UMUC Europe Syllabus for ARTH 199O

A study of the history of Dutch art. Topics include Dutch artists such as Van Gogh and others. Students may receive credit for only one of the following courses: ARTH 199O or ARTH 489O.

Course Goals/Objectives:

Upon completion of the course, students should be able to: * discuss the history of Dutch art from a historical perspective * discuss the significance of the 17th century "the Golden Age of Dutch art", including discussions of the contributions or Rembrandt and Vermeer, to the history of art with emphasis on their role in the history of modern art * discuss the ways in which Vermeer's experiments with light anticipate Impressionists experiments in the mid 19th century and why this is important * discuss the ways in which Rembrandt's influence is suggested in the early experiments of Vincent Van Gogh * discuss the ways in which Van Gogh's experiments with color/content/structure anticipate works by the Dutch painter DeKooning and other painters of the New York School * discuss the history of the Expressionist movement in art today and speculate about the future of this movement * discuss the role of art and the responsibility of the artist in our society

Course Introduction:

This Seminar will be an overview of the history of Dutch art and the role it has played in the history of art beginning with an overview of contributions by the 17th century painters Rembrandt and Vermeer. The painters identified by the Dutch as the Dutch Masters Rembrandt, Van Gogh and DeKooning will be explored in depth. The focus will be on the way in which these painters learned from and expanded upon the contributions of each other. The lecture materials will be complimented by visits to the three museums in Amsterdam which house examples of works by these artists. The Rijksmuseum, The Van Gogh Museum and the Stedelijk Museum of Modern Art.

Grading Information and Criteria:

Museum Projects (3) 20 points each. (60 points_ Final Comprehensive 30 points Reading assignment. 10 points

Other Information:

Students are expected to attend all lectures and participate in Museum visits. Project Descriptions assignments will be coordinated with lectures, museum visits and reading material.

Project Descriptions:

Upper Level Students will write a five page paper, due four weeks after the completion of this Seminar. Topic to be selected in Amsterdam.

Academic Policies:

Cases of plagiarism are handled consistent with current UMUC guidelines. See the UMUC policies at the following URL: http://www.umuc.edu/policy/

Course Schedule:

Day 1. Lecture: Introduction/Overview of Dutch art. Museum Project to be completed at the Rijksmuseum and The Van Gogh Museum Day 2. Lecture: Introduction to the Dutch Masters. Rembrandt, Van Gogh, DeKooning and their contributions to the history of art. The emphasis will be on Van Gogh and his role as the Father of Expressionism, sources/influences that shaped Van Gogh's evolution as a painter and how his influence is suggested in works by DeKooning. Museum projects to be completed in the Van Gogh Museum and the Stedelijk Museum of Modern Art. Final: Essay Test