03618 - Archaeology and History of Greek Art

Learning outcomes

Aim of the Course is offering a basic knowledge of the Greek culture in its historical and artistic development. The First millennium B.C. will be presented divided in the traditional phases of the Greek culture (i.e.Proto-G, Geometric, Orientalizing, Archaic, Classical and Hellenistic) will be analysed in its historical and geographical features. This background will enable students, during their preparation for the exam, to have the right context where they should put the specific knowledge of town planning, monumental structures and productions of the art and the handicraft of the Greek world, including the western Greek colonies.

Course contents

I. Outlines of Greek Archaeology and Art History. Introduction to Greek culture: the historical and geographical background. Protogeometric and Geometric period: early structures and building materials; experimentation of the plastic representation of human and animal figures. Shapes of Greek vases and their function; the production of the Dipylon. Orientalizing period: progress in architecture; the dedalic sculpture. Protoattic and Corinthian pottery. Archaic period: corinthian and attic pottery; architecture and architectural sculpture; sculpture in the round; black-figured and red-figured attic pottery; subjects represented, with particular reference to the mythological themes; polis and urban structure. Classical period: primacy of Athens: pottery, architecture and sculpture; the development of the agorà. The IVth Century: new cities, town planning, domestic architecture; main sculptors; wall painting and mosaics: Vergina and Pella. Hellenistic period: political, social and economical changes as innovative factors in particular in Greek architecture and sculpture.

II. Annual topic: The Role of Images in Ancient Greece. Figurative art and life. Figurative art: topics (gods, heroes, humans). The meaning of Images in their different contexts of use: sanctuaries, agorai, inhabited areas, necropolies. The role of different topics and aspects of Figurative art in Greek culture and society.

We strongly recommend to participate to the first lesson (September 30 2013), during which we will give instructions about the course and the exam.

Students who take an exam for 6 CFU have to follow only the part I

Readings/Bibliography

I. One of the following books:

-G.Bejor-M.Castoldi-C.Lambrugo, Arte greca, Mondadori Università, Milano 2008

-E.Lippolis-G.Rocco, Archeologia greca. Cultura,società,politica e produzione, Bruno Mondadori, Milano-Torino 2011

II. T. Hölscher, Il mondo dell'arte greca, Piccola Biblioteca Einaudi Mappe 4, Torino 2008 (new title  " L'Arte greca")

Students for 6 CFU have to read only the text indicated for the part I .

Teaching methods

Teaching method consists of head-on lessons and visits to the Civic Archaeological Museum of Bologna and to the Cast Gallery of the Museum, whose purpose is giving a direct approach to the ancient items and to the plaster casts of the main Greek sculptures. All students will have the chance to supplement the lectures of the course with practice in laboratory among the didactic proposals of the Department.

Assessment methods

The examen consist in an oral test (in italian) concerning history, evolution of Greek culture during the First millennium B.C. , artistic and monumental productions. It is required knowledge of indicated bibliography and of topics covered during lessons.

Teaching tools

During the lessons visual aids will be widely used, especially projections from computer (power point). Explanatory paper materials, concerning specific subjects of the course, will be handed out in classroom.

Office hours

See the website of Anna Maria Brizzolara