96406 - History and Methodology of Art Criticism

Learning outcomes

By the end of the course the student: knows the most relevant aspects of the history and methodology of art criticism from the medieval to the contemporary age; knows the historical and social contexts in which artistic historiography and methods of art analysis have developed; is able to contextualize the main historical-critical themes related to the visual arts; has the basic skills to develop an autonomous critical judgement using texts and documentary sources.

Course contents

The course intends to present the fundamental aspects of art historiography and art criticism from the 14th to the 20th century with particular attention to Italian events and to the contextualisation of the different methodological approaches related to the analysis of works of art. Knowledge of the main figures that characterised modern historiography and the methodology of 20th century criticism will be provided. Through the selection of significant examples, the contributions made by the development of European art criticism to an art historical and social understanding of styles will be analysed. Some questions of critical vocabulary will be dealt with, highlighting the development of literary forms.

In the academic year 2024-2025, particular attention will be paid to the development of the literary forms through which art criticism was and is expressed.

The seminar part of the course, on the other hand, activated in collaboration with the attending students, is dedicated to an in-depth study of transversal themes such as, for example, the role of Italian art in the development of art criticism in Europe or the evolution of the critical attention offered to the public and the notion of taste.

Students with SLD or temporary or permanent disabilities. It is suggested that they get in touch as soon as possible with the relevant University office (https://site.unibo.it/studenti-con-disabilita-e-dsa/en) and with the lecturer in order to seek together the most effective strategies for following the lessons and/or preparing for the examination.

Readings/Bibliography

Basic knowledge

Students are advised to attend this course after having acquired basic knowledge in the field of visual arts, otherwise students are advised to document themselves on the fundamental characteristics of styles between the 14th and 19th centuries through the careful reading of one of the Art History textbooks in use in upper secondary schools.

The examination requires knowledge of all the texts in section I, 1 text from section II; or other bibliographical material agreed with the lecturer for students actively participating in the seminar part with the presentation of a specific topic.

Students NOT attending and not actively participating in the seminar part must complete their preparation with a text from section III.

Section I

O. Rossi Pinelli (a cura di), La storia delle storie dell'Arte, Torino, Einaudi, 2014.

G. C. Sciolla, La critica d'arte del Novecento, Torino, Utet, 1995.

Section II – workshop

B. Agosti, Giorgio Vasari Luoghi e tempi delle Vite, Milano, Officina libraria, 2021.

A. d'Alleva, Méthodes et théories de l'histoire de l'art, Paris, Thalia, 2005.

G. Bazin, Histoire de l'Histoire de l'art: de Vasari à nos jours, Paris, Albin Michel, 1986.

C. Cieri Via, Nei dettagli nascosto. Per una storia del pensiero iconologico, Roma, Carocci, 2009.

L. Grassi, Teorici e storia della critica d’arte, Roma, 1970.

G. Kubler, La forma del tempo, la storia dell'arte e la storia delle cose, Torino, Einaudi, 1976 [titolo or. The Shape of Time, 1972].

F. Haskell, Le metamorfosi del gusto. Studi su arte e pubblico nel XVIII e XIX secolo, Torino, Bollati Boringhieri, 1989.

A. Masi (a cura di), L'occhio del critico. Storia dell'arte in Italia tra Otto e Novecento, Firenze, Vallecchi, 2009.

G. Patrizi, Lettura ed interpretazione dell'arte italiana in Storia dell'arte italiana, Torino, Einaudi, 1981, III, pp. 199-276.

G. Perini Folesani, Sandra Costa (a cura di), Roger de Piles. Dialogo sul colorito, Firenze, Olschki, 2016.

C. L. Ragghianti, Profilo della critica d'arte in Italia, Firenze, UIA, 1990 [1 ed. 1948].

L. Russo (a cura di), Storia di una idea estetica, Palermo, Aesthetica, 2000.

H. Zerner, Écrire l'Histoire de l'Art. Figures d'une discipline, Paris, Gallimard, 1997.

V. L. Zolberg, Sociologia dell'arte, Bologna, il Mulino, 1994 [titolo or. Constructing a Sociology of the Arts, 1990].

“L'histoire de l'histoire de l'Art”, Revue de l'Art, n. 146, 2004;

or other bibliographical material useful for the seminar activity and selected in agreement with the lecturer.

Section III

M. Nezzo, G. Tommasella, Dire l’arte: percorsi critici dall’antichità al primo Novecento, Padova, Il Poligrafo, 2020.

J. von Schlosser, La letteratura artistica: manuale delle fonti della storia dell'arte moderna; ed. aggiornata da Otto Kurz, Firenze, La nuova Italia, 1996 [titolo or. Die Kunstliteratur. Ein Handbuch zur Quellenkunde der neueren Kunstgeschichte, 1924].

Teaching methods

The course aims to provide students with a complete overview of history art criticism methods and with an historical and methodological knowledge of theoretical aspects of artworks analysis. By the end of the course, students will have a good knowledge of critical studies tradition from XV to XX Century. They will have basic methodological skills to analyse an artwork from a formal, iconographic, and technical point of view. Moreover, they will be able to understand the relations between artworks and their historical, social, and cultural background, linking creation and reception of the artworks themselves.

Assessment methods

Assessment for this course is by oral exam, testing the effective acquisition of required knowledge. The oral exam aims to assess critical abilities gained by students during the course. They will have to demonstrate an appropriate knowledge of selected readings and of issues discussed during the course.

Alternatively the verification of the learning takes place through the presentation of a topic agreed with the teacher for the seminar part completed by an oral examination to verify the real knowledge to the institutional part.

1. Those students who show developed analytical skills of selected readings and their correct contextualization within a complete vision of the issues discussed during lectures will be given a mark of excellence. Mastering of field-specific language and good expression during the examination will also be required.

2. Those students who show mnemonic knowledge of the subject and a superficial analysis of selected readings, as well as a correct but not always appropriate mastering of the field-specific language will be given a satisfactory mark.

3. Those students who will show vague knowledge and superficial understanding of selected readings, limited analytical skills and a not always appropriate expression will be given a ‘pass’ mark roughly.

4. Those students who show gaps in their knowledge and lack of familiarity with selected readings will not be given a ‘pass’ mark.

Students with SLD or temporary or permanent disabilities. It is necessary to contact the relevant University office (https://site.unibo.it/studenti-con-disabilita-e-dsa/en) with ample time in advance: the office will propose some adjustments, which must in any case be submitted 15 days in advance to the lecturer, who will assess the appropriateness of these in relation to the teaching objectives.

Teaching tools

Frontal lectures, workshop, with PowerPoint projections and videos.

Office hours

See the website of Sandra Costa