AH10120 The Art of the Renaissance: Reform and Rebirth

Academic Year 2023/2024

This module acts as an introduction to the art of the Renaissance, c.1300-1600, with a particular emphasis on Italy. We shall probe the Renaissance's reputation as a period of rebirth and reform and the extent to which it was founded upon a revivalist interest in the art and culture of the ancient world. Many of the notions governing our perception of the artist’s role in society stem from the Renaissance, when the first great personalities of Western art began to emerge, including Leonardo da Vinci, Michelangelo, Raphael, Titian, Albrecht Dürer, Hieronymus Bosch, and Pieter Bruegel. The first women artists of repute, such as the painters Sofonisba Anguissola and Lavina Fontana, can also be associated with this this immensely creative period. As well as profiling the careers of these and many other notable artists, this module will place individual works of art within their wider historical and cultural context, exploring changing patterns of artistic production, techniques and patronage. A dramatic story begins to unfold: the artist’s rise from the status of an artisan to that of an intellectual, capable of winning ever greater social, professional and critical esteem.

This module would work particularly well in combination with its sister module AH10160 Art History in the Making, also running this autumn, and its sequel AH10140 Baroque to Romanticism (spring 2024). Together with AH10150 The Modern World, these courses combine to offer first year students an overall foundation in the history of Western Art from antiquity to the modern era. See: https://www.ucd.ie/arthistory/study/undergraduateprogrammes/

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Curricular information is subject to change

Learning Outcomes:

At the end of this module, students should be able to demonstrate the ability to do the following:
- regularly and punctually attend classes, engage with their lecturers and tutors, work to set deadlines, and submit original, non-plagiarised work in accordance with the standards expected at university, and without recourse to AI tools (these are unreliable, will not help you learn, and will not prepare you for the exam).
- be familiar with, and understand, a range of recommended set texts and critical/ theoretical sources relevant to the course, and be able to work under test/ exam conditions without reliance on lecture notes or other learning aids.
- identify and explain those factors involved in the rise in the social and intellectual status of the artist during the European Renaissance.
- recognise the main stylistic developments in European Renaissance art and architecture.
- identify the works of key artists and their significance within the European Renaissance.
- relate such issues to the wider concept of the Renaissance as a period of revival and reform in Western culture.

Indicative Module Content:

Many of the notions governing our perception of the artist’s role in society stem from the Renaissance; as we explore changing patterns of artistic production, techniques and patronage, a dramatic story begins to unfold: the artist’s rise from the status of craftsman to that of an intellectual, capable of winning ever greater social, professional and intellectual esteem.

Student Effort Hours: 
Student Effort Type Hours
Lectures

20

Small Group

5

Specified Learning Activities

37

Autonomous Student Learning

38

Total

100

Approaches to Teaching and Learning:
In addition to formal classes, students will be strongly encouraged to study relevant works of art in the National Gallery of Ireland and to visit UCD library to make use of recommended texts. An over-reliance on web/ digital resources is discouraged wherever circumstances allow. It is also essential that while students should strongly engage with recommended texts and lecture content, they should also develop their own, informed, ideas and arguments.

NB. Resits and repeats: it is incumbent on any undergraduate student who fails this module to contact the lecturer as soon as possible, and early in the subsequent term, to announce their intention to resit, and to obtain details of resit assignments. Any resit/ repeat registration/ fee issues should be dealt with by the UCD College Arts and Humanities Programme Office. 
Requirements, Exclusions and Recommendations
Learning Recommendations:

This module would work particularly well alongside AH10130 The Art of the Ancient and Medieval World. Together with the spring modules AH10140 Baroque to Romanticism and AH10150 The Modern World, these four modules combine to offer an overall foundation in the history of Western Art from antiquity to the modern era.


Module Requisites and Incompatibles
Incompatibles:
AH10050 - European Art 1, AH10070 - Dublin: Its Museums, AH10250 - Antiquity to Renaissance


 
Assessment Strategy  
Description Timing Open Book Exam Component Scale Must Pass Component % of Final Grade
Essay: The essay will be submitted in November details tbc. Week 9 n/a Graded No

40

Continuous Assessment: This is a course participation grade designed to reflect your participation in tutorials, and your engagement with class materials on Brightspace, and if necessary online. Varies over the Trimester n/a Graded No

10

Examination: During the test you will be asked to identify, date and comment on images discussed in class - details tbc. 2 hour End of Trimester Exam No Graded No

50


Carry forward of passed components
Yes
 
Resit In Terminal Exam
Spring Yes - 2 Hour
Please see Student Jargon Buster for more information about remediation types and timing. 
Feedback Strategy/Strategies

• Feedback individually to students, post-assessment

How will my Feedback be Delivered?

Students have the opportunity to discuss the written feedback on their essay and their performance in the slide test.

A provisional reading list is available on request from the module coordinator, Philip Cottrell - please email philip.cottrell@ucd.ie.
Name Role
Dr Sean Leatherbury Lecturer / Co-Lecturer
Assoc Professor John Loughman Lecturer / Co-Lecturer
Professor Lynda Mulvin Lecturer / Co-Lecturer
Ms Ros Waller Tutor
Timetabling information is displayed only for guidance purposes, relates to the current Academic Year only and is subject to change.
 
Autumn
     
Lecture Offering 1 Week(s) - Autumn: Weeks 2-12 Thurs 12:00 - 12:50
Lecture Offering 1 Week(s) - 2, 3, 4, 5, 6, 7, 9, 10, 11, 12 Tues 11:00 - 11:50
Tutorial Offering 1 Week(s) - 5, 6, 7, 8, 9, 10, 11, 12 Wed 10:00 - 10:50
Tutorial Offering 2 Week(s) - 5, 6, 7, 8, 9, 10, 11, 12 Wed 11:00 - 11:50
Tutorial Offering 3 Week(s) - 5, 6, 7, 8, 9, 10, 11, 12 Wed 12:00 - 12:50
Tutorial Offering 4 Week(s) - 5, 6, 7, 8, 9, 10, 11, 12 Wed 14:00 - 14:50
Tutorial Offering 5 Week(s) - 5, 6, 7, 8, 9, 10, 11, 12 Wed 15:00 - 15:50
Tutorial Offering 6 Week(s) - 5, 6, 7, 8, 9, 10, 11, 12 Wed 16:00 - 16:50
Autumn