HISTORY OF APPLIED ARTS

This is a complementary course (group C) of the Master's Degree Programme in History of Arts and Conservation of Artistic Heritage (curricula in "Mediaeval-Byzantine art" and "Early Modern Art"). Participants from other programmes (e.g. Archaeology, Environmental Humanities) and curricula (Contemporary art studies) are welcome: they can work on objects chronologically close to their interests, but are kindly asked to contact the instructor in good time.

The course focuses on a open range of artifacts, techniques and highly-specialized processes that are object of historical scholarship. It also addresses the theoretical and geographical issues raised by this topic and, more broadly, the anthropic factors and the cultural practices (not only the productive ones) to which the objects can be related, with a concentration on their materiality.

- Familiarity with the art techniques and object typologies presented in the course.

- Awareness of the historiographical issues raised by the classification and hierarchisation of objects according to "arts", "materials" and "techniques".

-Ability to present an object focusing on its typology, materials and making process, and to relate it with non art-historical cultural issues (human capital, procedural knowledge, productive specializations of the territory, products with identity value, circular economy...).

Students with diverse academic backgrounds are welcome. Basic knowledge of European or Mediterranean art before 1800 is desirable, but not compulsory.

The course consists of:
1. an introduction to the issues raised by the hierarchization of the arts, their interpretation and musealization according to material and technical criteria. Recent study methodologies concerning objects will also be considered.
2. a survey of a selection of art techniques related to the so called "applied arts" (with a different concentration each year).
3. the students' presentations.
4. a moment of close looking at the objects, for example in the form of museum visits during class time.

The compulsory readings will be listed and uploaded on moodle.

Recommended Handbook:
- Sandro Baroni e Micaela Mander (a cura di), Tecniche dell'arte, Milano, Mursia 2021, vol. II

Each participant can choose between two modes of examination.

MODE 1.
Seminar of the participant (to be held during the course) and final oral examination (on dates scheduled by the University).
Evaluation will take into account:
30% of the seminar and participation in the discussion sessions (in-person or via forum)
70% of the oral examination

MODE 2.
Written test (paper to be delivered on moodle few days before the date of the exam) and final oral exam (on dates scheduled by the University).
Evaluation will take into account:
30% of the written test and participation in the discussion moments (in presence or via forum)
70% of the oral exam

The evaluation criteria will consider:
- Accuracy
- Ability to critically and analytically engage with the objects studied, their decoration and materiality
- Re-elaboration
- Ability to connect a group of objects with course problems or broader issues
- Quality in the argumentation
- Bibliography of the seminar or the written paper (must provide the standard information according to conventional criteria)

Frontal, but dialogic lessons and papers of the participants. Visits to museums and sites of interest.

Moodle’s blackboard is the official channel for every announcement concerning the organization of the course and the sharing of materials. All the participants are requested to sign in the moodle course.

The development of the university policies may cause changes in the teaching and assessment methods on short notice, independently from the teacher’s will. Up-to-date information will be provided during the first class of the course and in a pdf presentation that will be posted on the moodle platform.

Italian

Version not final.

Ca' Foscari applies the Italian laws for the support of students with disabilities or specific learning disorders. If you have a motor, visual, hearing disability, another impairment (Law 17/1999) or a specific learning disorder (Law 170/2010), and require support (interpreters, classroom assistance, note retrieval, technological aids for taking exams or individualized exams, materials in accessible format, specialized tutoring to support study, or other), please contact the Disability and DSA office (disabilita@unive.it) AND THE TEACHER BEFORE THE COURSE STARTS.

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This subject deals with topics related to the macro-area "Circular economy, innovation, work" and contributes to the achievement of one or more goals of U. N. Agenda for Sustainable Development