Music, Art, and Thought in Medici Florence, c1430–1600
16-FAM-395H Winter, 2007
Professors Stephanie P. Schlagel (CCM) and Jane A. Carlin (DAAP)
Course Description
During the nearly two centuries spanning c1430–1600, Florence witnessed a remarkable synergy of music, art, and thought. With the 1436 completion of the cathedral dome, an architectural and engineering feat designed by Brunelleschi, and the rise of the Medici dynasty, Florence became the embodiment of humanistic ideals. Inhabited by such artists as Leonardo da Vinci and Michelangelo, musicians Guillaume DuFay and Heinrich Isaac, poet Angelo Poliziano, and political strategist Niccolò Machiavelli, Florence was the Renaissance city ―par excellence.‖ Florence also witnessed its share of calamities, particularly as foreign invasion and religious fanaticism fomented by Girolomo Savonarola ravaged the city in the 1490s. In this course we will study the rise, fall, and resurrection of this vortex of European Renaissance civilization. The course will culminate with a one-week study tour of Florence. The streets of modern Florence are relatively unchanged from Renaissance times, and an abundance of art and architecture remains available to modern viewers to witness and experience first-hand. Florence is a very manageable city and an excellent starting-place for the novice traveler. The city is fairly easy to navigate and all of the attractions are within walking distance of the hotel. Vendors and merchants are accommodating to foreign tourists and most speak English; they are also patient and appreciative of foreigners’ attempts to speak Italian. Compared to other Italian cities (notably Venice and Milan), Florence is relatively inexpensive. With the many produce markets, grocery stores, panini shops, pizzerias, and moderately priced full service restaurants, you can eat well in Florence for less than 20 €/day. At the open-air mercato you can find modestly priced goods, especially leather, textiles, pottery, and paper—all specialties of Florence.
Course Objectives
To understand the political, economic, artistic, and cultural forces that gave rise to Florence as a unique center of Renaissance humanism To recognize, discuss, and write about Renaissance music, art, and architecture in concrete terms using appropriate vocabulary To understand and appreciate the interconnectedness of politics, economics, music, art, architecture, and culture in Renaissance Florence and in our modern society To become acquainted with the values and methods of archival and historical research through examination of documents from our archives and rare books library related to the Renaissance, and to explore electronic archives such as www.Medici.org To acquire skills necessary for international travel, navigating an unfamiliar city, and basic communication in a foreign language To develop grant-writing skills To develop group communication and individual leadership skills To understand what it means to be a patron of the arts To develop an historical imagination To begin to develop an appreciation for another culture
Course Materials
The materials for this course include primary and secondary sources in a variety of media. Among the primary materials are artworks (painting, sculpture, architecture, and other art forms), music, contemporary writings by Florentine humanists, and archival documents. You will access many of these materials through on-line resources such as ARTstor (a database of artworks) and an electronic Medici archive. Faculty lectures, secondary literature on music, art history, and the history of Florence, studentled presentations and discussions, video presentations (including a PBS production on the Medici dynasty with an integrated website), and problem-based learning, will provide you with the foundations to interpret the art and music as works unto themselves and as components of the Medici propaganda machine.
Graded Work
Graded work will engage us in a variety of ways. In reflective essays of three to four pages each, you will explore questions concerning the nature of Florentine humanism, the function of the Medici cultural agenda, and the role of the arts in Renaissance Florence in comparison with modern America. Writing assignments will receive feedback covering content development, structure, organization, and prose style, among others. You are invited to revise and resubmit assignments receiving a grade of C or lower. In a multi-component project, you will be asked to become an expert in an assigned work of art. You will each prepare an ―art card‖ that will be distributed to your classmates describing the work, its stylistic features, and its cultural significance, and you, as the expert, will lead a class discussion on your assigned work. You will then form groups according to themes, artistic medium, etc. The goal of this group work will be for each student to contribute his or her expertise to create a holistic, synergistic group presentation to be delivered while in Florence. Five quizzes spaced evenly throughout the quarter will assess your mastery of the factual content of the course, as well as Italian words and phrases you will find helpful while in Florence. The quizzes will be administered through BlackBoard. Finally, as a requirement of the individual student IGSA grant (for which you will apply during the first two weeks of the quarter), you will be asked to design an outreach project based on your experience in Florence and deliver it in Spring quarter.
Grading Criteria
5 Quizzes on course content and Italian words and phrases @ 5% each 3 Reflective Essays @ 13% each Multi-component Project ―Art Card‖ on assigned individual works Class presentation on assigned individual work Group presentation in Florence 25% 39% 36%
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Tentative Schedule
Introduction 1. T Historical and Geographical Overview 2. Th Political and Cultural Antecedents: Dante, Petrarch, and Bruni The Medici and the Florentine Republic: 1430–1492 3. T Cosimo de’ Medici (1389–1464) 4. Th Florentine Humanism 5. T Ghiberti’s Baptistery East Doors, Masacchio’s Trinity and the Brancacci Chapel 6. Th The Duomo: Dufay’s Nuper rosarum flores and Brunelleschi’s dome 7. T Lorenzo de’ Medici ―Il Magnifico‖ (1449–1492) 8. Th Botticelli and Leonardo da Vinci 9. T Political Theory: Poliziano, Machievelli, the Academy of Florence, and Ficino 10. Th The Canti Carnascialeschi; Instrumental Music; the Medici Repertory of Heinrich Isaac The Expulsion and Restoration of the Medici: 1492–1537 11. T Savonarola and the Bonfire of the Vanities 12. Th Savonarola’s Meditation on Psalm 50 and Josquin’s Miserere mei, Deus 13. T The Medici Popes: Leo X and Clement VII 14. Th Lorenzo, Duke of Urbino and Music of the Medici Codex 15. T Michelangelo, Titian, Raffael The Grand Duchy of Tuscany: 1537–1602 16. Th The Grand Dukes of Tuscany 17. T The Florentine Madrigal 18. Th Mannerism in painting and the decorative arts 19. T The Uffizi 20. Th The Wedding of Ferdinando I and Christine of Lorraine In addition to the above course content, you will be guided through preparations for travel abroad including acquiring passports. You will learn useful Italian phrases, be given suggestions for packing, and will receive a pre-departure orientation by IGSA.
Florence Study-Tour Itinerary*
Mar. 16 Mar. 17 Mar. 18 Mar. 19 Mar. 20 Mar. 21 Mar. 22 Mar. 23 Day 1. Fri. Day 2. Sat. Day 3. Sun. Day 4. Mon. Day 5. Tues. Day 6. Wed. Day 7. Thurs. Day 8. Fri. Depart CVG p.m. Arrive Florence mid-day; Orientation 9:00 Accademia; 1:00 Uffizi Gallery; Vespers at the Duomo Bargello; Duomo Museum; Orsanmichel, Day trip to Siena and Montereggione San Lorenzo; Pitti Palace Santa Maria Novello; Brancacci Chapel; Santa Croce Depart Florence a.m.; arrive CVG p.m.
* It is impossible to know at present whether or not various sites may be closed for restoration or other reasons. The itinerary optimistically assumes that all attractions will be open. 3
Cost
$1600 (approximately), assuming a minimum of 18 students. Costs will go down with increased enrollment. This figure includes, airfare, lodging (double-occupancy; complementary breakfast), museum admissions, airport transfer, and the day trip to Siena and Montereggione. The figure assumes that each student will receive a $500 grant from IGSA, but this is not guaranteed (you will apply for this during the first two weeks of the quarter as a class assignment). Additionally, you will need to absorb the costs for purchasing an International Student Identification Card ($22) and acquiring a passport ($97 if you don’t already have one; $67 if you need to renew). Finally, you will need to pay for your meals (other than breakfast). Plan on spending approximately $150 for meals from pizza and panini shops; more if you want a meal with table service. Please keep in mind that currency conversion rates will fluctuate and this will affect your cost (the current rate is €1.00=$1.27). Be assured that the faculty are doing everything within our control to keep the costs manageable. Please contact Debbie Brawn (debbie.brawn@uc.edu) for information regarding ways you can earn money to pay for the trip by working with the University Honors Association (UHA).
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