Grotto to Giotto:
Art History 101
Instructed by Charlotte Gray
Schedule: Sundays, 1:30-3:30 pm
March 1 - April 26
(No Class April 5)
Registration Deadline: February 26
[ REGISTER HERE ]
Tuition
$300 for 8-week course
Description
This eight-week course offers a condensed survey of the history of Western art, from cave painting to the beginnings of the Renaissance. But what is the West? Was there really only one Renaissance? And who decides what constitutes a work of art? In this course, we will encounter the artworks and concepts found in college art history surveys, while developing our abilities to think critically about how art historical narratives clarify, distort and/or complicate what we think we know about art and human history.
Each week, we will address two chapters from Gardner’s Art Through the Ages (see Materials List, below), and consider how the artworks under discussion relate to the histories of: style, politics, literature, gender, education, religion, identity, science, and more. We will hone our skills as interpreters and researchers, learning about resources and techniques for discovering contextual information about art and the remarkable (often surprising) connections that exist between the distant past and our present. Students will also develop familiarity with works in regional collections through weekly conversations about how the histories and approaches we learn in class apply to the interpretation of works displayed locally.
This class will cover the following topics:
• An overview of canonical Western artworks and their contexts
• An evolving discussion of the influence of the Western canon
• A weekly conversation about relevant artworks in regional collections
• An introduction to interpretive methods useful in the study of art history
• An introduction to written visual analysis
Texts or other Required/Recommended Materials:
Note-taking and sketching materials of choice.
Weekly suggested readings will be distributed by email.
By week 2, you will need the textbook: Gardner’s Art Through the Ages.
You may purchase any new or used edition of this book as long as it is edited by Fred Kleiner and contains a chapter on ancient Greek art (all editions that include Greek art will also include the other chapters you’ll need). Check the table of contents before buying, or consult the instructor at the first course meeting.
Max Enrollment: 15
Level of Study: Beginner
This class is open to all students who enjoy approaching the past with curiosity and courage.
Suggested Prerequisites: none
LOCATION: Unless otherwise specified, all courses are hosted at Manifest's new facility at 'M1' in Clifton at 3464 Central Parkway (see map and directions below). Manifest's new facility provides multiple studio classrooms, private lesson space, a darkroom, a film processing room, and a multi-purpose lecture and class meeting space as well as on-site parking, grounds, and exterior spaces in which to relax, discuss, and make art. The studios are outfitted with professional equipment, furniture, and study aids.
Map to Manifest's M1 Studios | Studio Calendar | Darkroom Calendar
Manifest's new home on Central Parkway is a historic 1932 structure ideally suited to the various programs of the Manifest Drawing Center (and future Manifest Gallery).
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About the Instructor
Charlotte Gray holds a Ph.D. in Art History from Harvard University. She has curated exhibitions and taught art history courses at the Lyme Academy College of Fine Arts and the University of Connecticut, where she recently concluded a collaborative research project about Parkinson’s disease and the history of photography. Outside of art history, she enjoys learning about herbalism, Irish and American fiddling styles, classical chamber music and percussive dancing.
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