| Unit name | How to Live Well: The Art of the Netherlands 1500-1700 |
|---|---|
| Unit code | HART20030 |
| Credit points | 20 |
| Level of study | I/5 |
| Teaching block(s) |
Teaching Block 2 (weeks 13 - 24) |
| Unit director | Dr. Hunt |
| Open unit status | Not open |
| Units you must take before you take this one (pre-requisite units) |
None |
| Units you must take alongside this one (co-requisite units) |
None |
| Units you may not take alongside this one |
None |
| School/department | Department of History of Art (Historical Studies) |
| Faculty | Faculty of Arts |
Why is this unit important?
Special Field seminars offer you the opportunity to study with an academic who is a specialist in this area of research. You will be taught in small-group settings that allow you to develop your knowledge and skills through critical reading and extensive discussion, exposing you to current debates in art history.
How does this unit fit into your programme of study?
Special Fields build on your previous units by allowing you to focus on a particular subject in greater depth. You will further your understanding of specific geographical and temporal contexts; hone your critical skills, including visual analysis; and develop greater confidence with primary sources and complex concepts to support your independent research.
An overview of content
Huge political, religious, social, and cultural changes characterise the 16th- century Netherlands and the 17th- century newly-independent Dutch Republic. The Netherlands became a centre of humanist education, medical and scientific study and geographical exploration. In the new Reformed religious environment, concerns about virtue and morality became increasingly urgent, and questions of civility were of considerable interest in an era of self-fashioning. There was no shortage of advice in the form of courtesy and moralising literature, humanist writings and emblem books, addressed to men and women of all ages. This unit will explore the development of Netherlandish and Dutch art, particularly genre painting and portraiture, against this backdrop. The unit will consider imagery of children, women, soldiers, scholars and citizens, demonstrating both model and transgressive behaviour. Students will examine the theoretical approaches to the art of this period and familiarise themselves with current scholarly debates.
How will students, personally, be different as a result of the unit
You will develop your critical skills, building confidence and competencies that will help you in the approach to the assessments and provide a foundation for other specialist units in Year 3.
Learning Outcomes
On successful completion of this unit, you will be able to:
1) identify key themes in the history of art from the early modern Netherlands;
2) describe and analyse the interrelationship between works of art and the social, intellectual, religious and political historical context;
3) reflect critically upon the historiographical debates that surround early modern Netherlandish and Dutch art using a range of textual material, including both secondary and primary source texts;
4) evaluate key vocabulary and theoretical terms relevant to both the historical period and modern scholarship;
5) demonstrate skills in academic writing appropriate to level I.
Classes will involve a combination of long- and short-form lectures, class discussion, investigative activities and practical activities, which include visual analysis. Students will be expected to engage with readings and participate on a weekly basis. This will be further supported with drop-in sessions and self-directed exercises with tutor and peer feedback
Tasks which count towards your unit mark (summative):
Essay 3000-word (75%) [ILO 1-5]
Timed assessment (25%) [ILOs 1-5]
When assessment does not go to plan
When required by the Board of Examiners, you will normally complete reassessments in the same formats as those outlined above. However, the Board reserves the right to modify the format or number of reassessments required. Details of reassessments are confirmed by the School/Centre shortly after the notification of your results at the end of the year.
If this unit has a Resource List, you will normally find a link to it in the Blackboard area for the unit. Sometimes there will be a separate link for each weekly topic.
If you are unable to access a list through Blackboard, you can also find it via the Resource Lists homepage. Search for the list by the unit name or code (e.g. HART20030).
How much time the unit requires
Each credit equates to 10 hours of total student input. For example a 20 credit unit will take you 200 hours
of study to complete. Your total learning time is made up of contact time, directed learning tasks,
independent learning and assessment activity.
See the University Workload statement relating to this unit for more information.
Assessment
The Board of Examiners will consider all cases where students have failed or not completed the assessments required for credit.
The Board considers each student's outcomes across all the units which contribute to each year's programme of study. For appropriate assessments, if you have self-certificated your absence, you will normally be required to complete it the next time it runs (for assessments at the end of TB1 and TB2 this is usually in the next re-assessment period).
The Board of Examiners will take into account any exceptional circumstances and operates
within the Regulations and Code of Practice for Taught Programmes.
