Northern Light Studio LLC Syllabus 1

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WASHINGTON UNIVERSITY: Fall Semester 2003
SPECIAL TOPICS IN PAINTING:
HISTORIC EUROPEAN PAINTING TECHNIQUES
—F-20-2113 /-2114 /-2115 /-2116

SYLLABUS Part I

Part II , III , IV

INSTRUCTOR: Phoebe Dent Weil
phoebe@northernlightstudio.com
http://www.northernlightstudio.com

8/28: I.1 : THE ITALIAN TRECENTO

Handouts: 1) Syllabus; 2) List of required texts; 3) Books on Reserve; 4) Bibliography (see website above)
Introduction and overview of the course: the problem of doing reconstructions
Lecture: Introduction to Cennino Cennini’s Il Libro dell’Arte (c. 1390) and other resources for early Italian panel painting
Practicum: Introduction to a sampling of materials & methods
Assignment: Visit the St. Louis Art Museum, gallery 204. Select an area from one of the following list of paintings. Make xeroxes from photos or download image to size desired. Your reconstruction should vary slightly in size from the original.

List of paintings, all in gallery 204:

Spinello Aretino (Italian, Florence c. 1346-1410) Madonna and Child Enthroned with Angels c. 1390 [48:1927]
Orcagna (Andrea di Cione) (Italian, Florence, 1308-1368), Madonna and Child with Saints, c. 1345 [51:1926]
Giovanni di Paolo (Italian, Siena c. 1403-1482/3) St. Thomas Aquinas Confoundig Averroes, 1445-50 [56:1941]
Lorenzo di Niccolo di Martino (active 1392-1412), Madonna and Child Enthroned, with Saints, c. 1410-12 [43:1937]

Reading:

Cennino Cennini, The Craftsman’s Handbook, pp. 1-78.
Thompson, Daniel V., The Materials and Techniques of Medieval Painting, pp.74-135.
Bomford, David, et. al., Art in the Making: Italian Painting Before 1400, pp.1-26.[on reserve]

9/2: I.2
4:30-5:30: MEET AT ST. LOUIS ART MUSEUM-rear entrance

Introduction to technical examination with Paul Haner, Conservator, St. Louis Art Museum—Examination of the Spinello Aretino
6:00-7:30—Bixby Class Room—panel preparation—application of size and first layers of gesso
Assignment: Finish Cennino; Thompson, pp.136-189; Bomford et. al., pp. 27- 31; Watrous, The Craft of Old Master Drawings, pp. 66-88; complete preparation of panel.

9/4: I.3

Lecture: Underdrawing and drawing materials: charcoal, chalk, ink
Practicum: making ink: carbon, bistre, iron gall; finish gesso ground and transfer drawing to panel
Assignment: Thompson pp. 190-229; complete underdrawing

9/9: I.4

Lecture: Gilding: application of bole, laying gold leaf, bunishing, stamped decoration
Practicum: Gilding; punching
Assignment: Complete gilding and punched decoration

9/11: I.5

Lecture: Introduction to Cennino’s pigments and egg tempera technique; Cennino’s color mixing technique-
Practicum: Color preparation, begin painting
Assignment: Spend at least 3-4 hours working on your painting in front of the original at the St. Louis Art Museum—Protocol for this will be discussed in class

9/16: I.6

Lecture: Range of examples of 13th-14th-early 15th c Italian painting technique / Discussion
Practicum: Work on reconstruction and/or experimentation with techniques
Assignment: Write up summary description of work accomplished, stages of work, materials and techniques, and finish your panel

9/18: I.7

Lecture: Summary/ Discussion and Review
Practicum: Presentation of work accomplished—Each student to present his/her work orally with written description of work accomplished and evaluation of experience
Assignment: Jill Dunkerton et.al., Giotto to Durer: Early Renaissance Painting in the National Gallery, pp. 152-210 [on reserve]

Syllabus Part II
Syllabus Part III
Syllabus Part IV