Fall 2015

Art History I (Arts 1303-01)

Dr. Fischer, Assistant Professor of Art History

Department of Art, College of Fine Arts and Communication, Lamar University
Classroom: Dishman 101
Class Time: Tuesday/Thursday 8:00-9:20
Office: Dishman 202A
Office Hours: Tuesdays 11-1 or by appointment
Email: julia.fischer@lamar.edu
Office Phone: 409-880-7784 (the best way to contact me is via email)
COURSE DESCRIPTION AND STUDENT LEARNING OUTCOMES
There are no prerequisites for ARTS 1303. This course satisfies the creative arts requirement of
the core curriculum. Art majors are required to follow the prescribed sequence of courses. The
letter grade C will be the minimum prerequisite grade for continuing studio courses in
sequence.
ARTS 1303 is a survey of painting, sculpture, architecture, and the minor arts from prehistoric
times to the fourteenth century. We will consider both the formal development of art and its
cultural/historical context. The format of the course is lecture with discussion.
Upon successful completion of this course, students will
Recognize the visual characteristics of period and individual styles through a study of
major monuments from the prehistoric era to 1400.
Utilize works of art to better understand the social, cultural, and economic realities of
the historical eras.
Use critical thinking skills in order to interpret, analyze, and assess works of art
based upon formal concerns, iconography, and historical context.
Improve visual literacy and to employ art historical terms.
REQUIRED TEXTBOOK
Marilyn Stockstad, Art History Volume 1, 5th edition
All readings must be completed before class.
This textbook is available for purchase at the university bookstore, at amazon.com, and at used
bookstores like Second and Charles (here in Beaumont) and Half Price Books (multiple
locations in Houston). You can also rent the Stockstad textbook for the semester through
amazon.com.
USEFUL WEBSITES FOR STUDY
For a glossary: http://smarthistory.org/glossary.html or http://www.artlex.com/
Art History Resources on the Web: http://arthistoryresources.net/ARTHLinks.html
Smarthistory: http://smarthistory.khanacademy.org/
Helbrun Timeline of Art History: http://www.metmuseum.org/toah/
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BLACKBOARD
This course has a Blackboard component which can be accessed through your https://
my.wip.lamar.edu/ account. On Blackboard, there are links to required readings and essential
materials such as the syllabus, handouts, powerpoints, dropbox to upload assignments and
papers, and announcements. Any changes to the schedule will be announced in class and/or
via email. You are responsible for checking your Lamar email account AND Blackboard
on a regular basis!
COURSE REQUIREMENTS
Your grade will be based on FIVE weighted evaluations:
1.)!
Exams (3): 45%
2.)!
Short Papers (7): 30%
3.)!
Museum Exhibition Review: 15%
4.)!
Attendance: 5%
5.)!
Participation: 5%
The grading scale I employ is a traditional 100% system: A = 90-100%, B = 80-89%, C =
70-79%, D = 60-69%, F = 59% and below. All of your grades will be posted on Blackboard.
Please familiarize yourself with the GRADING POLICY that is posted on Blackboard.
There will be THREE EXAMS during the course of the semester. Your exam will consist of some
or all of the following: short slide identifications, slide comparisons, identifying unknown works of
art, an objective portion (with terms, artists, movements, important historic events and people), and
essays. You will get a chance to write slide identifications, unknowns, and comparisons essays in
short papers . About a week prior to the exam you will get a study guide which will have a list of
works and terms for which you are responsible.
There will be no make-up exams unless an extremely unusual circumstance prevents you from
taking the testand even then only if you have contacted me before the test and can provide
appropriate documentation. If you are granted and excused an absence for the exam (due to
serious illness, for example, or car accident or death in the family), the make-up exam will be a
different format than the regular exams. It is your responsibility to request and make an
appointment for a make-up exam if you are granted an excused absence. Students who miss
an exam without being excused will receive a zero.
A large portion of your grade, 30%, is based on you Short Papers. These papers must be 1-2
full pages of text and analyze and discuss current issues in the art world. If any outside
research is performed, that information MUST be appropriately cited in footnotes following the
Chicago Manual of Style - failure to do so will result in a zero. Each paper must be uploaded to
the appropriate dropbox on Blackboard before class the day it is due so that every student is
prepared to discuss these issues. Instructions and dropboxes are in Blackboard. No late short
papers will be accepted. These short papers will be graded as (satisfactory or 85), +
(exceptional or 100), and - (less than satisfactory or 70). Please see the Grading Policy in
Blackboard for a detailed explanation of these grades.
15% of your grade will be based on your Museum Exhibition Review. This 2-3 page paper will
requires you to visit a museum in-person, examine the museum and an exhibition or gallery
critically, and write your analysis and evaluation. This assignment will be discussed further in
class and instructions will be posted on Blackboard.
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All short papers and the Museum Exhibition Review MUST be turned in via the Dropbox on
Blackboard as a PDF or Word document. No hard copies of your papers or emailed papers
will be accepted.
LATE WORK POLICY: No late short papers will be accepted. For every day your Museum
Exhibition Review is late, 15% of the assignment grade will be subtracted. For example, a
paper that would have received a 100 would receive a 85, and so on.
Finally, Attendance and Participation are worth 10% of your overall final grade (or 5% each).
Throughout the semester, you are expected to participate in class discussions and
comparisons. In addition, attendance is crucial to your success in the course. Please be
advised of the following Department of Art policies apply to missed classes: three absences
will automatically result in a lowered letter grade. After that, the course letter grade will be
lowered half a letter grade for each additional absence. Students will be marked present if
present at time of attendance taking, marked tardy if attending the class late but within the first
half of the class, and absent if arrival is after class midpoint or student is not present. Two
tardies are the equivalent of an absence.
A student absent on the day of scheduled
presentation/exam or other in-class work, or who fails to present on the day of scheduled
presentation/exam or other in-class work while in attendance without prior instructor approval for
rescheduling his/her presentation/exam or other in-class work WILL NOT be granted the
privilege of rescheduling.
IMPORTANT DATES: Mark these in your planner immediately!
Exam 1: 9/24
Exam 2: 10/27
Exam 3: 12/3
Short Papers: 9/1, 9/8, 9/15, 9/29, 10/8, 10/29, and 12/1 (by 8AM)
Museum Exhibition Review: 11/19
Last day to drop or withdraw from the course WITHOUT academic penalty: 9/28
Last day to drop or withdraw from the course WITH academic penalty: 11/9

CLASS ETIQUETTE AND DECORUM

You are expected to arrive on time and not disturb those around you with private chatter, doing
work for other classes, answering cell phone calls, texting, or playing games. No eating or
drinking in the classrooms. All cell phones must be turned completely off when you enter the
classroom. Students who participate in disruptive and inappropriate behaviors will be asked to
leave the class. If you intend to take notes on your laptop, please respect the decorum of the
classroom by not working on other assignments or playing games, updating your facebook
status, etc. This is disrespectful not only to the professor but especially to those around you
who are engaged in the class. Falling asleep, surfing the internet, disrupting class, and
disrespectful behavior towards the class or the instructor will negatively affect your final grade.
ACADEMIC HONESTY
All students are expected to familiarize themselves with all university policies pertaining to
academic performance and conduct. As stated in the Lamar Student Handbook, all students
should maintain complete honesty and integrity in their academic experiences. In this course,
disciplinary action will be brought against any student found guilty of academic dishonesty
including, but not limited to, cheating on an examination or other academic work to be
submitted, plagiarism, collusion, and the abuse of resource materials. Cheating, plagiarism,
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collusion, and the abuse of resource materials are defined on page 82 of the Student
Handbook. In addition, by University policy, a student cannot avoid any penalty for cheating set
forth by the instructor in a course syllabus by dropping the course. Procedures for disciplinary
action due to academic dishonesty shall be the same as in other violations of the Student Code
of Conduct (see Student Handbook) except that all academic dishonesty cases shall first be
considered and reviewed by the faculty member. The process of appeal is located in the
Student Handbook available online.
The course instructor will complete a thorough and impartial investigation of any instance of
academic dishonesty. A student found guilty of academic dishonesty will be notified in writing by
the instructor of the violation, the penalty, and the students right to appeal the determination of
dishonesty and/or the sanction imposed. Penalties for academic dishonesty in this course will
result in either a lowered letter grade or failure of the course as determined by the instructor.
Any occurrences of cheating and/or plagiarism will be prosecuted to the fullest extent
possible.
Disability Resource Center (DRC)
Lamar University is committed to providing equitable access to learning opportunities for all
students. The Disability Resource Center (DRC) is located in the Communications building room
105. Office staff collaborate with students who have disabilities to provide and/or arrange
reasonable accommodations. If you have, or think you may have, a disability (e.g., mental
health, attentional, learning, chronic health, sensory, or physical), please contact the DRC at
409-880-8347 or drc@lamar.edu to arrange a confidential appointment with the Director of the
DRC to explore possible options regarding equitable access and reasonable accommodations.
If you are registered with DRC and have a current letter requesting reasonable
accommodations, we encourage you to contact your instructor early in the semester to review
how the accommodations will be applied in the course.
EMERGENCY PROCEDURES
Many types of emergencies can occur on campus; instructions for severe weather or violence/
active shooter, fire, or chemical release can be found at: http://www.lamar.edu/about-lu/
administration/risk-management/index.html.
Following are procedures for the first two:
SEVERE WEATHER

Follow the directions of the instructor or emergency personnel.

Seek shelter in an interior room or hallway on the lowest floor, putting as many walls
as

possible between you and the outside.

If you are in a multi-story building, and you cannot get to the lowest floor, pick a
hallway in

the center of the building.

Stay in the center of the room, away from exterior walls, windows, and doors.
VIOLENCE/ACTIVE SHOOTER (CADD)
CALL - 8-3-1-1 from a campus phone (880-8311 from a cell phone).
AVOID - if possible, self-evacuate to a safe area outside of the building. Follow the
directions of police officers.
DENY - Barricade the door with desks, chairs, bookcases, or any other items. Move to
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a place inside the room where you are not visible. Turn off the lights and remain quiet.
Remain in side there until told by police it is safe.
DEFEND - Use chairs, desks, cell phones, or whatever is immediately available to
distract and/or defend yourself and others from attack.

CAMPUS CLOSURE (ACADEMIC CONTINUITY PLAN)

In the event of campus closure and evacuation due to a hurricane or other disaster, this course
will continue in an online format until campus reopens. After four days of closure (for evacuation
and relocation), please login to the courses page on Blackboard for class instructions. Lamar
will communicate through Blackboard, your official Lamar email address, and the university
webpage (www.Lamar.edu). These efforts will allow you to complete the course and semester
on time.
IMPORTANT: An impending graduation date or scholarship which requires the maintenance of
a particular GPA, or the GPA requirement for admission to an academic program of study will
not earn you a passing grade in this course. While it does seem to be the trend nowadays,
there will be no negotiation of changing a final grade you will meet with no success. I
do not give grades your grade will be evaluated solely on the scores you earn on your
exams and assignments. While I am happy to meet with you to help you find ways to improve
your scores, do not wait until the end of term to contact me as this will almost certainly be
too late. If you believe I have made a mistake in my calculations, please contact me, and I will
be happy to review your grade.
This syllabus is an agreement between the professor and student to respectively provide and
complete a worthy learning experience. By remaining a registered student in this course, the
student has identified their understanding of the obligations set forth in this syllabus for
satisfactory completion of the course.
CLASS SCHEDULE

DATE

TOPIC/
ASSIGNMENTS DUE

REQUIRED READING

8/25

Introduction to the Course

What is Art in Antiquity?

Stockstad, Introduction

8/26

The Birth of Art in the Prehistoric Period

Stockstad, Chapter 1

9/1

Religion and Art in Ancient Near East

SHORT PAPER #1 DUE by 8AM

Stockstad, Chapter 2

9/3

Kings and Art in the Ancient Near East

Stockstad, Chapter 2

9/8

Permanence and Power: Predynastic and Old

Kingdom Egypt
SHORT PAPER #2 DUE by 8AM

Stockstad, Chapter 3

9/10

Traditional Forms and a Revolution in Art:

Middle and New Kingdom Egypt

Stockstad, Chapter 3

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DATE

TOPIC/
ASSIGNMENTS DUE

REQUIRED READING

9/15

Myth and Art: Bronze Age Greece

SHORT PAPER #3 DUE by 8AM

9/17

Screening: The Cave of Forgotten Dreams

9/22

Catch-Up

9/24

EXAM 1

9/29

The Art of India, China, and Japan before 1400

SHORT PAPER #4 DUE by 8AM

Stockstad, Chapters 9, 10,

and 11

10/1

Pre-Columbian Art

Stockstad, Chapter 12

10/6

Out of the Dark Ages and Into Athens:

Orientalizing, Geometric, and Archaic Greek
Art

Stockstad, Chapter 5

10/8

The Classical Ideal: Greek Art in the 5th

Century BCE
SHORT PAPER #5 DUE by 8AM

Stockstad, Chapter 5

10/13

Changing the Ideal: Late Classical and

Hellenistic Art

10/15

Screening: Chinas Terracotta Warriors

Stockstad, Chapter 5

10/20

Italy Before the Romans: The Art of the Ancient

Etruscans

Stockstad, Chapter 6

10/22

NO CLASS: ASSIGNMENT TBA

10/27

EXAM 2

10/29

Rome Rising: Republican Art and Augustan

Propaganda
SHORT PAPER #6 DUE by 8AM

Stockstad, Chapter 6

11/3

All Roads Lead to Rome: The High Empire

Stockstad, Chapter 6

11/5

The Decline of Rome and the Rise of

Christianity: Early Christian and Byzantine Art

Stockstad, Chapter 7 and

8

11/10

The Art of Judaism/

Islamic Art and Architecture

Stockstad, Chapter 7 and

9

Art History I - Fall 2015

Stockstad, Chapter 4

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DATE

TOPIC/
ASSIGNMENTS DUE

REQUIRED READING

11/12

Renovatio Romani Imperii: Reviving the

Roman Empire in the Early Middle Ages

Stockstad, Chapter 14

11/17

The Church Militant: Romanesque Art in

Europe

Stockstad, Chapter 15

11/19

The Church Triumphant: Gothic Art in Europe

MUSEUM EXHIBITION DUE BY 11:59 PM

Stockstad, Chapter 16

11/24

SCREENING: Novas Building the Great

Cathedrals

11/26

THANKSGIVING: NO CLASS

12/1

Emerging Naturalism: The Art of 14th Century

Europe
SHORT PAPER #7 DUE by 8AM

12/3

EXAM 3: 8:00-10:30

Art History I - Fall 2015

Stockstad, Chapter 17