Aix-en-Provence, France - Course Descriptions - Ancient Mediterranean Civilizations

Course Information

Contact Hours and Credits

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The Art Criticism seminar offers the student access to a wide variety of images (architectural, sculptural, painted, etc.). The objective of this course is to improve critical awareness and to refine judgment based on an exploration of universal principles through visual experience.
The seminar takes students into an in-depth study of the basic elements of form: color, value, light and volume.

Required Reading:
Alexander
-The Timeless Way of Building
-The Phenomenon of Life
Baudelaire
-Art in Paris 1845-62
Campbell
-The Power of Myth
Clark
-‘Motives'
Delacroix
-Journal
Dillard
-Pilgrim at Tinker Creek
Eliot
-The Sacred Wood, ‘The Individual Talent and Tradition',
-Four Quartets, ‘Dry Salvages'
Herrigel
-Zen and the Art of Archery
Jung
-Man and his Symbols
Lord
-A Giacometti Portrait
Mansfield
-Bliss
Marchutz
-Letters and Interviews
O'Connor
-Mystery and Manners, ‘On Writing Short Stories'
Rilke
-‘Worpswede'
-Letters
-Sonnets to Orpheus
-Duino Elegies

Class Requirements:

A. Attendance: Students are required to attend all seminar classes.
B. Essays: Students write short (one to three page) essays in preparation for each seminar. These short essays enable the student to think through their initial response to the texts opening a way into each week's seminar discussion. Careful, individual reflection expressed in a coherent written form is expected. Essays are due Thursday afternoon by 17 h.
C. Field Trip: Venice
D. Mid-Term and Final Exam

Tentative Calendar

Week I : Introduction - What is Art Criticism?
Week II : Architectural Walk
Week III : Symbolism in Art
Week IV : Imagination
Week V : Zen and the Art of Painting
Week VI Mid-Term Exam
Week VII : Alberto Giacometti
Week VIII : Landscape
Week IX : The ‘Motif'
Week X : To The Lighthouse, Virginia Wolf
Week XI : Venice Painting Trip : April 9-19th
Week XII : The Universal and the Particular
Week XIII : Tradition
Week XIV : Life and Work of Leo Marchutz

Course Grade Determination:

Class Participation -25%

Essays -25%

Mid-Term Exam -25%

Final Exam -25%

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