and Shared Sets. Scroll down and click on Smith, Jeffrey – Northern Renaissance Art 1500-1600.

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The sixteenth century was a period of violent social and artistic changes in Northern Europe. This included the rise of the Protestant Reformation and iconoclasm.  The first half of the course focuses upon German art, especially the works of Albrecht Dürer, Matthias Grünewald, Lucas Cranach, Hans Baldung, Albrecht Altdorfer, and Hans Holbein, among others.  The second half of the class examines the art of the Low Countries, up to Pieter Bruegel, as well as the rise of court art in England and France under Henry VIII and Francis I respectively.  An excellent exhibition of original prints by Dürer owned by a German foundation will be on display at the Blanton Museum of Art for much of the semester.

Texts

Jeffrey Chipps Smith, The Northern Renaissance plus readings to be assigned.

Grading

TBA

Out of the radical artistic experiments and social upheavals of the fifteenth and sixteenth centuries one of the most brilliant, innovative periods in the history of art: the Northern Baroque. Much of the class will focus on the art of the Low Countries beginning with Rubens, van Dyck, and such Dutch artists as Rembrandt, Vermeer, Frans Hals, Jan Steen, and their contemporaries. This was a period of intense specialization as artists created landscapes, still life pictures, portraits, and genre scenes. We shall explore the artistic and cultural developments in France, Germany, and England.

Texts:

TBA

Grading:

Two tests (30% each) and a semester research paper (40%)

Please check back for updates.

Please check back for updates.

Please check back for updates.