European Art History
The course will survey European art history from the fifth century BCE to contemporary practice. The course will introduce you to the significant work of artists, sculptors and architects in the disciplinary canon and examines their work within the broader social and cultural context of its production. The course also explores how significant works have been cited throughout the history of European art. The course develops critical visual analysis through close reading of artworks themselves and associated literature.
| Award Name | Special Purpose Diploma (Level 7 NFQ) |
|---|---|
| NFQ Classification | Special Purpose |
| Awarding Body | National University of Ireland |
| NFQ Level | Level 7 NFQ |
| Award Name | Special Purpose Certificate (Level 6 NFQ) |
| NFQ Classification | Special Purpose |
| Awarding Body | National University of Ireland |
| NFQ Level | Level 6 NFQ |
| Award Name | NFQ Classification | Awarding Body | NFQ Level |
|---|---|---|---|
| Special Purpose Diploma (Level 7 NFQ) | Special Purpose | National University of Ireland | Level 7 NFQ |
| Special Purpose Certificate (Level 6 NFQ) | Special Purpose | National University of Ireland | Level 6 NFQ |
Duration
2 years part-time.
Entry Requirements
Requirements
Candidates must be at least 21 years of age by 1 January of the year of application and have Leaving Certificate (or equivalent qualification) /FETAC Level 5 qualification.
Candidates who do not have Leaving Certificate or QQI Level 5 but are over 21 years of age and have an interest in the visual arts and their significance within society may be deemed suitable, subject to the approval of the ACE Committee.
English Language Requirements: All applicants whose first language is not English must have attained IELTS Level 6 or the equivalent TOEFL score. Candidates who successfully complete First Year may opt not to proceed to Second Year and may exit the programme with a Certificate in European Art History.
Diploma programmes are offered subject to a minimum number of eligible applicants registering for the programme. Following completion of year 1 of this programme, should a sufficient number of eligible students not wish to progress form year 1 to year 2 of this programme as to make the year 2 viable, students will graduate with a certificate at that point. Programme viability is determined by reference to fee income and applicable costs in running the programme.
Further information
START DATE September 2023
VENUE
UCC Campus
€1500 per academic year
CLOSING DATE 8 September 2023
Course Practicalities
The course schedules study trips throughout the two-year cycle. Previous classes have gone to Rome, Paris, London and Edinburgh. We also visit Cork galleries and galleries in Dublin. These trips are optional and a supplementary fee may apply.
Staff are drawn from the History of Art and Adult Continuing Education faculties. Staff are active teachers and researchers in the field of art history and cultural history.
Why Choose This Course
This course is not simply about art history; it is about making connections between the visual arts and other aspects of human creativity throughout history. At a time when questions about the nature of Europe, and what it means to be European, are becoming increasingly important this course seeks to explore the concept of European identity as displayed through the visual arts beginning with Egypt and Classical Greece and ending with art in the twenty-first century.
Course participants come from varied backgrounds. Some choose to do the course to develop a greater knowledge about looking at art and culture while others, like educators and heath care professionals, have taken the course for professional development
Year 1 Modules
AD1839: The Art of Northern Europe (5 credits)
This module will explore the characteristics of the 'Northern Renaissance' as manifested in the traditions of Netherlandish, Flemish and German Art from the fifteenth to the sixteenth century. Artists studies will include Roger Van der Weyden, Jan Van Eyck and Albrect Durer.
AD1840: The Age of the Baroque (10 credits)
This module will present an overview of the characteristics of European Baroque painting, architecture sculpture. Artists studied will include Michelangelo Merisi, Caravaggio; Peter Paul Rubens; Diego Velasquez; Jan Vermeer; Rembrandt van Fijn and Gianlorenzo Bernini.
HA1800: Introduction to the Formation of European Art (5 credits)
This module will examine the artistic legacy and achievements of Greece and Rome on which Renaissance artists and theorists built. It will examine the style and iconography of early Christian Art. Topics covered will include the Acropolis in Athens; the Pantheon and Colosseum, Rome; Greek and Roman statuary such as the Apollo Belvedere and Primaporta Augustus, and the mosaics of San Vitale in Ravenna.
HA1801: Renaissance Studies (10 credits)
This module will explore Italian Renaissance painting, sculpture and architecture. The Renaissance heritage of Rome, Florence and Venice will be explored through case studies. Artists studies will include Giotto di Bondone; Duccio di Buoninsegna; Leonardo Da Vinci; Michelangelo Buonarroti and Raphael Sanzio.
Year 2 Modules
AD2838: Art in the Age of Enlightenment (5 credits)
This module will examine the re-interpretation of Antiquity during the Age of the Enlightment.
AD2871: Revolutions and Reactions (10 credits)
This module will examine the Romantic aesthetic. It will examine Revivalism as engaging with themes of modernity and the non-Western aesthetic. Artists studied will include William Blake, Joseph William Mallord Turner; John Constable and Theodore Gericault.
AD2872: A Crisis of Tradition (5 credits)
This module will examine new approaches to Western aesthetics in the wake of influences from the East, the impact of technological developments and the changes brought about by modernity. The introduction of photography will be examined. Artists covered will include the work of Edouard Manet and the Impressionists.
HA2802: Birth of Contemporary Art (10 credits)
This module will examine the various diverse strands of the Modernist aesthetic during the early 20th century. Topics examined will include: Symbolism; Cubism; Expressionism; Dada; Surrealism. This module will examine art and visual culture after World War II, investigating the continuing developments of modern art and their shift from Paris to New York. It will also examine the rise of visual culture and its subsequent effect on artistic practice and the discipline of art history. Artists studied will include Pablo Picasso and Salvador Dali.
Assessment will include essays, learning journals, field trip reports and online discussion forums. Assessments are optional. If students choose to do assessments they will be guided by professional and experienced tutors. All assessments are designed to match an appropriate learning level. While we want students to do their best, most of all, we want them to enjoy the course.
Programme Coordinator Matthew Whyte at matthew.whyte@ucc.ie