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Department Reviews

HISTORY OF ART

Trips and talks have been plentiful this year and history of art continues to encourage life-long learning in College students. Under the leadership of Charles Hall from Charles Hall Art Tours, the SFC2 History of Art students and two other SFC2 girls spent a week in Florence last October. A week of intensive study and specially arranged visits to well-known galleries and buildings as well as some ‘off the beaten track discoveries’ increased the girls’ understanding of the range of artistic enterprise in Florence in the 13th, 14th and 15th centuries. We explored the architecture of Florence, visiting the major monastic churches, the Duomo and the Baptistery as well as the Palazzi of Florence, and made a special trip to see the tiny Romanesque church of San Miniato perched on the hill overlooking the City. In Florence it is possible to see Renaissance sculpture round every corner, on buildings, fountains and plinths and the girls were able to see for themselves the well known works of art which we study in class. A trip to the Uffizi and to the Pitti galleries revealed the wealth of paintings produced in the city by artists such as Paolo Uccello, Filippo Lippi and Sandro Botticelli. The trip also provided the opportunity to practise spoken Italian.

The experience of looking at art plays a central role in learning and understanding the style and techniques of works of art so, with this in mind, the history of art students were taken to the British Museum in October as part of their study of Greek art and architecture. Here they were able to see and discuss the Parthenon Sculptures, known as the Elgin Marbles, in the context of the Greek search for physical perfection in the human form; one of the principle ideas that is addressed in this syllabus is the impact of canonical works that are considered defining examples of high art in the history of art. It is also important to remember that the value we place on a ‘great work of art’ may in fact misrepresent its significance in the eyes of contemporaries. The appearance of art may also have been very different at the time of its making, for example, The Parthenon and its sculpture was once decorated with coloured paint. The trip continued in the afternoon with a visit to the Millais exhibition at Tate Britain. This was of special interest to the SFC2 girls who had earlier attended a talk on Millais at the Literature Festival in Cheltenham given by the curator of the exhibition.

Throughout the year there have been opportunities for discussions of art and its significance. There have been several art history society meetings, one of which included invited students from Cheltenham College’s History of Art department. Talks have presented titles such as ‘Women looking at Women’ and ‘Tracey Emin – love her or loathe her!’. A well-attended talk by guest speaker Dan Evans, from Art History Abroad, provided enlightenment on Leonardo da Vinci’s anatomical drawings and we hope to welcome Dan back next year. Parents are very welcome at these talks.

Ex-CLC History of Art student, Melissa Singson, returned to College to give a talk on studying the subject at university. Melissa had spent three years at Stanford University in America and is now in the midst of an MA at the Courtauld Institute in London. She gave some very helpful insights on what to expect from a course on History of Art and also what sort of student is likely to be accepted onto a course at the Courtauld.

Studying the history of art allows us to think about forms of art which have moved away from naturalistic representation and SFC1 have been considering this approach in works of sculpture. In January they went to Kew Gardens to see an important exhibition of Henry Moore’s work situated in the landscape. Artist Stuart Simler led the girls around a selection of Moore’s monumental bronze sculptures and encouraged them to discuss their personal responses to the works. One of the aims of the course in history of art is to get students talking about ideas in art, not just seeing the art as an object. There is nothing like getting up close and personal with Moore’s sculpture and we were encouraged to climb on it, in it and around it.

SFC1 students were lucky enough to be given a two hour tour around the Pangolin Bronze Foundry in Chalford where they were shown every aspect of the making, casting and finishing process of bronze sculpture. Pangolin is one of the most important foundries in Europe and many famous sculptors come here to have their work cast. These visits and trips are designed to complement the class teaching and learning. They give overseas girls the opportunity to see the British and European collections of works of art and they provide all the girls with an opportunity to see painting, sculpture and architecture at first hand. The experience of galleries and museums allows a personal encounter with many different types of art and each girl comes away with an independent idea of what she has seen, allowing her to use what she has learned in the classroom and apply it to her own experience.

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