ARTHIST 722A/B : Rembrandt and the Dutch Golden Age
Arts
2024 Semester One (1243) / Semester Two (1245) (30 POINTS)
Course Prescription
Course Overview
This monographic study of the seventeenth-century Dutch artist Rembrandt engages in a broad range of critical approaches to his art and life. The course is taught in seven modules. These comprise the socio-political milieu in which he worked, the historical documents of his life, the artworks he produced, the issue of authorship and the critical reception of his life and work. The monographic study in Art History requires you to learn to work with some of the fundamental tools of the discipline: developing an understanding of an artist’s oeuvre through visual and iconographical analysis, as well as the examination of historical documents. Rembrandt’s work also provides an excellent case study for issues surrounding historical methodology – conventions of chronology, authenticity and influence, and the use of biography and social history as a means of understanding an artist’s work. Rembrandt’s role as an artist was complex – characterised by innovation yet respect for tradition, by individualism yet dependence on a professional studio with apprentices and pupils. His virtuoso handling of painting, drawing and printmaking provide an opportunity for investigating a range of media in the seventeenth century.
Course Requirements
Capabilities Developed in this Course
| Capability 1: | People and Place |
| Capability 3: | Knowledge and Practice |
| Capability 4: | Critical Thinking |
| Capability 5: | Solution Seeking |
| Capability 6: | Communication |
Learning Outcomes
- Critically evaluate Rembrandt's oeuvre as a painter, draftsman and printmaker (Capability 3, 4 and 6)
- Develop skills in connoisseurship (Capability 3, 4, 5 and 6)
- Demonstrate an understanding of different art historical methodologies (Capability 3 and 4)
- Explain the relationship between early modern Dutch art and its social, religious, economic and political contexts (Capability 1, 3, 4 and 6)
Assessments
| Assessment Type | Percentage | Classification |
|---|---|---|
| Coursework | 25% | Individual Coursework |
| Essay | 25% | Individual Coursework |
| Essay with presentation | 50% | Individual Coursework |
| 3 types | 100% |
Module
Workload Expectations
This course is a standard 30 point course and students are expected to spend 10 hours per week involved in each 30 point course that they are enrolled in.
For this course, you can expect 2 hours of seminars per week and 8 hours of reading and thinking about the content and work on assignments and/or test preparation.
Delivery Mode
Campus Experience
Attendance is expected at all seminars. Students are expected to comment on assigned reading each week.
Seminars will not be recorded.
Attendance is required for student seminar presentations.
This course is not available for delivery to students studying remotely outside NZ.
Learning Resources
Course materials are made available in a learning and collaboration tool called Canvas which also includes reading lists and lecture recordings (where available).
Please remember that the recording of any class on a personal device requires the permission of the instructor.
Student Feedback
At the end of every semester students will be invited to give feedback on the course and teaching through a tool called SET or Qualtrics. The lecturers and course co-ordinators will consider all feedback and respond with summaries and actions.
Your feedback helps teachers to improve the course and its delivery for future students.
Class Representatives in each class can take feedback to the department and faculty staff-student consultative committees.
Students will get more opportunities to engage in critical dialogue about readings in class.
Academic Integrity
The University of Auckland will not tolerate cheating, or assisting others to cheat, and views cheating in coursework as a serious academic offence. The work that a student submits for grading must be the student's own work, reflecting their learning. Where work from other sources is used, it must be properly acknowledged and referenced. This requirement also applies to sources on the internet. A student's assessed work may be reviewed for potential plagiarism or other forms of academic misconduct, using computerised detection mechanisms.
Class Representatives
Class representatives are students tasked with representing student issues to departments, faculties, and the wider university. If you have a complaint about this course, please contact your class rep who will know how to raise it in the right channels. See your departmental noticeboard for contact details for your class reps.
Inclusive Learning
All students are asked to discuss any impairment related requirements privately, face to face and/or in written form with the course coordinator, lecturer or tutor.
Student Disability Services also provides support for students with a wide range of impairments, both visible and invisible, to succeed and excel at the University. For more information and contact details, please visit the Student Disability Services’ website http://disability.auckland.ac.nz
Well-being always comes first
We all go through tough times during the semester, or see our friends struggling. There is lots of help out there - for more information, look at this Canvas page https://canvas.auckland.ac.nz/courses/33894, which has links to various support services in the University and the wider community.
Special Circumstances
If your ability to complete assessed coursework is affected by illness or other personal circumstances outside of your control, contact a member of teaching staff as soon as possible before the assessment is due.
If your personal circumstances significantly affect your performance, or preparation, for an exam or eligible written test, refer to the University’s aegrotat or compassionate consideration page https://www.auckland.ac.nz/en/students/academic-information/exams-and-final-results/during-exams/aegrotat-and-compassionate-consideration.html.
This should be done as soon as possible and no later than seven days after the affected test or exam date.
Learning Continuity
In the event of an unexpected disruption, we undertake to maintain the continuity and standard of teaching and learning in all your courses throughout the year. If there are unexpected disruptions the University has contingency plans to ensure that access to your course continues and course assessment continues to meet the principles of the University’s assessment policy. Some adjustments may need to be made in emergencies. You will be kept fully informed by your course co-ordinator/director, and if disruption occurs you should refer to the university website for information about how to proceed.
Student Charter and Responsibilities
The Student Charter assumes and acknowledges that students are active participants in the learning process and that they have responsibilities to the institution and the international community of scholars. The University expects that students will act at all times in a way that demonstrates respect for the rights of other students and staff so that the learning environment is both safe and productive. For further information visit Student Charter https://www.auckland.ac.nz/en/students/forms-policies-and-guidelines/student-policies-and-guidelines/student-charter.html.
Disclaimer
Elements of this outline may be subject to change. The latest information about the course will be available for enrolled students in Canvas.
In this course students may be asked to submit coursework assessments digitally. The University reserves the right to conduct scheduled tests and examinations for this course online or through the use of computers or other electronic devices. Where tests or examinations are conducted online remote invigilation arrangements may be used. In exceptional circumstances changes to elements of this course may be necessary at short notice. Students enrolled in this course will be informed of any such changes and the reasons for them, as soon as possible, through Canvas.