Comments on: A Visit to Rome & Some Thoughts About the Art History Survey http://smarthistory.org/blog/691/the-failures-of-art-history/ Our Thoughts on Teaching & Technology Thu, 01 Jul 2010 16:53:47 +0000 hourly 1 http://wordpress.org/?v=3.0 By: Beth http://smarthistory.org/blog/691/the-failures-of-art-history/comment-page-1/#comment-52942 Beth Mon, 15 Mar 2010 14:05:18 +0000 http://smarthistory.org/blog/?p=691#comment-52942 I'm sorry - what was it that you remember? We're happy to help! I’m sorry – what was it that you remember? We’re happy to help!

]]> By: Dagallork http://smarthistory.org/blog/691/the-failures-of-art-history/comment-page-1/#comment-52923 Dagallork Mon, 15 Mar 2010 06:12:29 +0000 http://smarthistory.org/blog/?p=691#comment-52923 Помню читал у вас на сайте в январе интересную новость, но ее уже нет - странно… Я ведь правильно выбираю архив - затем январь..? Помню читал у вас на сайте в январе интересную новость, но ее уже нет – странно… Я ведь правильно выбираю архив – затем январь..?

]]> By: Сергей http://smarthistory.org/blog/691/the-failures-of-art-history/comment-page-1/#comment-52797 Сергей Sat, 13 Mar 2010 07:30:45 +0000 http://smarthistory.org/blog/?p=691#comment-52797 Масса хороших впечатлений!!! Масса хороших впечатлений!!!

]]> By: non-fiction books http://smarthistory.org/blog/691/the-failures-of-art-history/comment-page-1/#comment-50195 non-fiction books Wed, 10 Feb 2010 11:07:23 +0000 http://smarthistory.org/blog/?p=691#comment-50195 yes, we've been to rome. apart from the horrific traffic, nothing can explain the way we felt when confronted with the sheer magnitude of the art and history that we were about to experience in the city. it was nothing short of majestic. i really like this post by the way. yes, we’ve been to rome. apart from the horrific traffic, nothing can explain the way we felt when confronted with the sheer magnitude of the art and history that we were about to experience in the city. it was nothing short of majestic.

i really like this post by the way.

]]> By: Tweets that mention Smarthistory: The Blog » Blog Archive » A Visit to Rome & Some Thoughts About the Art History Survey -- Topsy.com http://smarthistory.org/blog/691/the-failures-of-art-history/comment-page-1/#comment-49166 Tweets that mention Smarthistory: The Blog » Blog Archive » A Visit to Rome & Some Thoughts About the Art History Survey -- Topsy.com Sat, 09 Jan 2010 03:35:24 +0000 http://smarthistory.org/blog/?p=691#comment-49166 [...] This post was mentioned on Twitter by Steven Zucker, Tate Strickland. Tate Strickland said: Reminds me of my experience in Rome and the Cerasi Chapel. http://bit.ly/7ilMPE @tweeroden #smarthistory [...] [...] This post was mentioned on Twitter by Steven Zucker, Tate Strickland. Tate Strickland said: Reminds me of my experience in Rome and the Cerasi Chapel. http://bit.ly/7ilMPE @tweeroden #smarthistory [...]

]]> By: Beth http://smarthistory.org/blog/691/the-failures-of-art-history/comment-page-1/#comment-49010 Beth Mon, 04 Jan 2010 14:26:25 +0000 http://smarthistory.org/blog/?p=691#comment-49010 Thanks for the comment J.M. - I'm writing now from Florence - the last time I was here was more than 25 years ago. Seeing Masaccio's Holy Trinity in person in Santa Maria Novella - alongside Lippi and Ghirlandaio and Giotto, well - what can I say? You're right - these works were meant for veneration and contemplation and to be seen in person. Thing is though, we show them in reproduction in a darkened room, often in isolation, far from their locations. And most slide libraries, or now digital image libraries like ARTstor, don't contain images of Piazza del Popolo or the tourists, or the traffic, or the church, or the Cerasi Chapel as a whole. We strip these things away or make the images difficult to obtain. I've been teaching for close to 20 years, and just now had the chance to visit Rome. It would have been impossible to explain these things to my students without the first-hand visit. So, I suppose the question is - how do we reconcile the need to teach these beautiful and important objects with the just as urgent need to convey the context they exist in - when visiting isn't possible? Most guide books now recommend even relatively obscure sites like, for example, Santa Apollonia - to see Castagno's Last Supper. Churches and chapels that I remember walking in to in Florence now charge entrance fees - and there are lines to enter. I have no problem with that. But we are, in part, responsible for creating this tourist culture - and do little to prepare our students for it. Thanks for the comment J.M. – I’m writing now from Florence – the last time I was here was more than 25 years ago. Seeing Masaccio’s Holy Trinity in person in Santa Maria Novella – alongside Lippi and Ghirlandaio and Giotto, well – what can I say? You’re right – these works were meant for veneration and contemplation and to be seen in person. Thing is though, we show them in reproduction in a darkened room, often in isolation, far from their locations. And most slide libraries, or now digital image libraries like ARTstor, don’t contain images of Piazza del Popolo or the tourists, or the traffic, or the church, or the Cerasi Chapel as a whole. We strip these things away or make the images difficult to obtain. I’ve been teaching for close to 20 years, and just now had the chance to visit Rome. It would have been impossible to explain these things to my students without the first-hand visit. So, I suppose the question is – how do we reconcile the need to teach these beautiful and important objects with the just as urgent need to convey the context they exist in – when visiting isn’t possible? Most guide books now recommend even relatively obscure sites like, for example, Santa Apollonia – to see Castagno’s Last Supper. Churches and chapels that I remember walking in to in Florence now charge entrance fees – and there are lines to enter. I have no problem with that. But we are, in part, responsible for creating this tourist culture – and do little to prepare our students for it.

]]> By: J. M . Cook http://smarthistory.org/blog/691/the-failures-of-art-history/comment-page-1/#comment-48957 J. M . Cook Sun, 03 Jan 2010 13:12:36 +0000 http://smarthistory.org/blog/?p=691#comment-48957 I have been to the see te Carravaggios mentioned in the church of Santa Maria del Popolo, and I had the same experience. I think, though, that a large percentage of the magic or discovery that lies in art history is in seeing them in real life, in its real place, and in a certain context, if possible. I teach AP Art History, and I am always trying to teach the students (when possible) how it FEELS when you see a piece, stand in a temple/cathedral, and how the work makes one feel. In short, I dont think art history fails to prepare us in any way in this sense. I think we as viewers/scholars/historians fail art history, if we do not go to them. These works were not meant to be shown to people on the other side of the world in a book. They were meant for veneration, contemplation, and to be seen with the naked eye. Keep up the good work, everyone, I always point my students in this direction. I have been to the see te Carravaggios mentioned in the church of Santa Maria del Popolo, and I had the same experience.

I think, though, that a large percentage of the magic or discovery that lies in art history is in seeing them in real life, in its real place, and in a certain context, if possible. I teach AP Art History, and I am always trying to teach the students (when possible) how it FEELS when you see a piece, stand in a temple/cathedral, and how the work makes one feel.

In short, I dont think art history fails to prepare us in any way in this sense. I think we as viewers/scholars/historians fail art history, if we do not go to them. These works were not meant to be shown to people on the other side of the world in a book. They were meant for veneration, contemplation, and to be seen with the naked eye.

Keep up the good work, everyone, I always point my students in this direction.

]]> By: Ana http://smarthistory.org/blog/691/the-failures-of-art-history/comment-page-1/#comment-48865 Ana Thu, 31 Dec 2009 16:22:03 +0000 http://smarthistory.org/blog/?p=691#comment-48865 This is another great post. I agree with you. It would be great to have a collection of people's experience while appreciating art. I have already publish a post about this site and I think that this post is great and has to do with something I wrote about art history. Happy NEW YEAR! Ana This is another great post.
I agree with you. It would be great to have a collection of people’s experience while appreciating art.
I have already publish a post about this site and I think that this post is great and has to do with something I wrote about art history.
Happy NEW YEAR!
Ana

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