SYLLABUS. ARTS 3780 (01)

Junior Art History Seminar: Early Netherlandish Painting
Fall 2007: TTh 10:00-11:15, W 12:00-12:50
Dr. Elise Smith (smithel@millsaps.edu)
AC 323 - 974-1432 (o); 601-354-2290 (h)(not after 10:30, please)
Office Hours: M & F 10-10:50, T 3-4, or by appointment (or feel free to just drop in)

Course Description: This course is designed as an upper-level seminar for any student who has had at least one previous art history course, and also as a foundation course for senior comps. The modified seminar format will require considerable reading and research. Active participation through class discussions and presentations will be central to the success of the course. This year's seminar is focused on Jan van Eyck and selected other Netherlandish painters of the 15th and 16th centuries.

Texts:
1) James Snyder, Northern Renaissance Art (New York: Harry N. Abrams, 1985)
2) Craig Harbison, Jan van Eyck: The Play of Realism (London: Reaktion Books, 1997)
Articles will be distributed throughout the semester.

Grades: Each of you will be evaluated on the basis of the following components of the course:
Class participation & article reports 25%
Oral presentation 15%
Reading responses 30%
Paper 30%

Class Attendance and Participation: Regular class attendance is crucial, especially in a seminar, plus it makes the class more fun for all of us -- so I encourage everyone to ask questions, comment, disagree, elaborate, and otherwise join in the conversation. I may occasionally start class by having you write about the readings for that day, so come prepared! These in-class writings will help to generate discussion and will be a way of checking that everyone’s doing the reading.
Absences for whatever reason after the first two will adversely affect your final grade. I will count off one point from your final grade for each absence after the first two. If you are absent for an extended excused illness or family emergency or school sports, you may be able to make up those absences by doing additional writing assignments (it will be your responsibility to consult with me about this if the need arises).

Oral Components of the Course:
1) You’ll give three short reports on articles during the semester (options are noted on the syllabus). Please sign up for the article you want by Friday, Aug. 31 (the sign-up sheet is on my office door). Since the other students won’t have read this article, you’ll make a handout (1-2 pp.) that you give to each of us and that includes the bibliographic information in MLA format, a brief statement of the thesis, and the key points of supporting evidence.
2) You'll give an oral presentation (about 20 minutes in length) at the end of the semester, based on your paper.
3) You’ll be expected to participate fully in the class discussions by asking questions, pulling out relevant ideas or passages from the texts that we read, making connections with other images or issues, being an attentive listener, and helping to keep the class lively and focused.

Reading Responses: For almost every class (as noted on the syllabus) you’ll turn in talking points for that day’s readings. More specifically, for each reading (including Harbison but not Snyder) you should list three interesting points or questions that you’d want to bring up to talk about in class. A couple of sentences for each point is sufficient (in your own words, not a quote), and also give a parenthetical citation of the author’s name and page number(s) so you’ll be able to refer to the text quickly in class.

Research Paper: Your paper (12-15 pp.) should be centered on a well-focused thesis related to some aspect of Netherlandish art of the 15th or 16th centuries. For basic guidelines, see the handout "Tips for Writing Art History Papers" (available at www.millsaps.edu/art/word/PAPERS_TIPS.doc).
Key Due Dates: M, 9/17 Paper topic and preliminary bibliography
M, 10/29 First draft
M, 11/5 Peer reviews
Th, 11/29 Final copy

Late Assignments: Short writings (reading responses and presentation handouts) will not be accepted late. Any other written assignments (research paper drafts and Core 10 paper) that are turned in late will be marked down 1/3 letter grade for each 48 hours that they’re late unless prior arrangements are made (a serious, legitimate, justifiable reason is needed for me to consider granting a student extra time).

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Learning Disabilities: If you have a learning disability and need special arrangements you must discuss it with the appropriate person in Student Affairs and also with each of your instructors. In order for me to be able to accommodate your needs you must inform me within the first week of the semester and we must both sign a written contract clarifying any changes in the expectations and requirements for the course.

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If you're having problems of any sort that are affecting your work in this course or as a student at Millsaps, please feel free to come talk to me about it, or write me an e-mail message. I would be happy to talk with you about any questions or concerns you might have.

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PLAGIARISM - A Reminder
Always be careful about plagiarism, even in short writing exercises and take-home exams. Plagiarism, as you know from Liberal Studies and/or your other core courses, is the use of another person's ideas or words without proper acknowledgement.

Two of the most common forms of plagiarism are defined by Diana Hacker in The Bedford Handbook for Writers (Boston: St. Martin's, 1994) as
"(1) borrowing someone's ideas, information, or language without documenting the source and
(2) documenting the source but paraphrasing the source's language too closely, without using quotation marks to indicate that language has been borrowed" (477).

When should you document a source? In addition to citing the source of a direct quote, you should give a citation when you refer to an idea, opinion, hypothesis, or conclusion from one of your sources, or when you summarize or paraphrase a section of your source, or when you rely on one of your sources for a fact that would not be considered common knowledge for the audience of your paper (Hacker 477-78). The point of all this is to help the reader (and yourself as writer) to distinguish between your own ideas and those with whom you are entering into scholarly conversation.

What is meant by paraphrasing a source too closely? This is probably the kind of plagiarism that I most often see in student papers. It has often been considered "unintentional", but is nonetheless clearly recognizable as plagiarism. With the Honor Code now in place at Millsaps, and with a concerted effort being made by faculty and students alike to clarify the boundaries of academic dishonesty, you will no longer be able to plead lack of understanding but will be turned in to the Honor Council. If you're uncertain about plagiarism, I encourage you to read Hacker, pp. 467-79, on the process of taking notes in order to properly paraphrase your sources and on constructing and writing your essay in order to maintain a strong, clear voice.

HONOR CODE: The honor pledge signed by all students upon entering the College is as follows:
As a Millsaps College student, I hereby affirm that I understand the Honor Code and am aware of its implications and of my responsibility to the Code. In the interests of expanding the atmosphere of respect and trust in the College, I promise to uphold the Honor Code and I will not tolerate dishonest behavior in myself or in others.
Please pledge all your written work for this class with the written pledge: "I hereby certify that I have neither given nor received unauthorized aid on this assignment [Signature]." The abbreviation "Pledged" followed by your signature has the same meaning and is acceptable on assignments other than final exams.

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COURSE CALENDAR (subject to change)(readings are listed on the day they’ll be discussed)
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WEEK ONE: Robert Campin

Wednesday, August 29

Thursday, August 30 – Merode Altarpiece
READ: 1) Snyder 119-123; 2) Schapiro, “Muscipula Diaboli”; 3) excerpt from Panofsky’s Early
Netherlandish Painting

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WEEK TWO: Campin and Van Eyck

Tuesday, September 4 – Merode Altarpiece
READ: 1) Minott, “The Theme of the Merode Altarpiece”; 2) Hahn, “Joseph will Perfect”
ARTICLES FOR REPORTS: Dijkstra, “The Brussels and Merode Annunciation Reconsidered”; Purtle, “The Iconography of Campin’s Madonnas”; and Heckscher, “The Annunciation”

Wednesday, September 5 – Discussion of research techniques

Thursday, September 6 – Ghent Altarpiece
READ: Panofsky, “Hubert and/or Jan van Eyck”
ARTICLE FOR REPORT: Roy and White, “Van Eyck’s Technique”
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WEEK THREE: Van Eyck

Tuesday, September 11 – Ghent Altarpiece
READ: 1) Snyder 88-97; 2) Philip, “The Altarpiece Reconstructed”

Wednesday, September 12 – Discussion of graduate schools and careers
DUE: List of 5 places you might attend or work after graduation (graduate or professional schools,
internships, jobs, etc.), and be prepared to talk about what attracts you to those possibilities. You’ll want to go to the Career Center and research on-line (check out our departmental web site, http://www.millsaps.edu/art/index.shtml, for help! Go to the Art History page and click on the ‘Graduate School’ link, and go to the Opportunities page and click on the ‘Internships’ link)

Thursday, September 13 – Madonna in the Church and Lucca Madonna
READ: 1) Snyder 99 (last indentation)-102 (end); 2) Harbison 78-80, 85-99, 158-92, 198-203
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WEEK FOUR: Van Eyck

Monday, September 17
DUE (in my office by 3:00): Draft of your resume or CV (curriculum vitae) and paper topic with
preliminary bibliography with marks in left margin signifying whether you’re getting it in our library, from
me, through an interlibrary loan (and the date of the order), or another source

Tuesday, September 18 – The Annunciation
READ: 1) Snyder 103-109 (to 2nd indentation); 2) Meiss, “Light as Form and Symbol”; 3) Ward, “Hidden
Symbolism”
ARTICLES FOR REPORTS: Gifford, “Assessing the Evolution”, and Purtle, “Assessing the Evolution”

Wednesday, September 19 – Discussion of your resume or CV

Thursday, September 20 – Virgin with Chancellor Rolin
READ: 1) Snyder 109 (2nd indentation)-110 (2nd column, 1st indentation); 2) Harbison 100, 109-28
ARTICLES FOR REPORTS: Lorentz, “The Virgin and Chancellor Rolin”; Gelfand and Gibson,
“ Surrogate selves”
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WEEK FIVE: Van Eyck

Tuesday, September 25 – Virgin with Canon van der Paele
READ: 1) Snyder 110 (2nd column, 1st indentation)-111; 2) Harbison 48, 57-77; 3) Rothstein, “Vision and
Devotion”
ARTICLE FOR REPORT: Naftulin, “A note on the iconography”

Thursday, September 27 – Arnolfini Wedding
READ: 1) Snyder 111-118; 2) Panofsky, “Jan van Eyck’s Arnolfini Portrait”
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WEEK SIX: Van Eyck

Tuesday, October 2 – Arnolfini Wedding
READ: 1) Bedaux, “The reality of symbols”; 2) Carroll, “In the name of God and Profit”
ARTICLE FOR REPORT: Baldwin, “Marriage as a Sacramental Reflection”

Thursday, October 4 – Arnolfini Wedding
READ: 1) Harbison, “Sexuality and Social Standing”; 2) Harbison (book) 33-47
ARTICLE FOR REPORT: Campbell, “The Arnolfini Double Portrait”
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WEEK SEVEN: Rogier van der Weyden

Tuesday, October 9 – St. Luke Drawing the Virgin
READ: 1) Snyder 119, 124-27 (end); 2) Apostolos-Cappadona, “Picturing Devotion”; 3) Kann, “Rogier’s St. Luke”

Thursday, October 11 – Miraflores and St. John Altarpieces
READ: 1) Snyder 127 (end)-133 (right column, 1st indentation)
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WEEK EIGHT: Rogier van der Weyden and Hugo van der Goes

Tuesday, October 16 – Bladelin and Columba Altarpieces
READ: 1) Snyder 133 (right column, 1st indentation)-139; 2) Acres, “The Columba Altarpiece”
ARTICLE FOR REPORT: Lane, “Incarnation, Transubstantiation, and the Rituals of Christmas”

Thursday, October 18 – Portinari Altarpiece
READ: 1) Panofsky, excerpt from Early Netherlandish Painting; 2) Koch, “Flower Symbolism”
ARTICLE FOR REPORT: Walker, “The Demon of the Portinari Altarpiece”
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WEEK NINE: Hugo van der Goes

Tuesday, October 23 - FALL BREAK: NO CLASS MEETING

Thursday, October 25 – Portinari Altarpiece
READ: 1) Snyder 169-76; 2) Miller, “Miraculous Childbirth”
ARTICLE FOR REPORT: Crum, “Facing the Closed Doors to Reception?”

Friday, October 26, 2:00 pm – Gallery Talk about the exhibition “Urban Abstraction” by Susan Maakestad, Associate Professor of Art at Memphis College of Art
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WEEK TEN: Hieronymus Bosch

Monday, October 29
DUE: First draft of paper (copies by noon to me and your peers’ P.O. boxes or dorm doors)

Tuesday, October 30 – The Haywain and The Prodigal Son
READ: 1) Snyder 195-96, 205-12 (top of right column); 2) Tuttle, “Bosch’s Image of Poverty”; 3) De Bruyn, “Hieronymus Bosch’s So-called Prodigal Son Tondo”
ARTICLE FOR REPORT: Zupnick, “Bosch’s Representation of Acedia”

Thursday, November 1 – Garden of Earthly Delights
READ: 1) Snyder 212 (top of right column)-217; 2) three primary sources (De Guevara, Van Mander, and
De Siguenza)
ARTICLE FOR REPORT: Glum, “Divine Judgment”
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WEEK ELEVEN: Bosch

Monday, November 5
DUE: Peer reviews to the writers by 5:00 (dorm door or P.O. box)

Tuesday, November 6 – Garden of Earthly Delights
READ: 1) Gombrich, “Bosch’s ‘Garden of Earthly Delights’”; 2) Gibson, “The Garden of Earthly Delights”; 3) Vervoort, “The Pestilent Toad”
ARTICLES FOR REPORTS: Dixon, “Bosch’s Garden of Delights triptych”; Tuttle, “Lilith in Bosch’s Garden of Earthly Delights”

Thursday, November 8 – Garden of Earthly Delights
READ: 1) Jacobs, “The Triptych Unhinged”
ARTICLES FOR REPORTS: Dempsey, “Sicut in utrem”; Bergman, “The Garden of Love”
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WEEK TWELVE: Pieter Bruegel

Tuesday, November 13 – Wedding Feast and Wedding Dance
READ: 1) Snyder 484-502; 2) Gibson, “Some Notes”; 3) Alpers, “Bruegel’s festive peasants”

Thursday, November 15
READ: Sullivan, “Wit, Humor, and Ingenuity” (excerpt from Bruegel’s Peasants)
ARTICLE FOR REPORT: Sullivan, “Facts and Fictions” (excerpt from Bruegel’s Peasants)
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WEEK THIRTEEN: Pieter Bruegel

Tuesday, November 20 – Dulle Griet
READ: 1) Gibson, “Bruegel, Dulle Griet, and sexist politics”; 2) Sullivan, “Madness and Folly”
ARTICLE FOR REPORT: Pinson, “Folly and Vanity in Bruegel’s Dulle Griet”

Thursday, November 22 – THANKSGIVING
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WEEK FOURTEEN: Pieter Bruegel

Tuesday, November 27 – Fall of Icarus
READ: 1) Kilinski, “Bruegel on Icarus”; 2) Baldwin, “Peasant Imagery”
ARTICLES FOR REPORTS: Kavaler, “Pieter Bruegel’s Fall of Icarus”; De Vries, “Bruegel’s Fall of Icarus”

Thursday, November 29 – WORK DAY
DUE: Final copy of paper (to my office, by 5:00)

Friday, November 30, 12:30 pm – Friday Forum & Gallery Talk: Seentences, Solo Exhibition of “visual sentences” and issues of seeing by Greely Myatt: Professor of Art at The University of Memphis
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WEEK FIFTEEN: Presentations (Tuesday, Wednesday, and Thursday)