08776 - Psychology of Art

Learning outcomes

After completing the course, students: - know basic psychology of art approaches; - recognise specificities of any different methods in order to use them in art’s cultural dimension understanding; - acquire critical tools to evaluate key issues about visual experience in its various aspects.

Course contents

The course is organised in two parts. The first one aims to introduce main methodological approaches provided by influential schools of thought (psychoanalysis; psychology of perception; experimental aesthetics; neurosciences) in order to understand art and images experience. The second part is about a case study on the relationship between art and psychology from a historical perspective: the representation of "love melancholy" in Seventeenth-Century Holland painting.

Readings/Bibliography

1. E. Gombrich, Freud e la psicologia dell’arte, Einaudi, Torino 2001 (or subsequent editions).

2. S. Ferrari, Nuovi lineamenti di una psicologia dell'arte, Clueb, Bologna, 2012.

3. R. Arnheim, Arte e percezione visiva, Feltrinelli, Milano 2000 (or subsequent editions) [chapters 1-4: (Equilibrio, pp. 31-54); 2 (Configurazione, pp. 55-92); 3 (Forma, pp. 93-141); 4 (Sviluppo, pp. 142-186)].

4. E. Kandel, Arte e neuroscienze. Le due culture a confronto, Raffaello Cortina, Milano 2017.

5. C. Tartarini, Il pennello di Cupido. Il dottor Meige e il mal d’amore nella pittura olandese del Seicento, Carocci, Roma 2017.

 

N.B. Reading instructions and further bibliographical informations will be provided throughout the course; some of the recommended texts could stand in for one book mentioned above. For specific requirements, attending students are asked to contact Chiara Tartarini before the end of the course. Non-attending students have to comply with the foregoing bibliography

Teaching methods

Lectures; cooperative learning; class exercises.

Assessment methods

The final exam in an interview based on the books listed above. Students are required to demonstrate a critical understanding of the texts and, if they are attending students, of the topics discussed throughout the course.

Marking system

• It will be marked as “excellent” the performance of those students demonstrating in-depth knowledge and an organic view of the course contents. The ability to connect different topics and the proper use of the specific language will be also essential.
• It will be graded as “good” the performance of those students using a proper language and demonstrating a correct knowledge of the topics, plus a good analysis and synthesis capability.
• It will be graded as “sufficient” the performance of those students showing mostly mnemonic knowledge, superficial understanding, poor analytical capabilities and a not always appropriate language.
• It will be graded as “insufficient” the performance of those students demonstrating learning gaps, inappropriate language and lack of orientation within the recommended bibliography.

To take the exam, students shall register on AlmaEsami respecting the deadlines.

N.B. Students already registered who decide not to sit the examination are kindly required to unregister before the deadline (see Exam sessions-Subscriptions list: opened from …. to ….). This simplify the organisation of the exam session for the benefit of all students.

Teaching tools

Lectures; PowerPoint and audio-visual projections; shared materials with attending students; class exercises.

Office hours

See the website of Chiara Tartarini