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HA4099: ROMANTIC REVIVALS: MEDIEVALISM, C. 1790-1890 (2020-2021)

Last modified: 05 Aug 2021 13:04


Course Overview

The nineteenth century was obsessed with the Middle Ages. All over Europe, artists sought to mine their national past as a source for a new aesthetic, evoking the Middle Ages in style and subject matter alike. But which longings and ideas motivated this revival - historically accurate, deeply religious, and romantically-subjective at the same time? Case studies include the Nazarenes in Germany, to the Pre-Raphaelites in Britain, and artists such as John Flaxman, and Caspar David Friedrich.

Course Details

Study Type Undergraduate Level 4
Session First Sub Session Credit Points 30 credits (15 ECTS credits)
Campus Aberdeen Sustained Study No
Co-ordinators
  • Dr Hans Hönes

What courses & programmes must have been taken before this course?

  • Any Undergraduate Programme (Studied)
  • Either Art History (HA) or History (HI)
  • Programme Level 4

What other courses must be taken with this course?

None.

What courses cannot be taken with this course?

Are there a limited number of places available?

No

Course Description

The nineteenth century was obsessed with the Middle Ages. All over Europe, artists sought to mine their national past as a source for a new aesthetic, evoking the Middle Ages in style and subject matter alike. But which longings and ideas motivated this revival - historically accurate, deeply religious, and romantically-subjective at the same time? The module will touch on artistic movements ranging from the 'style troubadour' in France, over the Nazarenes in Germany, to the Pre-Raphaelites in Britain, and discuss works by artists like John Flaxman, Paul Delaroche, Caspar David Friedrich, and William Dyce - but also discover some lesser-known protagonists. We will explore how the Middle Ages became a projection space for many quintessentially modern issues and questions, ranging from Nationalism and Historicism to Chivalric heroism and Romantic love.

Apart from the 19th century’s artistic production we will also consider methodological debates on questions of anachronism, the agency of objects, and reception studies. Each session will focus on the close-reading of one or two artworks, serving as a springboard for exploring the session’s wider theme.


Contact Teaching Time

Information on contact teaching time is available from the course guide.

Teaching Breakdown

More Information about Week Numbers


Details, including assessments, may be subject to change until 31 August 2023 for 1st half-session courses and 22 December 2023 for 2nd half-session courses.

Summative Assessments

Essay

Assessment Type Summative Weighting 30
Assessment Weeks 11 Feedback Weeks 14

Look up Week Numbers

Feedback

Written feedback and verbal with student if required.

Word Count 3500
Learning Outcomes
Knowledge LevelThinking SkillOutcome
ConceptualUnderstandDemonstrate a broad and integrated understanding of key movements, artists, and concepts of European Romanticism.
ProceduralEvaluateShow a critical understanding of 19th century medievalism and its recourse on historical evidence in different media.
ProceduralEvaluateTo critically evaluate recent theoretical approaches from reception studies and conceptual frameworks such as anachronism.
ReflectionCreateDemonstrate confidence in researching, organising and delivering written and oral academic work in a class presentation on a defined topic, and an essay on a self-defined topic.

Tutorial/Seminar Participation

Assessment Type Summative Weighting 10
Assessment Weeks Feedback Weeks

Look up Week Numbers

Feedback

Individual and group feedback.

Learning Outcomes
Knowledge LevelThinking SkillOutcome
ConceptualUnderstandDemonstrate a broad and integrated understanding of key movements, artists, and concepts of European Romanticism.
ProceduralEvaluateShow a critical understanding of 19th century medievalism and its recourse on historical evidence in different media.
ProceduralEvaluateTo critically evaluate recent theoretical approaches from reception studies and conceptual frameworks such as anachronism.
ReflectionCreateDemonstrate confidence in researching, organising and delivering written and oral academic work in a class presentation on a defined topic, and an essay on a self-defined topic.

Visual test

Assessment Type Summative Weighting 30
Assessment Weeks 16 Feedback Weeks 19

Look up Week Numbers

Feedback

1 hour.

Written feedback and verbal with student if reqired.

Learning Outcomes
Knowledge LevelThinking SkillOutcome
ConceptualUnderstandDemonstrate a broad and integrated understanding of key movements, artists, and concepts of European Romanticism.
ProceduralEvaluateShow a critical understanding of 19th century medievalism and its recourse on historical evidence in different media.
ProceduralEvaluateTo critically evaluate recent theoretical approaches from reception studies and conceptual frameworks such as anachronism.
ReflectionCreateDemonstrate confidence in researching, organising and delivering written and oral academic work in a class presentation on a defined topic, and an essay on a self-defined topic.

Essay

Assessment Type Summative Weighting 30
Assessment Weeks 14 Feedback Weeks 17

Look up Week Numbers

Feedback

Written feedback and verbal with student if required.

Word Count 3500
Learning Outcomes
Knowledge LevelThinking SkillOutcome
ConceptualUnderstandDemonstrate a broad and integrated understanding of key movements, artists, and concepts of European Romanticism.
ProceduralEvaluateShow a critical understanding of 19th century medievalism and its recourse on historical evidence in different media.
ProceduralEvaluateTo critically evaluate recent theoretical approaches from reception studies and conceptual frameworks such as anachronism.
ReflectionCreateDemonstrate confidence in researching, organising and delivering written and oral academic work in a class presentation on a defined topic, and an essay on a self-defined topic.

Formative Assessment

There are no assessments for this course.

Course Learning Outcomes

Knowledge LevelThinking SkillOutcome
ConceptualUnderstandDemonstrate a broad and integrated understanding of key movements, artists, and concepts of European Romanticism.
ProceduralEvaluateTo critically evaluate recent theoretical approaches from reception studies and conceptual frameworks such as anachronism.
ProceduralEvaluateShow a critical understanding of 19th century medievalism and its recourse on historical evidence in different media.
ReflectionCreateDemonstrate confidence in researching, organising and delivering written and oral academic work in a class presentation on a defined topic, and an essay on a self-defined topic.

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