Professors

Agostino De Rosa (Università  Iuav di Venezia)

Schedule

Tuesday
From 15:15
to 16:45
Thursday
From 15:15
to 16:45

Course description
The course aims at introducing the students to know and to interpret the figurative forms by means of which the Western and the Eastern (especially Sino-Japanese) cultures used to represent time and space. Starting from the analysis of the anthropologic positions that have historically distinguished the two ethno-cultural fields, the course will provide a close examination of why, despite the development in the West of the conical linear perspective during the Renaissance, it’s been privileged in the Far East the pseudo-axonometry which quickly became the symbolic form for that complex native philosophical and religious context. The theme of the representation of light and shadow in both of the figurative contexts will be particularly underlined, employing materials coming not only from the history of art and of figuration, but also from literature, music and cinema.

Learning outcomes
The expected learning outcomes are those related to a development for the students of a comparative approach between the Western and Eastern forms of representation, by means of the analytic observation and the documentary study of some of milestones’ figurative art. The course aims at developing in the student her/his own critical capacities in the exegesis of images characterized by a strong geometric and symbolic content, even if distant from an ethnographic point of view, by trying to underline the common features which link them.

Teaching and evaluation methods
The course will be held with lectures, and with the aid of multimedia materials. The students’ learning status will be evaluated with two short individual exercises during the course, in the form of seminaries, each counting for the 30% of the final grade (30%+30%=60%). The remaining 40% will be given according to the final exam, which will consist of a discussion about the themes developed during the course.
Evaluation methods:
30% 1st individual exercise
30% 2nd individual exercise
40% Final discussion

Syllabus

Week 1
Perspective versus axonometry
Lesson 1- The geometrical and cultural roots of linear perspective
- Panofsky, E. (1996). Perspective as Symbolic Form, Zone Book, Brooklyn, New York.
- Scolari, M., (2012). Oblique Drawing. A History of Anti-Perspective, The MIT Press, Cambridge, Massachusetts.
Lesson 2–Projective Foundations of Linear Perspective
- Montague, J. (2013). Basic Perspective Drawing: A Visual Approach, Wiley, Hoboken, NJ: 40-78.
-Kemp, M. (1992) The Science of Art: Optical Themes in Western Art from Brunelleschi to Seurat, Yale, Yale University Press.

Week 2
Between Shadows and Light v Lesson 1– Theory and History of Shadow Projection (I)
- Stoichita, V. (2013). Short History of the Shadow, Reaktion Books, London: Ist chapter.
- Gombrich, E. (1995). Shadows: The Depiction of Cast Shadows in Western Art, National Gallery, London.
Lesson 2– Theory and History of Shadow Projection (II)
- Bauer, G. (1987). Experimental Shadow Casting and the Early History of Perspective, in "Art Bullettin", vol. LXIX, June.

Week 3
Lesson 1- Theory and History of Shadows Projection (III)
- Da Costa Kaufmann, T. (1975). The Perspective of Shadows: The History of the Theory of Shadow Projection, in “Journal of the Warburg and Courtauld Institutes”, Vol. 38: 258-287.
A-perspectival representation in Far East Figurative Art
Lesson 2–Delete the senses
- De Rosa, A. (1998). L' infinito svelato allo sguardo. Forme della rappresentazione estremo orientale, Milan, Città Studi: 1st chapter.

Week 4
Lesson 1– Images without limits
- De Rosa, A. (1998). L' infinito svelato allo sguardo. Forme della rappresentazione estremo orientale, Milan, Città Studi: 2nd chapter.
-Wells, W.H.(1935). Perspective in early Chinese Painting, London, E. Coldston.
Lesson 2– At the edge of the shadow
- De Rosa, A. (1998). L' infinito svelato allo sguardo. Forme della rappresentazione estremo orientale, Milan, Città Studi: 3rd chapter.
Junichiro, T. (2001). In Praise Of Shadows, new edition, London, Vintage Classics.
- Glum, P.(1981-82). Light without shade, I, in "Oriental Art" n°4, Winter
- Glum, P.(1982). Light without shade, II, in "Oriental Art" n°1, Spring.

Week 5
The art of light and space
Lesson 1–Another Horizon: James Turrell’s light installations (I)+II
- De Rosa, A. (2006). James Turrell/Geometrie di Luce/Roden Crater Project, Electa, Milan.
- Sinnreich U., edited by (2009). James Turrell: Geometry of Light, Ostfildern, Hatje Cantz.
Assignment of 1st individual exercise: comparative study of two pictorial images (one from Renaissance’s pictorial tradition, and the other from Far East’s one) freely chosen by the student.
Lesson 2– A Dawn in the Void: The Roden Crater Project (I)
- De Rosa, A. (2006). James Turrell/Geometrie di Luce/Roden Crater Project, Electa, Milan.
- Govan, M., edited by (2013). James Turrell: A Retrospective, New York and London, Prestel USA.

Week 6
Lesson 1– A Dawn in the Void: The Roden Crater Project (I)
- De Rosa, A. (2006). James Turrell/Geometrie di Luce/Roden Crater Project, Electa, Milan.
- Govan, M., edited by (2013). James Turrell: A Retrospective, New York and London, Prestel USA,
Delivery of 1st individual exercise.
Lesson 2– exercises’ discussion and readings

Midterm Break Week

Week 8
The Vertigo of Sight
Lesson 1–The Secrets of Anamorphosis. First part
- De Rosa, A., D’Acunto, G. (2002). La vertigine dello sguardo. Tre saggi sulla rappresentazione anamorfica, Venezia, Libreria Editrice Cafoscarina: 1st chapter.
- Massey, L. (2007). Picturing Space, Displacing Bodies: Anamorphosis in Early Modern Theories of Perspective, University Park, PA, Penn State University Press.
Lesson 2–The Secrets of Anamorphosis. Second part
- De Rosa, A., D’Acunto, G. (2002). La vertigine dello sguardo. Tre saggi sulla rappresentazione anamorfica, Venezia, Libreria Editrice Cafoscarina: 1st chapter.
- Massey, L. (2007). Picturing Space, Displacing Bodies: Anamorphosis in Early Modern Theories of Perspective, University Park, PA, Penn State University Press.

Week 9
Lesson 1– Small visual mazes
- De Rosa, A., D’Acunto, G. (2002). La vertigine dello sguardo. Tre saggi sulla rappresentazione anamorfica, Venezia, Libreria Editrice Cafoscarina: 2nd chapter.
-Kemp, M. (1992). The Science of Art: Optical Themes in Western Art from Brunelleschi to Seurat, Yale, Yale University Press.
Assignment of 2nd individual exercise: comparative study (i.e. paper) of two essays:
1)Plummer, H. (1987). Poetics of Light, in “A+U”, Tokyo December.;
2) Junichiro, T. (2001). In Praise Of Shadows, new edition, London, Vintage Classics.
Maximum length: 10 pages (excluding the illustrations). Research papers must include bibliographical references and notes.
Lesson 2– Steps into Infinity: the Twins Anamorphic Corridors at Trinità dei Monti (Rome)
- De Rosa, A., (2013). Jean François Nicéron. Prospettiva, catottrica e magia artificiale, Rome, Aracne.

Week 10
Comparing East and West: some case studies
Lesson 1–Guest lecture: Alessio Bortot (University Iuav of Venezia), AngBayon shrineand its Cosmogonic Architecture.
Delivery of 2nd individual exercise.

Week 11
Lesson 1–Guest lecture: Isabella Friso (Università degli Studi di Padova), The works by L.I. Kahn, between East and West.
Lesson 2 -Guest lecture: Cosimo Monteleone (University Iuav of Venezia), The Observatory by Maharaja Sawai Jai Singh (Jaipur, India).

Week 12
Lesson 1–Guest lecture: Andrea Giordano (Università degli Studi di Padova), History of Perspective through Ideal Cities.
Lesson 2 -Guest lecture: Cosimo Monteleone (University Iuav of Venezia), Frank Lloyd Wright and the Far East.

Week 13
Lesson 1– paper discussion and readings
Lesson 2–paper discussion and readings.

Exam week December 17-21 2018

 

Detailed bibliography
Required readings
- Panofsky, E. (1996). Perspective as Symbolic Form, Zone Book, Brooklyn, New York.
- Plummer, H. (1987). Poetics of Light, in “A+U”, Tokyo December.
- Junichiro, T. (2001). In Praise Of Shadows, new edition, London, Vintage Classics.

Suggested readings
-AA.VV., VIA/Architecture and Shadow, #11, Philadelphia 1990
-Aromberg Levin, M., Piero della Francesca: The Flagellation, New York 1972
-Bauer, G., Experimental Shadow Casting and the Early History of Perspective, in "Art Bullettin", vol. LXIX, June 1987
-Baxandall, M., Shadows and Enlightenment, New Haven e London 1995
-Clunas, C., Pictures and Visuality in Early Modern China, London 1997
-Fong, M., The technique of 'chiaroscuro' in Chinese Painting from Han through T'ang, in "Artibus Asiae", XXXVIII, 2/3, Ascona 1976
-Glum, P., Light without shade, I, in "Oriental Art" n°4, Winter 1981/82
-Glum, P., Light without shade, II, in "Oriental Art" n°1, Spring 1982
-Gombrich, E. H., Shadows/The depiction of cast shadows in western art, London 1995.
-Hung, W., The Double Screen/Medium and Representation in Chinese painting, London 1996
-Inoue, M., Space in Japanese Architecture, New York/Tokyo, 1985
-Isozaki, A., 'Ma': Japanese Time-Space, in "JA", Tokyo February 1979
-Itoh, T., Space and Illusion in the Japanese Garden, New York-Tokyo & Kyoto, 1977
-Kemp, M., The Science of Art: Optical Themes in Western Art from Brunelleschi to Seurat, Yale 1992
-Maeda, R. J., Spatial Enclosures: the Idea of lnterior Space in Chinese Painting, in "Oriental Art" #4, Fall 1985/86
-Maki, F., Japanese City Spaces and the Concept of Oku, in "JA", Tokyo May 1979
-March, B., A Note on Perspective in Chinese Painting, in "The China Journal", VII/2, August 1929
-March, B., Linear Perspective in Chinese Painting, in "Eastern Art" n°3, Philadelphia 1931
-Needham, J., Wang, L., Lo Gwey, D., voice Perspective, in AA.VV., "Science and Civilization in China", vol. IV, Cambridge 1971
-Nietschke, G., From Shinto t o Ando/Studies in Architectural Anthropology in Japan, London-Berlin 1993
-Scolari, M., Oblique Drawing: A History of Anti-Perspective, Cambridge Mass. 2012
-Wells, W.H., Perspective in early Chinese Painting, London 1935

No previous knowledge required.

Venice
International
University

Isola di San Servolo
30133 Venice,
Italy

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