Unit 1.1 Discussion:
Examine and Extend
The ancient artifacts from the Stone Age reflect the
people’s beliefs, rituals, and lifestyle.
Examine an artifact of your choosing, and consider its meaning; then,
choose a sculptural or architectural artifact for your discussion posting.
Within your response, question the implications of both
artifacts, and extend your knowledge by evaluating others’ input.
Discussion Criteria (shown in first Unit - please use
throughout the course): You are expected to actively participate in all
discussion board forums with a minimum of 1 posting of evidence/experience
backed comments and a minimum of 2 postings of replies to learning colleagues’
comments per question. Your initial reply should be posted by 11:59 p.m. on Wednesday
to allow for discussion and replies throughout the remainder of the week. All
replies (participation) to others must be posted by11:59 p.m. on Sunday. Any
comment or reply submitted after these deadlines will not receive credit.
You are strongly encouraged to participate early &
frequently and to consider any follow-up questions or summary comments (you may
subscribe to the forum in order to stay on top of when people respond or post).
Postings are expected to be professional and in standard written English, with
correct grammar, spelling, and punctuation. Be sure to answer the specific
question(s) of the discussion thread and follow all directions in the forum.
Replies to colleagues’ comments should focus on the content of the question and
their reply and not judge or evaluate the quality or content of their response
(“You did a great job” or “ That’s a wonderful post!” are not appropriate
responses). When citing someone else’s work (readings, articles, websites,
etc.) please use APA 6th edition citations and reference listings.
Unit 1.2 Discussion:
Exploring
Imagine you are hiking through the French countryside, and
you stumble upon an ancient Paleolithic cave, filled with ancient
paintings.
Using the Bradshaw Foundation site, select one of the caves to
explore. Create an explorer's log
describing what you discover; relate the images to what you know about the
Stone Age, and summarize how these images illustrate their civilization's ways
of life.
Follow Discussion Criteria by replying to at least two other
learning colleagues; discussing the differences and similarities of your
explorations. Be creative! Include an APA formatted reference to your cave.
Discussion Criteria (shown in first Unit - please use
throughout the course): You are expected to actively participate in all
discussion board forums with a minimum of 1 posting of evidence/experience
backed comments and a minimum of 2 postings of replies to learning colleagues’
comments per question. Your initial reply should be posted by 11:59 p.m. on
Wednesday to allow for discussion and replies throughout the remainder of the
week. All replies (participation) to others must be posted by11:59 p.m. on
Sunday. Any comment or reply submitted after these deadlines will not receive
credit.
You are strongly encouraged to participate early &
frequently and to consider any follow-up questions or summary comments (you may
subscribe to the forum in order to stay on top of when people respond or post).
Postings are expected to be professional and in standard written English, with
correct grammar, spelling, and punctuation. Be sure to answer the specific
question(s) of the discussion thread and follow all directions in the forum.
Replies to colleagues’ comments should focus on the content of the question and
their reply and not judge or evaluate the quality or content of their response
(“You did a great job” or “ That’s a wonderful post!” are not appropriate
responses). When citing someone else’s work (readings, articles, websites,
etc.) please use APA 6th edition citations and reference listings.
Unit 2.1 Discussion:
Changing Perspective
Everyone recognizes art from Ancient Egypt! It is so
recognizable and memorable. The Pyramids at Giza even made an appearance in
Despicable Me! For this discussion,
reflect on your previous exposure and opinion of Egyptian Art, and explain what
you originally thought of it. Then,
evaluate the new information learned and illustrate your new ability to
interpret this artwork.
Discuss with your learning colleagues how your outlook has
changed or perhaps, stayed the same. Follow the discussion criteria set forth
in the first Unit.
Unit 2.2 Discussion:
Compare and Contrast
Egyptian Art is easily recognizable, due to its extensive
use of a canon. In contrast, the images
from the Dynasty of Ahkenaten and Nefretiti stray from this tradition of
image-making and become a new standard.
Compare and contrast the traditional images of Egyptian Art with that of
the bust of Queen Nefretiti.
Differentiate what was expected from their traditional canon with what
was created for this unique team of rulers.
Discuss with your learning colleagues why these pieces may
have differed from the traditional pieces.
Unit 3.1 Discussion:
Ancient Greek Speculation
The Ancient Greeks had an expertise in creating
architectural masterpieces, impressive in execution and stature. Speculate on their building capabilities, and
observe how the finished products illustrate their artistic tendencies.
Unit 3.2 Discussion:
Ancient Greek Interpretation
The development of life-like sculptures in the Ancient Greek
civilization was impressive to say the least!
What started as knowledge learned from the Egyptians, developed into a
sophisticated skill of turning marble into “life”. After looking at the
sculptures from this Age, discuss your interpretation of their beauty, and how
that beauty may or may not reflect current interpretations of human beauty.
Unit 4.1 Discussion:
Differentiate - Roman Empire v. Ancient Greeks
The art of the Roman Empire has many consistencies with that
of the Ancient Greeks, yet so much of its purpose and creation is
different. Choose an example from the
Romans, and differentiate between the traditional Greek designs and the Roman’s
purpose. Focus on the style of the
piece, and ask how this artwork reflects the new Empire while preserving past
tradition of art.
Unit 4.2 Discussion:
Digging Deeper
This Unit on the Ancient Roman Empire is extensive and
awe-inspiring, much like the Empire itself in its prime. Take this opportunity
to select one element from this Unit to investigate closer. Dig deeper into the history of a specific
piece of art or architecture. Have an
interest in mythology? Use the sculpture
as a medium to explore the mythological stories that fueled the
civilization. Curious about the gladiator
games? Evaluate the Colosseum, and
observe the stories that form the history.
Or perhaps you are a history buff, with an interest in war strategies,
conquest, and empirical rule. Find
something that speaks to you, and share those interests and how the piece you
chose impacts your own life.
Do not forget to attach a picture of the art and cite your
resources!
Unit 5.1 Discussion:
Aesthetic Qualities
It is pretty clear that the artwork of the Early Christians
looks vastly different from what we have covered in the first half of this
class. What do you think of it? Discuss
the aesthetic qualities of this work, and evaluate what it is you like and do
not like about it. Believe it or not,
this history has had a hand in our present day estimation of beauty.
Unit 5.2 Discussion:
Historical Debate
Creating images of Christ was a challenging issue in the
Early Christian period. When you see
images of Christ; even today, chances are his face is instantly recognizable,
for many reasons, that were created in this historical time period. After reviewing the resources on icons,
discuss this historical debate. Relate
it to any personal knowledge you may have, and pose questions as this is a very
tricky issue! Remain respectful of everyone's opinions and try to utilize peer
reviewed resources to support your own position.
Unit 6.1 Discussion:
Illuminated Manuscripts
Many of the artifacts from this time period are small,
portable objects, created with luxurious materials. Most artifacts of this nature are illuminated
manuscripts, created with the utmost of care with the best materials
available. These books were used to
teach the people about the Christian doctrine because most commoners could not
read the Bibles themselves. Put yourself
in their shoes: after seeing these items, would you be swayed? How do you think these art objects identify
Christianity?
Unit 6.2 Discussion:
Ottonian Imagery
Ottonian Art has imagery that is a little different than
what we have seen so far. Even though it
is still images of government leaders and Christian thought, the human features
are, let’s face it: a little weird. This
new trend in imagery is actually an attempt to create emotion. Is it successful in that respect? What do you think has emotional energy, and
what does not?
Unit 7.1 Discussion:
Striking Fear via Art
The most common form of decoration outside of the Romanesque
Cathedrals was images of the Second Coming of Christ, the proverbial moment
when Christ returns to earth, condemns the evil to hell and rewards the good
with heaven. These images are scary,
meant to strike fear in the commoners to do good. How would you have reacted to these images in
this time? Would they scare you into
following the Christian path, or do you think this tactic is ineffective? Justify your opinions with examples and
personal experiences.
Unit 7.2 Discussion:
Evaluation of Romanesque Art
There were many prominent monasteries in the Romanesque
period that thrived in their own rights and established a relationship with the
masses. Consider these prominent
monasteries, discuss their art and cathedrals and how they helped establish
Christianity through architecture and illuminated manuscripts. Investigate one specific art example, and use
your evaluation to conclude how this item in fact helps to establish this
important relationship.
Don't forget to link/cite your specific art example!
Unit 8.1 Discussion:
Gothic Grandeur
The elaborate system of creating Gothic Cathedrals exploded
over Europe in a matter of 100 years.
Considering the new building methods discovered, examine the competitive
nature the cities at this time had and discuss how their individual attempts at
achieving the greatest cathedral build established a universal quest for
grandeur and splendor through Gothic architecture.
Unit 8.2 Discussion:
Jewel Box Interiors
The process of creating stained glass windows is a
fascinating and delicate art medium.
Have you ever seen an artist or craftsperson make hand-blown glass? Did you ever think about where the colors
come from, or how these great achievements were assembled and held
together? Discuss your interpretation of
this process, identify any past experiences with it if any, and consider how
this art form created jewel-box interiors in the Gothic Cathedrals
Unit 3 Assignment
As presented on the Course Information page and in Unit 1,
you will curate an Art History art exhibition as a course project. The theme of this exhibition will be 'The
Evolution of Art'.
For this assignment, you are going to discover the
architecture in your community! Take
some time to explore your hometown, and take a close look at the architecture
of the buildings. Chances are, you will
notice that there are still many design elements created by the Ancient Greek
that are still used today. Take pictures
of the details you find that remind you of the Ancient Greeks, and describe
what you see. Try to find 4-6 different
images to talk about. It doesn't have to
be 4-6 buildings: look for 4-6 details on buildings. Common places where you might find these
details are: town halls, banks, churches, even some houses. Present your discoveries in a PowerPoint
presentation, complete with titles for the images, and a description for each.
This is due by the end of the day Sunday in Unit 3. If you have questions, please post them to
the "Ask the Instructor" forum.
Attached is your grading rubric.
This is due by the end of the day Sunday. If you have questions, please post them to
the "Ask the Instructor" forum.
Attached is your grading rubric.
Week 5 Assignment
As presented on the Course Information page and in Unit 1,
you will curate an Art History art exhibition as a final course project. The theme of this exhibition will be 'The
Evolution of Art'. You will be able to
use this assignment as content in your final presentation.
Take a virtual trip to the Metropolitan Museum of Art in New
York City (Metropolitan Museum of Art: Heilbrunn Timeline of Art History). Navigate their site and search for an artifact
from their Early Christian/Byzantine collections. Choose an item (or items if you want to
explore more than one!), and write a short essay about it. Observe its traits, identify the origin, and
interpret its execution and symbolism in regards to the time’s artistic
tendencies and religious trends.
Illustrate your knowledge of the art by evaluating an artifact of your
liking!
This is due by end of day Sunday. If you should have any questions, please post
in the "Ask the Instructor" forum so everyone can benefit! Attached you will the grading criteria for
this portion of your course project.
Unit 7
Assignment
The architecture of the Romanesque period had significant
influences from the Ancient Romans. Do
these Romanesque buildings remind you of anything from the Ancient Roman
Unit? Do you see similarities within
these buildings that are alike your architectural search of your community in
Unit 3? Choose one Romanesque feature of
architecture, be it an entire structure or a specific detail from Unit 7
content, and compare/contrast it with one from the Ancient World (using an
example from Unit 3 or Unit 4).
Interpret how the Romanesque period used the influence from the Ancients
to create a new system for Christianity.
You will be able to use this assignment as part of your final project.
By this time, you will know this by heart; post any
questions you may have to the "Ask the Instructor" forum!
Unit 8 Final
Project
Your final assignment is to complete the curation of your
online art exhibition that has artwork representing each Unit in chronological
order. Using the unit outlines as a
guide, organize an image presentation where each of the units is represented
(at least two images per Unit). Be creative, and generate an exhibition that
represents your personal tastes and what you have discovered throughout the
course.
Choose two examples of art and/or architecture from each
Unit and search for art online that you can relate to and discuss, based on how
you have learned to evaluate the art in each Unit. For each image selected, write a brief
appraisal, as if you were a critic. Put
the facts and figures aside, and describe your personal reactions to each
piece, as if you were visiting a museum with a friend and expressing your
reactions based on the knowledge you have acquired.
Accompanying the image presentation, write a final paper
linked to the discoveries of your presentation, with appraisals for each Unit
as well as a final reflection on what you have learned, including new knowledge
or discoveries.
Your rubric and grading criteria are attached. This is worth
35% of your final grade, so please ensure that all aspects are covered. It must
be turned in by the end of the day Sunday to receive credit. Our class does end
at that time. Pose any question to the "Ask the Instructor" forum.
The final product will include:
Presentation
Cover slide
Sections based on era
Images/photos of the era (one image per slide)
Brief description of the piece
APA citations covering any needed resources
APA formatted reference slide(s)
Written document
Cover page
Sections linked to presentation slides
Brief appraisal
Personal reaction
Reflection
Reflection on what you learned; including new knowledge or
discoveries
APA formatted reference page(s)