OVERVIEW

The lessons will be set up according to two lines of research and teaching:

1) Social history of artists over the centuries: how artists were trained, how they exercised their trade, how they related to the society of their time. The artist as a proto-designer.

2) Social history of events: classification of events, legacy of events from the ancient world, events over the centuries: artistic, cultural, political, sporting. The artist as creator and director of events.

LEARNING OUTCOMES

The course aims to provide a basic historical-critical knowledge on the following problems:

- the evolution of the figure of the artist over the centuries, with particular regard to his involvement in the planning of events and in the production of applied arts;

- materials and procedures of 19th and 20th century art;

- museum standards and conservation of artistic and design artefacts.

AIMS AND LEARNING OUTCOMES

The course aims to offer students a useful preparation to understand the great changes that have occurred over the centuries in the relationship between artists and patrons and in the consideration of artistic production. The lessons will therefore also deal with collecting from both private and public sectors, highlighting how over time the idea of collecting art objects that led to the birth of modern museums has changed considerably, in order to provide some basic concepts of museology.

PREREQUISITES

Due to the wide chronological extension of the topics addressed, the students are required to have an adequate knowledge of the History of Modern and Contemporary Art, however recoverable by reading a good manual for high schools, such as those edited by M. Bona Castellotti for Electa Scuola or by G. Dorfles and A.Vettese for Edizioni Atlas or other equivalents.

Teaching methods

Frontal lessons: if there is an opportunity, visits to museums and exhibitions will take place.

The exam will consist of an oral exam

SYLLABUS/CONTENT

Closely intertwined with each other, the social history of the artists and events will concern (as indicated in the overview) the Italian area from the late Middle Ages to the 20th century,  with particular attention to the relationship between the major and minor arts.

RECOMMENDED READING/BIBLIOGRAPHY

Reference texts:

• E. Castelnuovo, Arte, industria, rivoluzioni: temi di storia sociale dell'arte, with afterworld by O. Rossi Pinelli, Pisa 2007;
• E.H. Gombrich, L'uso delle immagini: studio sulla funzione sociale dell'arte e sulla comunicazione visiva, Milano 1999 (= The Uses of Images: Studies in the Social Function of Art and Visual Imagery, London 1999);
• F. Bologna, Dalle arti minori all’industrial design. Storia di una ideologia, Paparo edizioni, Napoli 2009 (anche Laterza, Bari, 1972)
• S.A. Salvi, Plastica, tecnologia, design, Hoepli, Milano 1997.

Further bibliography, also in a foreign language, will be provided during the lessons.

Exam Board

ELIANA CARRARA (President)

ELENA PUTTI

Teaching methods

Frontal lessons: if there is an opportunity, visits to museums and exhibitions will take place.

The exam will consist of an oral exam

LESSONS START

The beginning of the lessons, which will take place every Monday from 2.30 pm to 5.30 pm, has not yet been set.

Exam description

The exam will consist of an oral exam.

Assessment methods

The teacher will evaluate the mastery of the topics covered in class and the ability of  students to understand what has been read in the volumes to prepare for the exam.

Exam schedule