Taught In English

There is no language prerequisite for courses at this language level.

Course description & learning objectives:

This course will give students a basic orientation into the history of western art from the Medieval Ages to the contemporary period through the architecture and art of Prague. The city is seen as a virtual open air museum and a life-size 3-D reading book, therefore the classroom lectures will be combined with regular excursions throughout the city.

Students will learn to understand the specific language of architecture and fine art. They will be encouraged to an active acquiring of knowledge through their proper activities (sketchbooks, presentations). Learners are expected to come prepared to the lecture and to attend libraries, e.g.UMPRUM (Museum of Applied Art Library), 17. listopadu 2, Prague 1, even though a comprehensive reader is prepared for their use, regularly completed by additional readings.

Students will be evaluated through the following assignments :

Class presentation (20%)
Midterm test (15%)
Final test (25%)

Students are required to participate actively in the course. Besides a short middterm and a comprehensive final test, each student is supposed to give a presentation on a chosen topic, preferably consulted with the lecturer in advance. The presentation can be given in the class or outside (recommended).

Sketchbook (20%): Students are strongly advised to keep a sketchbook. Please be as creative as you can! An interesting sketchbook can help you to improve your final grade!

Class participation (20%) : You have chosen the course, so please attend it! If you have any suggestions or remarks, please consult your lecturer.

Course Schedule:

Class 1 Introduction to the medieval art – architecture & stone sculpture
Class 2 Visits: Prague Castle: St George Basilica, St Vitus Cathedral

Class 3 Introduction to the medieval art – painting & sculpture
Class 4 Visits: St Agnes Monastery

Readings (Class I&II):
•reader, p. 1-10
•Jiří Fajt, 'Charles IV: Toward a New Imperial Style", Prague, the Crown of Bohemia 1347-1437, The Metropolitan Museum of Art, New York, 2005, p.3-16
•Jan Royt, Medieval Painting in Bohemia, Prague, 2003

Class 5 Late Gothic & Rennaisance Art
Class 6 Visits: Royal Palace, Belveder, Ball Game Hall/ recommended visit: Hvězda Summerhouse

Readings:
•reader, p. 10-14
•Jan Bialostocki, The Art of Rennaisance in Eastern Europe, Phaidon Press Ltd., 1976, p. 15-17
•Late Gothic Art in Bohemia, The Art of the Court circle from 1471-1526", Pozdně gotické umění v Čechách, Odeon, Praha, 1978, p. 520-529

Class 7 Mannerism, the Court of Rudoph II
Class 8 Visits: Prague Castle Pinacotheque

Readings:
•reader, p. 31-32
•Eliška Fučíková, Rudolph II and Prague, Thames and Hudson, London, 1997.

Class 9 Introduction to the baroque art
Class 10 Visits: walk around Stare Mesto (Charles Bridge, St Francis Church, St Norbert Church, Italian Chapel, St Kliment Church)

Readings:
•reader, p. 32-47
•"Early 18th Century Art and Architecture in the Bohemian Lands", Court, Cloister & City, p. 341-365

Class 11 Dientzenhofer contra Santini; Dynamic baroque architecture and its origins; Prague baroque palaces
Class 12 Visits: walk at Mala Strana & Hradčany (St Nicolas Church, St Thomas Church, palaces and church in Nerudova Street, Hradschin Square Palaces, Czernin Palace, Loreta, St John of Nepomuk Church)

Class 13 Baroque painting and sculpture
Class 14 Schwarzenberg Palace (Czech baroque art) & Sternberg Palace (National Gallery Collections: Dutch landscape painting, Rembrandt, Rubens, Van Dyck etc.)

Class 15 19th Century – From Clasicism through Realism to Romantism & Historicism
Class 16 Visits: St. George´s Convent (National Gallery, Art of the 19th Century)

Readings:
•reader, p.48-58
•Jindřich Vybíral, 'Prague", Centropa, 1:1, 2001
•Jindřich Vybíral, 'The Idea to Bulid the National Theatre and the History of its Realisation", Národní Divadlo: History and Present-Day of the Building, Prague, 1999, p. 95-100.

Class 17 Art Nouveau, Symbolism, Decadence
Class 18 Visits (Class 8 & 9): National Theatre, Rudolphinum, Municipal House and art nouveau sights in its proximity/ Recommended visits: Villa Lan na, Bílek Villa

Class 19 Introduction into the 20th Century styles: '-isms"
Class 20 Visits: Fair Palace (Veletržní palác) – National Gallery collections (20th Century; Picasso, Braque – Introduction to the Cubism)

Class 21 Czech Cubist Art & Architecture
Class 22 Visits: Houses at Vyšehrad, House at the Black Madonna (Dům u Černé Matky Boží)

Readings:
•"Czech Modern Art 1900-1960", The National Gallery in Prague, The Trade Fair Palace, Prague, 1995, p. 82-98
•Cubist Prague, Prague, 2004.

Class 23 Architecture & Design in the 20th Century
Class 24 Visits: Müller Villa / Gallery of the City of Prague (Surrealism – Toyen, Štyrský; etc.)/ a contemporary artist´s studio (Josef Mžyk or Kristof Kintera)

Readings:
•Kenneth Frampton, 'Adolf Loos and the Crisis of Culture 1896-1931", Modern Architecture: A Critical History, London, Thames and Hudson, 1980, 1992, p. 90-95

Class 25 Review
Class 26 Final test