HISTORY OF DRAWING, ETCHING AND ILLUSTRATION

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 drawings and engravings, as well as their perception and critical fortune during the centuries, directly considering the relationship with the public.

- General knowledge of history of graphic arts.
- Identification of the period and, possibly, of the author of a graphic work. Capability to contextualize a graphic work, recognising its documentary value, within the Art History and the History in general.
- Knowledge of the use of 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, above all with regard to techniques and materials, 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 is desired.

The course aims to provide the general outline of a history of drawing and engraving in European history and culture. The stylistic evolution process will be highlighted on the basis of contemporary critical texts.
The structure of the course has proved necessary because Italian secondary school doesn’t provide the basilar struments to understand the subject.

C. Maltese (edited by), Le tecniche artistiche, Mursia, Milano 2009, pp. 241-341.
M.C. Paoluzzi, La stampa d'arte, Mondadori Electa, Milano 2003.

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 of draftsman or engraver (or artist who has practiced both domains), freely chosen and different from those presented during the course, reconstructing all the premises of the author’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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