Module HIST2721: THE COURT: ART AND POWER IN EARLY MODERN EUROPE

Department: HISTORY

HIST2721: THE COURT: ART AND POWER IN EARLY MODERN EUROPE

Prerequisites

• None.

Corequisites

• None.

Excluded Combination of Modules

• None.

Aims

• To introduce students to a comparative history of European courts from c.1500 to c.1715.
• To introduce students to a variety of historical approaches, including art history, architectural history, history of collecting, and music history.
• To introduce students to some key themes of early modern social and cultural history.

Content

• The content will include the following themes to be covered in lectures and in detail in seminars: the definition of the court.
• the Burgundian model.
• the organisation of the court.
• palace building.
• court painters focusing in successive weeks on Titian, Van Dyck and Rubens.
• court music and masques.
• the Elias debate.
• court politics and the concept of faction.
• the concept of the favourite.
• the court and the dissemination of power.

Learning Outcomes

• Students will gain: Knowledge and understanding of aspects of early modern European court history.
• Understanding of different approaches for examining aspects of early modern court history.

• Subject specific skills for this module can be viewed at: http://www.dur.ac.uk/History/ugrads/ModuleProformaMap/;
• In addition students will acquire an ability to construct analytical and sophisticated arguments on historical issues in a form and at a length appropriate to the material.

• Key skills for this module can be viewed at: http://www.dur.ac.uk/History/ugrads/ModuleProformaMap/

Modes of Teaching, Learning and Assessment and how these contribute to the learning outcomes of the module

• Teaching will be by lectures and seminars.
• The lectures will indicate to the students the major historical and historiographical issues and seminars will give them the chance to focus on issues arising from the lectures.
• Formative work will include seminar presentations which will be submitted and returned with comments.
• Summative assessment will be by two essays of 2,500/3000 words.
• This will enable the students to examine particular areas in detail within the module's range of study in greater detail, reflecting the particular nature of the secondary material and teaching resources available for art and cultural history.

Teaching Methods and Learning Hours

Summative Assessment

Formative Assessment:

One formative essay of up to 2500 words (not including footnotes and bibliography), submitted in Term 1. This will be returned with written comments and a standard departmental feedback sheet. Coursework essays are formative as well as summative. They are to be submitted in two copies, of which one will be returned with written comments and a standard departmental feedback sheet. Preparation to participate in seminars and tutorials. At least one oral presentation or short written assignment.

■ Attendance at all activities marked with this symbol will be monitored. Students who fail to attend these activities, or to complete the summative or formative assessment specified above, will be subject to the procedures defined in the University's General Regulation V, and may be required to leave the University