ARTH 590 - History and Practice of Connoisseurship

Institution:

Case Western Reserve University

Subject:

Description:

In this seminar we will consider the history, historiography , and practice of connoisseurship. In western cultures connoisseurship, the practice of attributing works of art to specific artists, regions, and time periods and assessing their quality, can be traced back to classical antiquity. It was practiced with renewed vigor in Europe from the sixteenth century onward and in the nineteenth century was a foundational methodology for the academic discipline of art history. While it came under criticism in the twentieth century as a method too closely aligned with the art market, connoisseurship continues to be practiced today, especially in museums and auction houses, as a vital and necessary methodological approach. In recent decades art historians have also begun to reevaluate the history, practices and historiographic importance of this methodology. Class discussions of the scholarly literature of connoisseurship and case studies of its practice will alternate with sessions held in the Cleveland Museum of Art to examine objects from the permanent collections. The museum sessions, led by curators and conservators, will also emphasize the role that physical condition plays in making connoisseurship assessments. Specific topics will be designated each time the course is offered. Prereq: ARTH 495.

Credits:

3.00

Credit Hours:

Prerequisites:

Corequisites:

Exclusions:

Level:

Instructional Type:

Lecture

Notes:

Additional Information:

Historical Version(s):

Institution Website:

www.case.edu

Phone Number:

(216) 368-2000

Regional Accreditation:

North Central Association of Colleges and Schools

Calendar System:

Semester

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