TOKYO INSTITUTE OF TECHNOLOGY

Course description and aims

In this lecture, we will take a look at European art of the Renaissance and Baroque periods (15th-17th centuries) and consider how artists and works of art interacted with society.
　Looking at a work of art and being moved by its beauty is something that all human beings, regardless of whether they are from the East or the West, have in common. However, no matter what the work of art is, it is rarely free from the conventions of the time and culture in which it was created. For example, in pre-modern European painting, religious and mythological paintings were at the top of the subject genres, and painters who worked only in other genres (landscapes, still lives, genre paintings, etc.) were not considered to be the best. This was because there was a hierarchy of genres. In religious paintings, there were many rules that painters had to follow, such as this scene from the Bible had to be painted this way, this saint had to be painted that way, and so on. Let's start with an overview of these conventions to understand how artists were constrained by the environment of their time.
　On the other hand, during the Renaissance and Baroque periods, artists went from being ""craftsmen"" engaged in manual work to being autonomous ""artists"" pursuing beauty. This transformation took place slowly over a long period of time, and there were many dramas in the process - artists sometimes anticipated the intentions of their clients, such as royalty, aristocracy, and the church, but in other cases, they dared to rebel and challenge social norms. Although the number of examples that can be introduced in seven lectures is limited, the aim of this lecture is to stimulate your interest in European art of this period and to make it a part of your life education."

Student learning outcomes

1) Develop an interest in European art. In particular, you will be able to consider how art and society were related during the Renaissance and Baroque periods.
2) Be able to grasp the content of religious and mythological subjects to some extent. Understand the common sense surrounding pre-modern art.
3) Learn about the background of famous works by major artists. Acquire guidelines for researching works that interest you.

Keywords

Europe, Art, Art History, Society, Renaissance, Baroque

Competencies that will be developed

Class flow

1) If necessary, check your knowledge of Western history in advance.
2) Watch lecture videos.
3) Read and review lecture materials and reference books.
4) Send small assignments depending on the session.
5) Prepare for the final exam.

Inquiries can be received through collaboration tools (e.g. chat, email).
Students are asked to submit a comment sheet after class using a tool such as Google Forms.
Information is shared with all participants at any time through T2SCHOLA, such as problem solving and consultation, as needed.

Course schedule/Required learning

Out-of-Class Study Time (Preparation and Review)

To enhance effective learning, students are encouraged to spend approximately 100 minutes preparing for class and another 100 minutes reviewing class content afterwards (including assignments) for each class.
They should do so by referring to textbooks and other course material.

Textbook(s)

The textbook itself will not be specified, but please be sure to read and reread the lecture materials and reference books.

Reference books, course materials, etc.

Outline of Western Art History: E. H. Gombrich, The Story of Art, Phaidon Press, 2006.
Subject Genre: James Hall, Dictionary of Subjects and Symbols in Art, Routledge, 2007.
Other related books will be introduced in the lecture and in the lecture materials.

Assessment criteria and methods

The basic evaluation is based on the final report. You will be asked to select a piece of European art from the Renaissance and Baroque periods and examine it. The details will be announced in the lecture (about 70-80% of the points will be distributed). In addition, small assignments may be given in the lecture, and their performance will also be evaluated (about 20-30%).

Related courses

• LAH.A502 ： Area Studies: East Asia
• LAH.A503 ： Area Studies: Latin America
• LAH.A504 ： Area Studies: Middle East and Africa
• LAH.A505 ： Area Studies: South and Southeast Asia
• LAH.A506 ： Area Studies: North America and Oceania
• LAH.H102 ： Art A
• LAH.H202 ： Arts B, Esthetics B
• LAH.H302 ： Arts C, Esthetics C

Prerequisites (i.e., required knowledge, skills, courses, etc.)

I will try to make it as simple as possible so that you don't need any prerequisite knowledge, but at least some knowledge of European geography and modern history is required. If you are not very confident, please check it in advance.

Other

This course is 500-level course. Tokyo Tech’s “wedge-shaped style education” enables students to pursue liberal arts education in a phased manner throughout undergraduate and graduate programs. Students are encouraged to take courses in the sequence of 100, 200, 300, 400, 500, and 600 levels. As such, master's students must begin from 400-level Humanities and Social Science courses in 1Q and 2Q of the first year, then proceed to 500-level courses. And master's students entering in September must begin from 400-level Humanities and Social Science courses in 3Q and 4Q of the first year, then proceed to 500-level courses. Students can register for 500-level Humanities and Social Science courses six months after their entrance (i.e. students admitted in April can register in 3Q and 4Q, and those admitted in September can register in 1Q and 2Q).