ClSt 206 Art of Ancient Greece
Summer 2013 - Intersession
Department of Classical Studies
Loyola University Chicago/John Felice Rome Center
Classical Studies 206 (formerly 306): The Art of the Ancient Greeks
JFRC Intersession I, 2013 B.M. Lavelle
Course Syllabus (Draft #1[1])
This course is an introduction to the art and archaeology of the ancient Greeks from the Bronze Age (c. 3000 BCE) to the Hellenistic period (first century BCE). It focuses specifically on major developments in ancient Greek architecture, sculpture, pottery and painting. Students will learn what is actually to be seen, comprehended and appreciated by studying art in Greek museums and archaeological sites. They will study the “texts” of individual pieces, while maintaining a sense and grasp of overall form and composition, as well as how individual examples figure in trends, evolutions, and otherwise in their contexts. Students will thus come to understand how the parts and the whole work together to comprise art.
We are very fortunate in this class to be able to visit actual works (or copies of works) of Greek art in museums or in situ.
Learning Outcomes: Knowledge and Skills Areas
- Students will learn to interpret selected examples of ancient Greek art, including painting, sculpture, architecture, and other types from the Bronze Age to the Hellenistic period in light of their aesthetic and cultural values and precedents.
- They will focus in on the details of examples, what is actually to be seen as the “text” of individual pieces, while maintaining their sense and grasp of overall form and composition, as well as how individual examples figure in their immediate and extended contexts.
- Students will come to understand that art even in the rather different culture of the Greeks is yet a communication that reflects the desire of artists to portray the truths of the human condition and environment in aesthetic ways.
- They will also learn that art is inimitably tied to audience, its time and place, and so that it is a representation of social, psychological, political, intellectual, cultural and other topics and concerns.
- Students will develop a better sense of aesthetics and aesthetic appreciation and so understand more about art, ancient and modern.
REQUIRED TEXTS:
J. G. Pedley, Greek Art and Archaeology, 5th edition (Prentice-Hall: 2011).
HIGHLY RECOMMENDED:
R. Barber and J. Flower, Blue Guide: Greece (Norton: 1996).
EVALUATION CATEGORIES/WEIGHTING: GRADING:
Short Reports 15% 90-100 A 72-74 C+
Talking Points/Questions 5% 87-89 A- 68-71 C
Journal 15% 83-86 B+ 65-67 C-
Mid-term 25% 78-82 B 62-64 D+
Final 30% 75-77 B- 58-61 D
Personal summary 10% -57 (let’s not go there!)
Short Reports:
Students will be assigned very short reports of about one (1) page on a particular object of Greek art. Research on the assigned piece is completed and the copy printed (2 copies) before the trip to Greece. One copy is for the instructor, one for the student. These can be rendered in outline form. See Report Assignments (end of syllabus)
Talking Points/Questions:
Students will be assigned one (1) set of talking points and questions for a different art object from the one they are assigned to report on. The student will cite three (3) things of note about the object assigned and pose two (2) questions about it to the class at the conclusion of the short report. Research on the assigned piece is completed and the copy printed (2 copies) before the trip to Greece. One copy is for the instructor, one for the student. These can be rendered in outline form. See Talking Points-Questions Assignments (end of syllabus).
Journal: Students will also keep a journal which will be a rendered digest of their daily taken notes. It may however be enhanced by further comments pertaining to art. The journal should be a day-by-day summary of Greek art seen, heard about, and then evaluated. Each journal entry is daily and should amount to 5-7 sentences, the font is no less than 12 pt, lines are double spaced.
The journal will be sent to the instructor electronically or in long-hand version at the time of the mid-term. The completed journal, which amounts to no less than two and a half (2 ½) pages word-processed may be submitted by email attachment but not later than 72 hours after the final exam (see next).
Personal summary: Students will submit a one-two (1-2) page (word-processed) summary of their experiences in the class, discussing at least three (3) significant features specifically attached to three (3) significant art-objects. This will be submitted at the end of the session but not later than 72 hours after the final exam.
Mid-term and Final examinations:
There will be one midterm on June 25th and a final on June 30th. The subject-matter will be based upon designated examples of Greek art. The format of these exams may include illustrations, short answers, and/or essay questions. Each will last 1.5 hours.
EXAMINATIONS MUST BE TAKEN ON THE DATE AND AT THE TIME SPECIFIED. Due to the brevity of this short course there are no make-ups.
PLAGIARISM/ACADEMIC DISHONESTY: Plagiarism or any other act of academic dishonesty will result minimally in the instructor’s assigning the grade of “F” for the assignment or examination. The instructor may impose a more severe sanction, including a grade of “F” in the course. All instances of academic dishonesty must be reported by the instructor to the chairperson of the department involved, and to the Dean of the College of Arts and Sciences. Please read the full Department and College of Arts and Sciences Statements on Academic Integrity at: www.luc.edu/classicalstudies/academics.shtml#integrity.
Other Information:
Instructor: B. M. Lavelle, Professor
Office Hours: Anytime but when I’m sleeping, parakalÅ!
Department of Classical Studies
Loyola University of Chicago/John Felice Rome Center
CLST 206: Art of the Ancient Greeks
Summer Intersession I, 2013 B. M. Lavelle
Itinerary and Schedule
(Draft #1)
21 June: Arrival in Athens: most in early afternoon
Late afternoon/ walking tour of Kerameikos, Plaka:
early evening: peripateia of the Akropolis;
Monuments of ancient Athens
Dinner: TBD
Hotel: Athens: Jason Inn
12 Assomaton St.
Psirri, Thission, 105 53 Athens
Tel.: +30 210 32 51 106
Fax: +30 210 32 43 132
http://www.douroshotels.com/htr.asp?hotel_id=1
22 June: Morning: Athens: National Museum
Minoan frescoes
Greek pottery and pottery painting:
Geometric to Late to late Classical
Mycenaean art and artifacts
Sculpture: Archaic to Hellenistic: kouroi,
Artemision Zeus, etc.
Afternoon: Athens: Agora and Agora museum (if possible)
Various pieces
Early Evening: Athens: Akropolis and Akropolis Museum
Akropolis (site): Parthenon, Erectheion
Sculptures: korai; sculptures, frieze and metopes
Breakfast: Jason Inn Roof Terrace (what a view!)
Lunch: TBD
Dinner: TBD
Hotel: Athens: Jason Inn
12 Assomaton st.,
Psirri, Thission, 105 53 Athens
Tel.: +30 210 32 51 106
Fax: +30 210 32 43 132
http://www.douros-hotels.com/htr.asp?hotel_id=1
23 June: Morning: Athens→Mycenae→Nafplio
Mycenae: Site: Lion Gate (and wall), Grave circle, Cult rooms, megaron
Mycenae Museum: artifacts from the 16th to the 11th centuries B.C.E.
Afternoon: Nafplio: Free time: Swimming, relaxing
Breakfast: Jason Inn Roof Terrace
Lunch: TBD
Dinner: TBD
Hotel: Nafplio: Park Hotel
Dervenakion 1, Kolokotroni Square
Nafplio
Tel: +30 27520 27428
Fax: +30 27520 27045
24 June: Morning: Nafplio→Sparta→Karyes→Nafplio
Sparta: Site: akropolis, Artemis Orthia
Museum: miscellaneous artifacts, “Leonidas” (possible)
Afternoon: Karyes, Dr. Kopsiafti’s Village (near Sparta)
(This is awesome!)
Breakfast: Park Hotel
Lunch: TBD
Dinner: TBD
Hotel: Nafplio: Park Hotel
Dervenakion 1, Kolokotroni Square
Nafplio
Tel: +30 27520 27428
Fax: +30 27520 27045
25 June: Morning: Nafplio→Olympia
T. of Apollo Epikouros, Bassai (possible)
Afternoon: Mid-term Exam, 1.5 hrs. (at hotel in Olympia)
Free time: They have a really nice pool here.
Breakfast: Park Hotel
Lunch: TBD
Dinner: TBD
Hotel: Olympia: Hotel Europa
Drouva Street
27065 Ancient Olympia
Tel.:+30 26240 22650
Fax: +30 26240 23166
26 June: Morning: Olympia: Site:T. Zeus, T. Hera, Stadium
Olympia Museum: Temple sculptures, Nike, Hermes and Dionysos, Zeus & Ganymede
Afternoon: Olympia→Delphi (Arachova) (via Rhion-
Antirhion) (Long ride: be prepared!)
Coffee break: Nafpaktos?
Breakfast: Hotel Europa
Lunch: TBD
Dinner: TBD
Hotel: Delphi: Hotel Acropole
13 Filellinon Street, 330 54 Fokida
Tel: + (30) 22650 82675
Fax: + (30) 22650 83171
27 June: Morning: Delphi: Site: treasuries, T. Apollo, stadium
Delphi Museum: treasury sculptures, charioteer, Kleobis and Biton, etc.
Thebes: town and museum (possible)
Afternoon: Delphi→Thebes→Athens
Breakfast: Hotel Acropole
Lunch: TBD
Dinner: TBD
Hotel: Athens: Jason Inn
12 Assomaton st.,
Psirri, Thission, 105 53 Athens
Tel.: +30 210 32 51 106
Fax: +30 210 32 43 132
http://www.douros-hotels.com/htr.asp?hotel_id=1
28 June: Morning: Athens: Kerameikos, Temple of Olympian Zeus
Afternoon (earlier): Athens→Brauron
Afternoon (later): Free: swim, relax
Breakfast: Jason Hotel
Lunch: TBD
Dinner: Mare Nostrum
Hotel: Mare Nostrum - Thalasso
Vrauronas Ave 190
03 Vraurona Attika
Tel.: 22940-71000
Fax: 22940-47700
http://www.mare-nostrum.gr/
29 June: Morning: Temple of Poseidon, Sounion (?)
Brauron: Artemis sanctuary, Museum (possible)
Afternoon: Free: swim, relax
Evening: singing, dancing?
Breakfast: Mare Nostrum - Thalasso
Lunch: TBD
Dinner: Mare Nostrum
Hotel: Mare Nostrum - Thalasso
Vrauronas Ave 190
03 Vraurona Attika
Tel.: 22940-71000
Fax: 22940-47700
http://www.mare-nostrum.gr/
30 June: Morning: Final Exam (early, early morning) (in hotel).
Departure for airport, etc.
Breakfast: Mare Nostrum - Thalasso
Short Reports
Short report Assignment Template
Short Reports benefit the whole class. Your assigned object is “yours” and you are the class expert for it. You will be instructing “your class” in what you know better than (almost) anybody else. Your report needs to be clean, clear, and to the point. It must include the following and last no longer than 15 minutes.
Title of Object: What is the object actually called?
Findspot/Finder: Where was it found? Who found it?
Material: What is it made of? Was it/is it painted? If so, with what?
Style: What is its style? (E.g., Geometric, Late Archaic, Classical, etc.)
Technique: How is it rendered (E.g., frieze, fresco, etc.)?
Original or copy? Which of two? How do we know?
Date: What are its exact or approximate dates?
Dimensions: If it’s two dimensions, how high and wide is it? If three, how high, wide & deep.
Description: Exactly what does the object look like? Be detailed. Is it a representation of a mythical character or story? Is there a story that goes with it? Any other important/outstanding/unique things to note about it?
Message: What is the artist obviously trying to convey and how does she/he do that?
Interpretation: What is YOUR interpretation of the object? What does it mean? Be as objective as possible!
Bibliography: You must include at least three (3) sound references with your report. These can be found at either the Loyola IC or the JFRC IC.
(“Wikipedia” is NOT a sound reference. Books are best by far.)
Don’t forget to make two (2) printed out copies of your report, one to give to me at the time of your report and one for you to read from. Be sure that your report is completed and ready to be given before you arrive in Greece. There won’t be any further opportunity on the road for you to do it. I won’t except anything but a printed out copy. (No handwritten reports will be accepted.)
Talking Points and Questions Instructions
In addition to your report, you will also be responsible for a short set of talking points and questions for objects specifically assigned to you. The number of talking points are three (3) and the number of questions two (2). You will be asked to give them right after the assigned report.
For this, at the end of another’s report, you will want to bring to the attention of the class three (3) of the most important points to be made about your assigned object. You will want to ask the class two (2) significant questions about the object. The latter should stimulate thought about the object and may certainly introduce comparisons with other objects.
Remember to make two (2) printed out copies of your talking points/questions, one to give to me and one for you to read from. Be sure that your talking points and questions are completed and ready to be given before you arrive in Greece. There won’t be any further opportunity on the road to do it. I won’t except anything but a printed out copy. (No handwrittens will be accepted.)
Some minor changes may be made to the schedule and itinerary. You will be updated should that occur.
