Module EDUC2331: ART AND DESIGN IN BELLE EPOQUE FRANCE 1870-1900

Department: Education

EDUC2331: ART AND DESIGN IN BELLE EPOQUE FRANCE 1870-1900

Prerequisites

• Introduction to Modern Art (EDUC1441)

Corequisites

• Introduction to Modern Art (EDUC1441) if not taken as a prerequisite.

Excluded Combination of Modules

• None.

Aims

• To explore the nature of art and design in France in the period 1870-1900 and to assess the extent to which socio-political, economic and cultural factors determined artistic developments.

Content

• This module explores the development of the visual arts in France during the period known as the Belle Epoque (1870-1900).
• It was the hey-day of the Moulin Rouge and the visual arts underwent a profound revolution.
• The naturalistic art of Impressionism, which dominated the beginning of the period, was overtaken by Postimpressionism, Symbolism and Art Nouveau which reflected a dramatic change in artistic practice.
• To access the meaning and significance of the visual arts at this time a socio-political viewpoint is adopted alongside the use of primary sources such as artists' writings and commentaries which contribute to our understanding of the belle Epoque and it arts.

Learning Outcomes

• Students should be able to identify the key practitioners and movements in French art during 1870-1900 and to understand the development of the arts in relation to the wider context of the Belle Epoque.
• At the end of the module the student will be able to: 1) identify key practitioners in the art and design of the period.
• 2) understand the key significance of the artistic debates of the day: 3) perceive relationships between 'Fine Art' and arts of Graphic Design, Architecture and Interior Design.
• 4) to explain the causal relationship between the socio-political context and the development of art and design at this time.
• 5) assess the relative importance of form and content in negotiating meaning.
• 6) use relevant professional terminology.
• 7) develop an awareness of gender issues in relation to the period in question.

• Students should be able to demonstrate an ability to apply their subject knowledge and understanding through:
• a) their personal research on a particualr topic;
• b) personal exploration of examples of visual culture from the period;
• c) the provision of well argued conclusions relating to specific issues regarding artistic theory and practice;
• d) evaluation of the critical methodologoes as they apply tothe history of art;
• e) the analysis of art works in terms of their form and content;
• f) reflection upon the relations between visual culture and society;
• g) identifying and evaluating the 'construction' of meaning in examples of visual art.

• think critically and independently;
• analyse, synthesise, evaluate and identify problems and solutions;
• acquire complex information of diverse kinds in a structured and systematic way;
• construct and sustain a reasoned argument;
• communicate effectively with appropriate use of specialist vocabulary;
• use ICT and a variety of library and IT resources;
• improve their own learning and performance, including the development of study and research skills, information retrieval, and a capacity to plan and manage learning, and to reflect on their own learning;
• explore different ways of 'reading', understanding and explaining objects of visual culture.

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

• The module will be delivered through a programme of weekly lectures and group work activities supported by directed study tasks.
• The lectures will convey relevant art historical and socio-historical knowledge and will introduce relevant terminology.
• During the lectures students will be encouraged to undertake analyses of specific art works in relation to their meaning.
• Group work activities in class will be based upon the Directed study tasks and will allow for assessment of critical texts and sources.
• These activities will encourage: skills of visual analysis, the use of professional terminology and the exploration of form and content in the construction of meaning.
• Directed study will deepen and broaden the work done in class and will demonstrate the relevance of competing critical methodologies in understanding the art and design of the period.
• The summative assessment will take the form of an assignment which will involve the student in researching a given subject and will demand the use of: relevant terminology, the analysis of form and the content in relation to meaning, the presentation of art and historical and socio-historical knowledge as well as the use of primary sources and critical texts.
• An end of year examination will require demonstration of overall knowledge of art and design in France in the period 1870-1900 as well as skills of pictorial analysis in the construction of meaning.

Teaching Methods and Learning Hours

Summative Assessment

Formative Assessment:

Work presentations and written material.

■ 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