Syllabus

1. ARTH 1441: Historical Survey of the Arts – Renaissance to
Modern
Summer B-Session 2019; Monday-Thursday 4:00-5:30 pm
Classroom: 201 Design Building
Instructor: Lydia J. Treadwell, M.A.
Email: ljdorsey@lsu.edu
Office hours: by appointment only; via Skype/Zoom/phone
Course Description
The course surveys the development of art and architecture from the Renaissance to the modern era.
The first part of the course will trace how the rediscovery of art from classical antiquity inspired artistic
innovations in Italy and Northern Europe from the fourteenth to the sixteenth century. The second part of the
course is dedicated to early modern art, from the eighteenth to the nineteenth century in Europe, with an
emphasis on the French Revolution and its aftermath. In the last third of the course, we will focus on various
avant-garde movements in Europe and America in the early twentieth century. The survey will conclude with an
overview of the increasingly pluralistic art world that has emerged in the United States and Europe since 1945.
This course satisfies LSU’s General Education requirement in the Arts. It meets several of the learning objectives
outlined for General Education courses by (1) incorporating study of broader art historical themes and their
underlying concepts; (2) introducing students to acknowledged artistic masters and masterworks; and (3)
encouraging an understanding of historical, visual, and aesthetic paradigms.
Course Learning Outcomes
After completing this course, you will be able to:
1. Identify the major periods, styles, and works of art and architecture in Western art history from the
Renaissance to mid-twentieth century
2. Critically analyze, compare, and contrast works of art using formal and iconographic art historical analysis
3. Interpret and contextualize artists, artworks, and movements within the framework of historic, social,
religious, and political paradigms that influenced art and architecture over time.
Recommended Textbook
There is no required textbook for this course, but if you would like to be able to preview course
content before we cover it in class, or you would just like an art history textbook, I’d recommend
the following:
Marilyn Stokstad’s Art History, Vol. 2
5th
OR 6th
edition, Pearson, 2018. (The 5th
edition is much cheaper)
ISBN: 978-0134479262
 Buy/rent this book on Amazon-6th
edition
 Buy/rent this book on Amazon-5th
edition
Grade Breakdown
 In-class attendance/participation: 15%
 Critical Compare/Contrast: 25%
 Midterm Exam: 30%
 Final Exam: 30%

2. Midterm and Final Exam
Students will take a midterm exam and a final in this class, both of which will be given in class. There is no
cumulative “final exam” at the end of this course. The two exams will consist of a combination of multiple choice,
image identifications and essay questions that will assess the following learning outcomes:
 Demonstrate your knowledge of the major topics, movements, and terms/vocabulary by answering
multiple choice and essay-based questions
 Demonstrate their skills of critical thinking and critical art historical analysis in connecting broad
historical/conceptual themes of the class to specific artists and works of art in well-organized responses to
essay questions
 Identify works of art by title, artist/creator, style, and time period, and use them as examples to support
your arguments in response to essay-based questions.
Should you need any accommodations for your exam, please provide your Accommodations Letter from the
Office of Disability Services during the first week of class.
Critical Compare/Contrast Essay
In this paper, you will conduct a traditional art historical analysis. You will choose two works of art or architecture
(at least one that we have covered in the course) from two different movements or time periods to compare and
contrast. You will:
 Conduct a visual/formal analysis and compare/contrast the works using the elements of art and
appropriate art historical vocabulary/terms
 Conduct iconographic analysis comparing the iconographic content/symbolism in each work (art) or
architectural structure and details (architecture)
 Research and discuss historical context and significance and connect/relate this information to the visual
and iconographic analyses (consult at least two academic sources: NOT Wikipedia, or any “.com” art
history site—must be a museum or .edu site OR a scholarly source such as JSTOR)
Length and Formatting Requirements:
 1500-2000 words (no penalty for exceeding the word max)
 Double-spaced, 12-point font, one-inch margins all around
 Properly cite sources using either MLA or Chicago (in-text citations and a Works Cited page at the end of
your paper)
 Attach your images on a separate page with proper labels (artist, title, date, medium)
 Upload your submission to the Moodle assignment
It is recommended that you email me your two choices for approval before beginning writing! Grading rubric for
this assignment is available on Moodle.
Class Attendance/Participation
Fifteen percent of your overall final grade will come from both your overall course attendance and participation in
in-class activities. Each day, I will take attendance as well as keep track of who is actively engaged and
participating during class. We will have a couple of in-class activities based on the topic we are studying. Though
the actual activity will not be graded, your active participation in these activities will be. I will assign you a
participation score out of 100% at the end of the semester that will account for 15% of your final grade based on
the grading scale below:

3. ARTH 1441 Class Attendance/Participation Rubric
A (100-90) B (89-80) C (79-70) D/F (69-0)
Attends class regularly and
always contributes to the
discussion by raising
thoughtful questions,
analyzing relevant issues,
building on others’ ideas,
synthesizing across readings
and discussions, expanding
the class’ perspective, and
appropriately challenging
assumptions and
perspectives. Actively
engaged in in-class
activities.
Attends class regularly and
sometimes contributes to
the discussion in the
aforementioned ways.
Attended in-class activities,
but lacking participation
Frequent absences,
rarely contributes to
the discussion in the
aforementioned ways.
Missed most or all in-
class activities or
refused to participate.
Regularly absent from
class, never contributes
to the discussion in the
aforementioned ways.
Missed most or all in-
class activities or
refused to participate.
Technology/Classroom Behavior Policy
Only laptops and tablets will be permitted for use during class—put away all cell phones. However, Using your
laptop or tablet to take notes often leads to checking email and social media or browsing the internet. This
hinders your learning and has also been shown to distract those around you. Therefore, I highly recommend
taking notes on paper or printing out the PowerPoints beforehand.
Abuse of technology during class will be grounds for immediate dismissal and forfeiting your participation grade
for the day. Please be an adult about this, and put away any non-course related distractions!
Make-up/Extra Credit Policy
If you are experiencing personal issues or other circumstances that may prevent you from attending class or
submitting your work on time, please contact me as soon as possible to make me aware of your situation. I would
rather you let me know beforehand than submit your assignments late or stop attending class without an
explanation.
Under no circumstances will any student be able to make-up the midterm or final exam without a university-
approved, officially documented excuse. Students will not be permitted to submit missed assignments that they
failed to turn in earlier in the semester. No end-of-semester submissions of missed work will be accepted nor will I
accept resubmissions of essays or in-class activities for a grade reassessment. Additionally, no extra credit
opportunities will be given and no “I” grade-requests will be granted.
Disability and Accommodations Statement
According to our General Catalog, the Office of Disability Services assists students in identifying and developing
accommodations and services to help over-come barriers to the achievement of personal and academic goals.
Services are provided for students with temporary or permanent disabilities. Accommodations and services are
based on the individual student's disability-based need. Students must provide current documentation of their
disabilities. Students should contact the office early so that necessary accommodations can be arranged. Please
notify me directly and as soon as possible of any accommodations you require. You should submit any
documentation from ODS during the first week of class.

4. Academic Misconduct
High standards of academic integrity are crucial for the University to fulfill its educational mission. To uphold
these standards, procedures have been established to address academic misconduct.
As a guiding principle, the University expects Students to model the principles outlined in the University
Commitment to Community, especially as it pertains to accepting responsibility for their actions and holding
themselves and others to the highest standards of performance in an academic environment. For example, LSU
students are responsible for submitting work for evaluation that reflects their individual performance and should
not assume any assignment given by any professor is a “group” effort or work unless specifically noted on the
assignment. In all other cases, students must assume the work is to be done independently. If the student has a
question regarding the instructor’s expectations for individual assignments, projects, tests, or other items
submitted for a grade, it is the student’s responsibility to seek clarification.
Any Student found to have committed or to have attempted to commit Academic Misconduct is subject to the
disciplinary sanctions set forth in Section 9.0.
An instructor may not assign a disciplinary grade, such as an "F" or zero on an assignment, test, examination, or
course as a sanction for admitted or suspected Academic Misconduct in lieu of formally charging the student with
Academic Misconduct under the provisions of this Code. All grades assigned as a result of accountability action
must be approved by the Dean of Students or designee.
TL;DR: Academic misconduct (plagiarism, cheating, passing off others’ work as your own, etc.) will not be
tolerated. Any suspected instances of misconduct will be reported to the LSU Office of Student Advocacy and
Accountability.
Tentative Course Schedule
This schedule is subject to modification. Please take note of the major due dates for the in-class activities, exams,
and your paper. No late work will be accepted; no make-ups for missed exams or in-class activities without a
documented, university-approved excuse.
Date Topics/Assignments/Activities
Monday, June 3rd What is Art History?
Formal analysis/elements of art review
Medieval art/Italian Proto-Renaissance
Tuesday, June 4th Italian Renaissance (Quattrocento)
Wednesday, June 5th* Italian Renaissance (Cinqucento)
*Final day to drop course without “W”
Thursday, June 6th Northern Renaissance
In-class activity
Monday, June 10th Italian Mannerism and Baroque
Tuesday, June 11th Northern Baroque
Rococo and Neoclassicism
Wednesday, June 12th Catch-up/Review Day
Thursday, June 13th Midterm Exam
Monday, June 17th Romanticism, Realism, and Photography
Tuesday, June 18th Impressionism and Post-Impressionism
Wednesday, June 19th Fauvism, Expressionism
Thursday, June 20th Cubism, Futurism
In-class activity
Monday, June 24th Dada and Surrealism
Tuesday, June 25th* In-class activity

5. DeStijl, Bauhaus
*Final day to drop course
Wednesday, June 26th Regionalism and Pop Art
Thursday, June 27th Abstract Expressionism
Critical Comparison Essay Due
Monday, July 1st Post Modernism/Contemporary Art
Tuesday, July 2nd Catch-up/Review Day
Wednesday, July 3rd Final Exam (non-cumulative)
Thursday, July 4th Independence Day - No class
Wednesday, July 10th Final grades due – 9:00 am