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Arts, Humanities and Social Sciences
106
History of art and
architecture
COURSE CODE:
PLACES 2011:
POINTS 2010:
DEGREE AWARDED:
TR001 (TSM)
40
455*-555
B.A.
TSM points:
See note on page 28
History of art and architecture (TSM) cannot be studied
as a single honor course. It must be combined with one
other subject within the two-subject moderatorship (TSM)
programme. TSM is a joint honor programme. Both
subjects are normally studied for three years and one
subject only is studied in the fourth year. An honors degree
is awarded in both subjects.
For subjects that combine with History of art and
architecture see page 92.
See also:
TR003: History, page 61
TR012: History and political science, page 63
TR028: Ancient and medieval history and culture, page 36
Is this the right course for you?
History of art and architecture appeals to a wide range
of students, as well as those with special interests in art,
archaeology and history. It will provide you with an effective way
of developing intellectual rigour and of acquiring the critical and
communication skills traditionally associated with an arts degree.
You do not need any previous knowledge of art history or any
practical skill in art to take this course.
Course content
This course teaches you how to analyse works of art and how
to understand their historical significance. It will enable you to
develop an awareness of the environment while also providing
you with a deeper sensitivity to the culture and ideals of other
nations.
You will take a broad range of modules covering the history
of painting, sculpture and architecture from ancient Greece to
modern times. Topics available include Irish art, the art of the
Italian Renaissance, art in the age of chivalry, the architectural
splendours of the Georgian era and the artistic achievements of
the twentieth century. There are also modules on non-Western
art, such as the arts of Japan and India.
Trinity College offers excellent facilities for the study of history
of art and architecture and its own distinguished buildings and
collections are integral to the programme. The National Gallery
of Ireland and National Museum are located nearby and provide
the venues for group and teaching activities. Other institutions
such as the Irish Museum of Modern Art and the Chester Beatty
Library are also used. As a student, you will be expected to
become familiar with various collections and buildings in Dublin.
The Junior Freshman year
In the Junior Freshman (first) year you will take modules
providing an introduction to various aspects of Western art
and architecture, and to the practice of Art history.
As well as providing a historical survey, covering major periods
such as the Italian Renaissance and French Impressionism, the
course will introduce you to the methods and techniques of art
history. These include the critical analysis of paintings, sculpture,
manuscripts and other artefacts, the importance of iconography,
and the different technical methods used by artists from the
Book of Kells to the present day.
The course also provides you with the knowledge and skills
needed to understand and appreciate architecture. It includes
an examination of different building materials and architectural
drawings as well as training in the visual analysis of buildings.
These topics are part of a historical survey of Western
architecture, which ranges from Greek temples to the present
day. Special attention is given to important building types such
as the medieval monastery or the country house.
Years two, three and four
Over the course of the Senior Freshman, Junior and Senior
Sophister years, you will have the opportunity to take courses
in the following areas:
n
Romanesque art and architecture
n
Art in the Age of Chivalry c. 1150-1350
n
Painting and sculpture in 17th-century Europe
n
Painting and sculpture in the Italian Renaissance
n
City court & Campagna: the foundations of early
modern architecture
n
Architecture in the 19th and 20th centuries
n
18th century painting in Britain and Ireland
n
Art in France 1850-1900
n
Themes in Northern painting
n
Modernism and post-modernism
n
The arts of Japan
n
Approaches to art history and criticism
n
History and culture of South Asia
n
Art in Ireland: making and meaning
These courses comprise a weekly lecture and a seminar
in alternate weeks.
The special subject
If you elect to study History of art and architecture in the Senior
Sophister (fourth) year, you will select a subject dealing with
art-historical issues at a more specialised level. Where possible,
you will be given the opportunity of studying primary sources
and particular emphasis is placed on personal observation and
interpretation of original works of art, whether painting, sculpture
or architecture. Examples of special subject topics include
Saints and Sanctity in Medieval Europe, Irish architecture and
ornament 1700-1830, Art and religion in the Hispanic world,