HISTORY OF MODERN ART

The course aims to provide a basic understanding of the history of art in Italy and Europe from the second half of the fifteenth century to the French Revolution. The learning objectives are designed to: place works within a chronological, geographical and cultural context by identifying relevant details and the techniques used in their creation; enable students to identify the style, iconographic and symbolic features, as well as the patrons and intended use; and use the terminology of the discipline and a method for describing the works on the syllabus. Through the specific study of case studies relating to the island’s artistic output, students will be able to create thematic itineraries aimed at promoting the island’s cultural heritage for tourism purposes.

Architecture, sculpture, painting and the decorative arts from the second half of the fifteenth century to the French Revolution. The course will explore the influence of late Baroque art in Sicily through the study of a number of significant artists and monuments emblematic of the island’s eighteenth century. The course will focus on stylistic and iconographic analysis, as well as on the materials used in the works under study, paying particular attention to the context in which they were produced and to the work’s intended function. Field trips to the scheduled case studies will form an integral part of the course.