2024 | Area Studies: Europe 1

Course description and aims

In this lecture, you will learn about the art of the European Renaissance (around the 15th and 16th centuries) and deepen your understanding of the culture of this period, which can be considered the source of modern Europe.
What kind of image do you have when you hear the word “Renaissance”?
“Renaissance” is a French word that originally means “rebirth,” and is a general term for the cultural movement of the time, which sought to revive the outstanding culture of ancient Greece and Rome. For nearly two centuries, artists worked diligently to revive ancient cultures, introducing new techniques such as perspective and oil painting, and creating innovative works of art one after another.
At the same time, however, traditional values that had prevailed since the Middle Ages were still dominant, and artists did not have the same freedom of self-expression as they do in modern times. Except for portraits of influential people, the subjects of most works were Christianity or ancient myths that were popular at the time, and artists began working only after receiving orders from the church, royalty, aristocrats, and merchants. Around their mid-teens, they apprenticed themselves to the most prominent artists in their cities, trained in their own workshops, and eventually became independent, setting up their own workshops and hiring young people like themselves to work collectively on their artwork. In this way, the artistic styles of each city were handed down from generation to generation, and local cultural traditions were maintained.
In other words, artists of this period grew up in an artisanal environment that had existed since the Middle Ages, and society did not demand free self-expression from artists. Nevertheless, geniuses such as Leonardo da Vinci and Michelangelo dared to challenge these traditional values and create new art that transcended ancient culture while demonstrating their individuality in their own ways. Far exceeding the expectations of those around them, they create a new culture, competing with the great artists of antiquity -- because of their extraordinary spirit, their works are filled with powerful energy and continue to impress us even today, 500 years later.
Renaissance art is the fruit of the efforts and creativity of artists who emerged from this period of changing values. We will discuss as many works and artists as possible in the seven lessons, regardless of the field of painting, sculpture, or architecture. Even if you are not familiar with art, you are welcome to take this course.
Please note that "Area Studies: Europe 1" in 1Q and "Area Studies: Europe 2" in 3Q have the same content.

Student learning outcomes

- To understand the history of art during the European Renaissance, and to be able to consider how the role of art in society differed from the modern and contemporary periods in which we live, based on specific examples.
- To acquire sufficient knowledge of Christian themes that frequently appear in Renaissance art and to be able to use this knowledge in the appreciation of works of art.
- To study the historical development of artists’ active self-expression as time went by, and to consider whether the origin of modern and contemporary civilization can be found in the Renaissance culture, based on specific examples.

Keywords

Europe, Renaissance, Baroque, Early Modern, Art

Competencies that will be developed

✔ Specialist skills

✔ Intercultural skills

Communication skills

✔ Critical thinking skills

Practical and/or problem-solving skills

Class flow

Since the lecture is given in a large classroom, you are not required to speak in every class. Instead, I will give you a brief comment assignment about 3 out of 7 times, so please respond to T2SCHOLA with your reactions and comments to the class.
Please feel free to speak up at any time during class with questions, comments on the work, or anything else that you are interested in. Although we are in a large classroom, if you wish to speak spontaneously, I will go around the microphone. Sharing opinions and impressions with each other is one of the best parts of art appreciation.
As much as possible, PowerPoint materials will be uploaded to T2SCHOLA the day before each class. The PowerPoint presentation will be projected on a screen in the classroom, but if you would like to view the images of the works on your own computer, please use the uploaded PowerPoint presentation. Of course, there is no problem if you do not bring your own PC or other equipment.
In addition to the reference books listed below, please use the PowerPoint documents uploaded to T2SCHOLA for your preparation and review.

Course schedule/Required learning

	Course schedule	Required learning
Class 1	The World of Renaissance Art: Case of Leonardo da Vinci	Using Leonardo da Vinci as an example, I will introduce you to the world of Renaissance art. Please consider how the art of this period differed from the modern and contemporary world in which we live.
Class 2	Dawn of the Renaissance: Florentine Art of the First Half of the 15th Century	This section introduces the artists active in Florence during the first half of the 15th century, with a focus on Brunelleschi, Donatello, and Masaccio. Consider how their works and accomplishments influenced the Renaissance artists who followed.
Class 3	Development of the Italian Renaissance: Italian Art in the Second Half of the 15th Century	Following developments in Florence in the first half of the 15th century, I will introduce how Renaissance art flourished in Florence and northern Italy in the second half of the 15th century. The students will learn about Neoplatonism, which gained renewed attention during the Renaissance, and consider how it influenced artists such as Botticelli.
Class 4	Another Renaissance: 15th Century Art North of the Alps	At the same time as in Italy, Flanders (the region centered on today’s western Belgium) also saw a flourishing of highly realistic art that differed from earlier styles. Learn about the historical development of what is known as the “Northern Renaissance” and consider the similarities and differences between Renaissance art in the Netherland and Italy.
Class 5	Encounter of Two Renaissances: Dürer and Art North of the Alps in the 16th Century	The Italian Renaissance and the Northern Renaissance, which developed differently, began to exchange, and inspire each other. As an example of the success of this art exchange, Dürer’s works will be introduced. In addition to his paintings, you will also view his prints and consider how the differences in production techniques, such as woodcut and engraving, influenced artistic style.
Class 6	High Renaissance: Leonardo da Vinci, Michelangelo, Raphael	The Italian Renaissance reached its peak around the beginning of the 16th century. Learn about the works of the three great masters of the Italian Renaissance, especially Michelangelo and Raffaello, and consider how their works reflect the achievements of Renaissance art up to that time.
Class 7	Late Renaissance: Mannerism, Venetian paintings	After Raphael’s death (1520), Renaissance art is often described as imitating or reinterpreting the great masters of the High Renaissance. In modern times, this manneristic trend has been called “Mannerism,” and I invite you to consider for yourselves whether this negative assessment is justified. Unlike central Italy, where Mannerism flourished, Venice, led by Titian, developed its own colorful and unique world of painting. You will also consider the differences between Florentine and Venetian art.

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)

No textbook is assigned. Please read and review the lecture materials and reference books frequently.

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 class.

Assessment criteria and methods

- Final Report: 80% approx.
Select one or two or three works of art from the Western Renaissance and Baroque periods (15th to 18th centuries) and write a 3–4-page essay. If you choose two or three pieces, please compare, and discuss interrelated pieces. It is not enough to simply state your impressions of a work, but it is also uninteresting to simply list objective facts surrounding the work. Ideally, you should delve deeply into what you found interesting or beautiful about the work, and then discuss it in relation to its historical background. You are free to choose your own theme, but some examples will be presented in class. In principle, reports should be written in Japanese, but if it is difficult, reports in English will be accepted.
- Comment assignments: 20% approx.
There will be three brief comment assignments. Please respond from T2SCHOLA based on the class content. The submission status will be considered for the grade. I will try to return feedback on each comment assignment as much as possible. Comments that are interesting may be introduced in class.

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.)

No previous knowledge is required, but if you are uncertain about European geography or history, a brief review may help you understand.
While lectures in the classroom are important, visiting art museums and actually viewing works of art is also a good way to learn. Whenever possible, please try to visit art exhibitions on your own.

Office hours

I will have time available after class and welcome your comments, questions, and feedback at any time. You are also welcome to contact me by e-mail. Please feel free to ask questions or consult with me about anything related to the content or administrative matters.

Other

Seven total classes will be held for this course: April 10 (Wed), April 17 (Wed), April 24 (Wed), May 1 (Wed), May 8 (Wed), May 15 (Wed), May 22 (Wed).
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 100-level to 600-level courses in order. As such, master’s students must begin Humanities and Social Science courses at the 400 level (in 1Q/2Q of the first year for those entering in April, and 3Q/4Q for those entering in September), then proceed to 500-level courses (in 3Q/4Q or later for those entering in April, and 1Q/2Q of the following year or later for those entering in September).

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