Art 260: Survey of Art History I

Course Syllabus

Instructor: Dr. Robert Tracy

Associate Professor of Art and Architecture History/Criticism

Curator, College of Fine Arts

Office and Office Hours: Grant Hall 202 (895-3658)

M-F 2:30-3:30 PM and by appointment

E-mail address: robert.tracy@unlv.edu

Class Textbook

Fred Kleiner, Gardner’s Art Through the Ages , Volume 1

Sylvan Barnet , A Short Guide to Writing About Art (not required but highly recommended )

Readings

The Ancient World: Egypt, Greece and Rome (for the Midterm Exam)

The Middle Ages: Early Christian, Medieval Through Gothic (for the Final Exam)

Course Description

Art 260 is the first of a three semester Introduction to Art as a visual experience (followed by Art 261 and 266). Media, formal properties, and the historical correlation of art with the ideas of society from which it was made will constitute the content of this course of study.

This class satisfies General Education Requirements in the Arts/Humanities and the Art Core

Course Evaluation

To satisfactorily complete Art 260, each student must pass a midterm exam (worth 25%), a final exam (not comprehensive; also worth 25%), submit a gallery paper (approximately 4-5 pages in length, typed, worth 25%), and participate on the class blog (worth 25%).

Attendance will be taken on a daily basis and will be a factor in awarding a final course grade.

BLOG ADDRESS: (SET UP YOUR ACCOUNT AND THEN USE THIS ADDRESS) http://roberttracyphdart260summer2010.wordpress.com/wp-

admin/

Midterm/Final Slide Exam

Five Paired Slides

First Four Paired Slides :

Identify artist and title of work

Compare/contrast images

Fifth Pair of slides will be unknowns

Identify artist and place historically

Compare/contrast images

Compare/contrast images

A list of images will be distributed one week before the midterm exam

We will have discussed these images (and they should be reproduced in your class textbook depending on edition)

Please bring an exam book for this test

Final exam the same format as midterm

Final exam will only cover last three weeks of Summer Session II

Gallery Paper

Visit the Luxor, Caesar’s Palace, Monte Carlo or Venetian/Palazzo Casino Resorts

Write about the Egyptian, Roman or Venetian stylistic expressions

You may use any writing format

4-5 pages typed, double spaced (cover not necessary but please staple pages together)

Class Format

Lecture (but discussion is encouraged) Slide driven (we will look at a number of images during the semester) Disclaimer regarding images Analysis of composition (we will follow generally the thematic structure

of the required class textbook) Historical context (I’m not asking you to memorize specific dates though)

Attendance Policy

Sign-in sheet every class period Excessive unexcused absences will result in a lowered final course grade The instructor reserves the right to determine what constitutes “excessive

absence”---there is no “magic number”

Classroom Rules

Please turn off cell phones (no texting) Please no talking unless you are contributing to the classroom discussion You may use laptops Please use your Rebelmail (you may link it to your preferred email)

Important Calendar Dates

Friday, June 11: Midterm Exam Friday, June 25: Gallery Paper due (may be turned in earlier though) Thursday, July 1: Final Exam (last class session; Friday, July 2 nd is a

holiday)