Course syllabus

LECTURER: Erin Griffey

Email: e.griffey@auckland.ac.nz

Office hours: by appointment

SEMINAR TIMES

Semester 1: Mondays 12-2pm in 206-213

Semester 2: Fridays 1-3pm in 206-214

INTRODUCTION

This monographic study of the seventeenth-century Dutch artist Rembrandt engages in a broad range of critical approaches to his art and life. The course is taught in seven modules.  These comprise the socio-political milieu in which he worked, the historical documents of his life, the artworks he produced, the issue of authorship and the critical reception of his life and work.  The monographic study in Art History requires you to learn to work with some of the fundamental tools of the discipline: developing an understanding of an artist’s oeuvre through visual and iconographical analysis, as well as the examination of historical documents.  Rembrandt’s work also provides an excellent case study for issues surrounding historical methodology – conventions of chronology, authenticity and influence, and the use of biography and social history as a means of understanding an artist’s work.  Rembrandt’s role as an artist was complex – characterised by innovation yet respect for tradition, by individualism yet dependence on a professional studio with apprentices and pupils.  His virtuoso handling of painting, drawing and printmaking provide an opportunity for investigating a range of media in the seventeenth century.

ASSESSMENT

Essay                                                   25%

Seminar paper with presentation         35%

Journal                                                 40%

See the Assignments section here on Canvas for more details on each assignment, along with the due dates.  

COURSE POLICIES

ATTENDANCE AND PREPARATION

Attendance is expected at every class. Classes will help you synthesize what you have read, underscore important issues and cover material that is not in the readings. If you must miss a class due to illness or another issue, please email me in advance of class. Readings should be completed in advance of class; the quality of the discussion depends on it. Please contact me if I can help clarify an assignment or discuss anything that might be affecting your work in this class. 

VIEWING

Each week you will be assigned to view a Rembrandt video via YouTube or read a blog article and discuss them through the 'Discussions' section of Canvas. I will tell you which one to view a week before the next class. Everyone is expected to contribute to the Discussion for each viewing, each week.

OTHER RESOURCES

There are wealth of online resources dedicated to Rembrandt that you should use for your research. I expect you to consult both of the following:

The Rembrandt Online Database: http://www.rembrandtdatabase.org/Rembrandt

For your essays, start with consulting the Oxford Bibliographies of Art History outstanding entry on Rembrandt: http://www.oxfordbibliographies.com/view/document/obo-9780199920105/obo-9780199920105-0098.xml (if this link does not work, go through the University Library website, and select from Databases list).

SEEING REMBRANDT

If possible, you are encouraged to visit Melbourne's National Gallery of Victoria to see Rembrandt pictures in person. In addition, our class will be viewing Rembrandt prints in the Auckland Art Gallery in Semester 2. The excellent Rembrandt Remastered travelling exhibition, offers New Zealand audiences the opportunity to see high-quality digital replicas of Rembrandt paintings (in their original scale and format). It will beat Expressions Whirinaki in Upper Hutt from 1 May-5 June. Other locations to be announced. There will be a major exhibition of Dutch Golden Age painting at the Gallery of New South Wales, Sydney, opening on 11 November 2017. There will also be an exhibition of Early Rembrandt at the Ashmolean Museum in Oxford in 2018. So start planning now!

LATE ASSIGNMENTS

Late papers will be penalized 5 points for every week late. I also hold late papers to higher standards because, after all, you have had the luxury of extra time.  The exception is for medical emergencies, for which I need to be contacted ASAP.  If you are experiencing difficulty with an assignment, please contact me well in advance of the due date (at least a week) and I can help and may arrange an extension.  No papers will be accepted two weeks after the due date.

To view the SEMINAR PROGRAMME, with the ASSIGNED READINGS for each week, CLICK HERE