El Greco, Velázquez and Goya in the Prado Museum

Course Information

Program(s):

Madrid - Language & Area Studies

Discipline(s):

Art History

Terms offered:

Fall, Spring

Credits:

Language of instruction:

Spanish

Contact Hours:

Prerequisites:

None

Description:

A study of the life and works of the most important painters represented in the Prado Museum. Spanish painters such as el Greco, Ribera, Velazquez, and Goya will be examined, as well as painters from other countries such as Bosch, Rubens, Titian, Carracci and Caravaggio whose works are well-represented in the Prado.

Attendance policy:

Attendance is mandatory for all IES Abroad classes, including course-related excursions. Any exams, tests, presentations, or other work missed due to student absences can only be rescheduled in cases of documented medical or family emergencies. If a student misses more than two classes in any course half a letter grade will be deducted from the final grade for every additional absence. Seven absences in any course will result in a failing grade.

Learning outcomes:

By the end of the course, students will be able to :

Know the different artistic movements and the historical context of each artist discussed in the course content.
Develop analytic tools to analyze paintings by the old masters and create their own personal enriching experience and conclusions.
Broaden their intellectual horizons and use the analytic tools learned in class to apply them to different paintings and museums.

Method of presentation:

All classes will take place in the Prado Museum, where the professor will explain in front of the original work of art the history behind it, technical aspects, iconography, etc. In some cases the class will take place in the IES Abroad classrooms, although these will be a minimum number of them. In these lectures, theoretical content will be covered as well as discussions and lectures about paintings that cannot be found in El Prado.

Field study:

A visit to the Ermita de San Antonio de la Florida (date to be determined) best known for its ceiling and dome frescoes by Goya as well as for being his burial place.

Required work and form of assessment:

Midterm Exam (35%): The midterm exam will cover content from Tiziano, El Greco, Rubens, Caracci, Cravaggio and Velázquez.
Essay (15%): Students are required to submit a research paper concerning any of the artists or the topics covered during the course. This paper should be submitted before the final exam, and a reliable and broad bibliography will be required.
Participation and Preparation (15%): All students are required to complete a series of mandatory readings that will provide the historical context of the painting as well as artistic background (technique, iconography, etc) to prepare the students for the lectures at El Prado.
Final Exam (35%): The final exam will cover mostly works by Anton Rafael Mengs and Goya.

content:

Session	Content	Location(s)
Session 1	Introduction to the course	IES Abroad Center
Session 2	El Prado Museum, basic problems of the antique painting.	El Prado Museum
Session 3	The Venetian school of art: Tintoretto & Veronese	El Prado Museum
Session 4	The Venetian School of Art II: Tiziano	El Prado Museum
Session 5	El Greco I: Characteristics of his paintings	El Prado Museum
Session 6	El Greco II: The dignity of the artist	El Prado Museum
Session 7	Velázquez in Seville	El Prado Museum
Session 8	Annibale Carracci and Caravaggio: The origins of Baroque	El Prado Museum
Session 9	Velázquez in court	El Prado Museum
Session 10	Rubens and the nude painting	El Prado Museum
Session 11	The decoration of El Buen Retiro Palace	El Prado Museum
Session 12	Midterm Exam	IES Abroad Center
Session 13	Las Hilanderas and the dwarfs of Velázquez	El Prado Museum
Session 14	Las Meninas of Velázquez	El Prado Museum
Session 15	Carlos II and the end of the Velázquez tradition	El Prado Museum
Session 16	An illustrated project	El Prado Museum
Session 17	Goya's tapestry cartoons I	El Prado Museum
Session 18	Goya's tapestry cartoons II	El Prado Museum
Session 19	Course-related excursion: Ermita de San Antonio de la Florida	Ermita de San Antonio de la Florida
Session 20	The Family of Carlos IV and Las Majas	El Prado Museum
Session 21	Goya: The war of independence	El Prado Museum
Session 22	The graphic work	IES Abroad
Session 23	Goya: The black paintings	El Prado Museum
Session 24	Goya: The last years	El Prado Museum
Session 25	Final Exam	IES Abroad