Faculty of Engineering and Architecture

AR 121 INTRODUCTION TO HISTORY OF WORLD ARTS

AND STUDY SKILLS (I)
Semester

Term

Theoretical

Practical

Credit

ECTS

Fall

Course Category

Compulsory

Course Level
Language of
Instruction
Delivery Mode
Pre- and CoRequisites
Course Coordinator

B.A.
English

Asst. Prof. Manfred Milz

Bilge Imeli, B.A.

Course
Goal

Lecture/Seminar
None
Yrd.Doc. Dr. Manfred
MILZ

e-mail

Course Instructor
e-mail
Course Assistant/Tutor
e-mail

manfred.milz@gediz.edu.tr

manfred.milz@gediz.edu.tr
bilge.icmeli@gediz.edu.tr

While confronting the visual minds of design students with the history of world
arts, the course introduces to visual elements relevant to studio practice. In
addition to terminology and critical vocabulary, it provides fundamental
research and presentation skills in preparation for professional environments.
Course Content

The first half of this introductory lecture-based course offers an overview of the development
of visual arts from Prehistoric times to the Renaissance.
Distinguishing itself from Eurocentric introductions to the history of art and design, this
course offers a comparative view between Western and alternative global modes of perception
and representation.
Designed for students with no (or little) previous knowledge of art or history of art and design,
it guides in interpreting key artworks of painting, sculpture, printmaking, and especially
architecture, while placing these media into their historical, cultural and social or political

contexts. Furthermore, it introduces to various traditions and major developments in visual

culture and promotes the ability to engage critically in their interpretation. The course intends
to inspire a dialogue between diverse fields of art and architectural design by discussing
components of artworks in their structural and aesthetic relevance to studio and professional
design practice.
Course Learning Outcomes
1.
2.
3.
4.
5.

Describe works of art and artistic styles

Engage in basic analysis of works of art and design
Utilize research and writing skills
Coordinate study methods and presentation of assignments
Associate components of studio practice with specific historical contextual knowledge
Course Sources/Study Materials

Textbook(s):
History of Art
Stokstad, M. (2011). Art History. New York, NY: Harry N. Abrams.
Visual Concepts
Acton, M. (1997), Learning to Look at Paintings. London: Routledge Press.
Rawson, P. (1987), Design. Englewood Cliffs, New Jersey: Prentice-Hall Publishers.
Woodford, S. (1983), Looking at Pictures. New York: Cambridge University Press.
Zelanski, P. and Fisher, M. P. (2007). Shaping Space: The Dynamics of Three-Dimensional Design.
Belmont, CA.: Thomson Wadsworth Press.
Zelanski, P. and Fisher, M. P. (1988). The Art of Seeing. New Jersey: Prentice Hall Inc.
Lecture References
Barnet, S. (2008). A Short Guide to Writing about Art, New Jersey: Pearson Prentice Hall.
Bukdahl, E. M. (2006). The Islamic Golden Aage in Spain: Architecture and Science in Cordoba and
Granada. Copenhagen: The Royal Academy of Fine Arts, Schools of Visual Arts.
Cohen, A. (1997). The Alexander Mosaic: Stories of Victory and Defeat. Cambridge, Mass.:
Cambridge University Press.
Dunbabin, K. M. D. (2001). Tiled Mosaics of the Greek and Roman world. Cambridge:
Cambridge University Press.

Henig, M. (1983). A handbook of Roman Art: a Survey of the Visual Arts of the Roman World.
London: Phaidon Press Ltd.
Hodge, S. (1997). Ancient Roman Art. Oxford: Heinemann.
Ling, R. (1998). Ancient Mosaics. Princeton, NJ.: Princeton University Press.
Necipoglu. G. (2005). The Age of Sinan: Architectural Culture in the Ottoman Empire. Architectural
Drawings and Photographs of Sinan's Works by Arben N. Arapi and Reha Gaeunay. Princeton, NJ:
Princeton University Press.
Taylor, J. C. (1981). Learning to Look. A Handbook for the Visual Arts, Chicago and London:
The University of Chicago Press.
Wheeler, R. E. M., Sir. (1964). Roman Art and Architecture. London: Thames and Hudson.

Learning Activities and Teaching Methods

Week

Subject

Introduction to the History of

Art and Design: What is Art?;
What is Design? Dialoguing
Art and Design?

Preliminary Preparation
(Textbook Readings)
Stokstad 2011, pp. 1-26

Line, Shape, and Form

Prehistoric cave painting in

Western Europe and Australia.
Arts of Ancient Near East.

Stokstad 2011, pp. 27-48

Composition:
horizontal vertical diagonal
mixed grid collage
balance harmony symmetry
rhythm repetition shape

Acton 1997, pp. 1-24

Arts of Ancient Egypt / Arts

of the Aegean

Stokstad 2011, pp. 48-79 /

pp. 80-99

Class Activities and

Teaching Methods
Lecture/
Study Skills:
Introduction to
library: variety of
resources
Books; Reference
books: dictionaries,
encyclopedia, etc.
Lecture/
Study skills:
Introduction to
library: variety of
resources
Periodicals: journals
printed journals,
electronic journals;
magazines;
newspapers;
newsletters; DVD
collection.
Lecture/
Study Skills: The
catalogue: retrieving
information,
keyword, book title,
on-line catalogue,
databases.

Arts of Ancient Greece (I):

Geometric and Archaic Period

Stokstad 2011, pp. 100-18

Lecture/
Study Skills: The
history of the book.

Arts of Ancient Greece (II):

Classical and Hellenistic Period

Stokstad 2011, pp. 120-58

Color and Tone:

primary and secondary color
harmonies contrasts color and
emotion
Arts of the Etruscans and
Ancient Rome

Rawson 1987, pp. 108-33

(Zelanski and Fisher, pp. 13458)

Lecture /
Study Skills: The
structure of the book.
Book categories.

Light and Texture:

even/uneven distribution of shade as
depth plain/textured contrast
sunlight/artificial light
Arts of China (before and after
1280)

Zelanski and Fisher 2007, pp.

137-152
(Zelanski and Fisher 1988, pp.
112-32)
Stokstad 2011, pp. 325-54 /
pp. 838 855

Arts of the Indus Valley

Civilization (to the 3rd cent.
CE)

Stokstad 2011, pp. 290-95

Stokstad 2011, pp. 158-215

Lecture/
Study Skills: Journals.
The basic structure of
a research paper (text,
footnotes/in text
references, and
bibliography).
Lecture/
Study Skills: Basic
manuscript form:
instructions on
formatting a
document.
Lecture/
Study Skills: Style in
writing: Common
Latin terms and
phrases. Common
proofreading symbols
and abbreviations.

1st Mid-Course Assessment: Submission of Portfolio and 1st Essay Due

9

Arts of Islam I (7th to 15th

century): Early Caliphates and
Later Islamic Society

Stokstad 2011, pp. 260-89

Lecture/
Study Skills: Writing
unified and coherent
paragraphs.

Necipoglu 2005

10

Arts of Islam II: 16th Century

Visual Culture of the
Ottoman Empire

Lecture/
Study Skills: Writing a
formal analysis: the
questions.

11

Arts of Mesoamerica and the

Andes (9th to 16th century)

J.M. Rogers, Empire of the

Sultans: Ottoman Art from
the Khalili Collection,
Geneva 1995
Stokstad 2011, pp. 376-401

Lecture/
Study Skills: Formal
analysis versus
description.

12

Arts of the Early Middle Ages

in Europe. Romanic and
Gothic Art (c. 11th to c. 15th
century)
Three-dimensional Space:
actual three-dimensional Depth

Stokstad 2011, pp. 422-51

Zelanski and Fisher 2007, 94111
Zelanski and Fisher 1988,
pp. 77; 93-97

Lecture/
Study Skills: Writing
unified and coherent
paragraphs.

2nd Mid-Course Assessment: Submission of Portfolio and 2nd Essay Due

13

14

Precursors of the Renaissance

in 13th Century Italy

Stokstad, 2011, pp. 522-28

Discovery and Exploration of Twodimensional Space:

Appearance of three Dimensions on
a two-dimensional Surface

Woodford 1983, pp. 69-73; 8389

(Zelanksi and Fisher 1988,
pp. 85; 97-106)

Early Renaissance
in Italy
14th /15th Century
in Northern Europe

Stokstad, 2011, pp. 593-629

Principles of Central Perspective I:

Theories
High Renaissance in Italy
(1490-1530)
Principles of Central Perspective II:
Ideal and Reality
Idealizing Reality
of Interior and Exterior Spaces

Historical Reading:
Alberti Della Pittura, 1436
Vasari, Della Pittura
Stokstad, 2011, pp. 630-47
Historical Reading:
Jan Vredeman de Vries,
Perspectives, 1599

Lecture/
Study Skills:
Art research and the
world wide web; websubject directories; art
related directories;
searching the
electronic library
databases of Gediz
University.
Lecture/
Study Skills:
Further onlineresources: free digital
libraries. University
and Museum
websites.
Lecture/
Study Skills: Further
on-line resources: online magazines:
finding images.
Collecting and
organizing
bookmarks and
references.

COMPLETE PORTFOLIO-SUBMISSION DUE

15
16

REVIEWING STYLE-PERIODS AND TERMINOLOGY

FINAL

EXAMINATION

Assessment Methods and Criteria

Assessment Methods
Student evaluation consists of:
1. in-class projects (exercises, quizzes, and exams);
2. Portfolio (Study Skills):
2.1.
a note book of the unit lectures with self-reflections about each lecture topic;
2.2.
a file with the unit material (slides, briefs and handouts) to be presented in two major
midcourse assessments and the final assessment.
Assignment briefs will indicate the submission requirements including the nature of written task and
the submission date. Formative and summative assessments are used in this unit. Summative
assessment is limited to demonstrate competencies related to learning outcomes of the course.
Formative assessment is provided as part of the teaching and learning strategy at various stages of the
assignments. To successfully complete this unit, students are required to complete a minimum of 60%
upon completion of all requirements.
Assessment Criteria
To successfully complete this course, students are required to complete the assessment requirements
and demonstrate that they have achieved the learning outcomes. More specifically, students need to
- reflect knowledge on works of art from prehistory to High Renaissance.
- carry out a formal analysis of works of art and design.
- demonstrate research and writing skills.
- substantiate the ability to prepare and present assignments.
- demonstrate the ability to associate and connect studio practice with historical contextual
knowledge.
Threshold standards for the above, as well as detailed criteria that show the learner what must be done
in order to meet minimum requirements to pass the course, are listed in the program assessment
section.
Assessment Evidence
Study Skills, Exercises and Quizzes
Essays equivalent to 500 words
Final Examination/Completed Portfolio
Total

Number of AE
4
2
2
8

Weight (%)
30
20
50
100

ECTS/Student Workload for successful Course Completion

Activities

Number

Unit

Total Workload

Contribution of Learning Outcomes to Program Outcomes

#

Program Outcomes

Contribution Level