HISTORY OF ART CRITICISM

The course is part of the master’s degree course in “History of Arts and Conservation of Artistic Heritage”. It aims to provide the critical and methodological tools for the study of the history of texts, of the written and graphic sources indispensable for analysing artistic works, as well as their perception and critical fortune during the centuries, inside and outside the museums, directly considering the relationship with the public.

- Knowledge of the method of using the sources and their specific historical lexicon.
- Ability to analyse the stylistic transformations of artistic languages, also in relation to written sources and formal models of reference.
- Ability to analyse art historical periodizations and their evolution.
- Acquisition of communication skills; know how to use the appropriate and specific terminology introduced and explained in class or in reference texts.
- Acquisition of analytical skills; know how to read artistic works, placing them in the history of the artists’ training and in the relationship with the public.

The course has no specific prerequisites. However, knowledge of Art History and attendance of the course of Artistic Literature are desired.

The course aims to examine the instructive function of the modern museum as central theme, focusing on the example of the Louvre Museum in Paris. In particular, the lessons will concern the origin of Impressionism and the analysis of its visual models belonging to Louvre collection. The stylistic evolution process will again be highlighted on the basis of the critical texts at that time of more immediate reference.

J.P. CUZIN- M.A. DUPUY, Copier creer, Paris 1993

W. KANDINSKIJ, Punto linea superficie, ed. it. Milano 1968

F. HASKELL, Riscoperte nell'arte, Milano 1982

Lesson notes.

The following books of the serie Classici dell'arte: Gericault, Turner, Delacroix, Ingres, Manet, Cezanne, Matisse, Picasso.

The exam will take place in the form of an oral interview, with the verification of the concepts learned during the course and the discussion of a personal essay.
The student will be required to analyze a specific case, freely chosen and different from those presented during the course, reconstructing all the premises of the artist’s formation and history and all the implications of his works.

The course will be structured in frontal lessons, but in a dialogical form with the students, with the help of image projections and critical texts readings.
The materials will be available on the university e-learning platform (moodle.unive.it).

Italian

Non-attending students are requested to agree with the teacher for a specific program.

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