The course aims to deepen the main critical approaches towards the visual arts and architecture, from the beginnings of Romanticism until the end of the 20th century, also addressing methodological issues related to the recent debate. The aims concern the knowledge of theories, scholars, movements, within the framework of general philosophical reflection and socio-political context.
Course Prerequisites
An in-depth knowledge of the history of arts and architecture from Middle Ages to 20th Century is required. It is also necessary to have basic notions in the history of philosophy and literature.
Teaching Methods
The course is structured in frontal lessons focused to address the basic methodologies, lexicon and historical and critical development of the discipline. On the other hand, seminars will be held on the subject of specialized topics, both in the form of conferences with external scholars and seminars (visits to museums and collections).
Assessment Methods
The exam consists in an interview during which the knowledge of the methodologies and the specific vocabulary of the discipline will be verified and some selected themes be discussed among those taught in class or during seminar activities.
Texts
Textbooks (to be agreed with the teacher): • U. Kultermann, La storia della storia dell'arte, Neri Pozza, Vicenza 1997. • La storia delle storie dell'arte, a cura di O. Rossi Pinelli, Einaudi, Torino 2014, pp. 180-490. • M. Nezzo, G. Tomasella, Dire l'arte. Percorsi critici dall'antichità al primo novecento, Il Poligrafo, Padova 2020, pp. 483-590. Additional bibliography will be discussed and implemented during the course.
Contents
Theorists, critics and historians of the arts in Italy and in Europe between connoisseurship, formalism, iconology, history of social experiences, antropology. The course will examine the main figures of Italian scholars, European and American, in the second half of the 19th century and the first half of the 20th century, and will discuss the different critical and methodological options (from archival research to connoisseurship, from formal reading of the artwork to investigations in meaning and subject), highlighting the critical inheritance in the late 20th century and in the beginning of 21th century, with particular attention to the comparison between schools and theories. Specific space will be dedicated to the relationship between art criticism and literary language.
