Renaissance to Revolution - History through Art Thursdays ♦ ♦ ♦ ♦ 1:00-3:00pm ♦ ♦ ♦ ♦ January 26 – March 2 ♦ ♦ ♦ ♦ Freight & Salvage

While historical study tends to rely primarily on written texts, artwork can supply

an important visual dimension for the past. Great artists have always been sensitive

observers; their paintings often serve as articulate commentaries on their times.

Through an examination of pivotal cultural movements, this course will explore the

three fundamental configurations of the dynamic relationship between history and art. Recommended Text: From Giotto to Cezanne: A Concise History of Painting – Michael Levey

A) Art Celebrating Historical Developments:

1) Italian Renaissance – City-Republics ▪ Ingredients for Cultural Revival

Naturalism ▪ Perspective ▪ Representation

Elite Patronage ▪ Expressions of New Humanism

2) Enlightenment – French Philosophes and Parisian Salons

Court Society ▪ French Neo-Classicism

Golden Age of Aristocracy ▪ Rococo Elegance

B) Art Resisting Historical Developments:

3) 17th Century Baroque – Exuberant Splendor vs. Protestant Ethic

Counter-Reformation or Catholic Renewal?

Rubens - Dramatic Art for Spiritual Elevation

4) Romantic Reaction – Industrial Revolution and Art of Nature

Emotional Intensity ▪ Repudiation of Reason

Romantic Individualism vs. Victorian Sensibilities

C) Art Influencing Historical Developments:

5) Reformation Europe – Christian Humanism ▪ Revolution in Religion

Renaissance Papacy ▪ Protests against Indulgences

Printing Press and German Religious Woodcuts

6) Nationalistic Art – French Revolution & the Napoleonic Legacy

Wagner’s Ring Cycle ▪ Rise of German Nation

19thcentury Gothic Revival ▪ British Pre-Raphaelites

Instructor: Dr. Bruce Elliott belliott@berkeley.edu