Art & the History of Art 282 - The Model's Gaze

(Offered as ARHA 282 and SWAG 282) What does European art history look like when seen from models’ perspectives? Starting in the Renaissance, the ability to convincingly depict the human form became regarded as the height of artistic achievement, and life models became central to artistic learning and practice. Although models were fundamental to art making, their identities, stories, and artistry have often been omitted from the study of art history. More often than not, models were from marginalized groups, leading to their exploitation for art’s sake. Furthermore, access to models remained largely forbidden for women artists. In this class, we will grapple with this troublesome history and interrogate the crucial contribution of the model’s labor to European art from the sixteenth century to the present day. We will study life drawings, depictions of modeling sessions, and resulting final works like history paintings and sculpture, alongside sources including memoirs and archival records, to develop a fuller understanding of the role of models. We will also consider topics like dissection and anatomical study, mannequins, and plaster casts. Our meetings will be divided between in-depth class discussion and activities such as life drawing, visiting collections, and speaking with contemporary art models to gain critical perspectives on the past and ethical practices in the present.

Limited to 20 students. Spring semester: Professor Dostal

How to handle overenrollment: Priority given to ARHA and SWAG majors.

Students who enroll in this course will likely encounter and be expected to engage in the following intellectual skills, modes of learning, and assessment: Emphasis on readings, artistic work, independent research, oral presentations, visual analysis, artistic practice, field trips and activities