Art Historical Fictions

ISHU 4161, Summer 2014

Undergraduate, 3 semester units

Dr. Dianne Pitman, dwp2n@viriginia.edu

Class Description: Explores recent movies and novels with art historical themes and references. Questions the boundaries between history, criticism, and fiction. Examines the necessity of narrative frameworks for understanding visual art and attempts to gain new perspective on today's culture by characterizing its distinctive attitude toward historical art.

Learning Outcomes: historically-based appreciation of a selection of famous artists of the past as well as recent novelists and filmmakers; ability to use the appropriate descriptive vocabulary and critical concepts to analyze works of visual and narrative art; understanding of the conventions, limitations, and interrelations of fact and fiction in the humanities.

Assessment Components: participation in discussions (20%), daily short writing assignments (40%), final project (40%).

Required Text: none.

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