Western Art and Music: Enlightenment and Beyond

Since the Enlightenment, the way that the western mind thinks about God, society, and politics has transformed dramatically. How have these ideas influenced European art and music? This year-long class will introduce students to a wide variety of artistic and musical movements, including Neo-Classicism, Romanticism, the Pre-Raphaelites, Modernism, as well as more contemporary developments. We will discuss these movements both in their historical context, and in view of their aesthetic merit, seeking to answer the question: what makes something beautiful?

The year will be divided into eight sub-topics:

1. A brief introduction to aesthetics and the philosophy of beauty
2. The Enlightenment and the Age of Reason
3. Responses to industrialism I: Romanticism and the rediscovery of nature
4. Responses to industrialism II: Medievalism, the Pre-Raphaelites, and the Arts and Crafts movement
5. Redefining reality in the later 19th century: from realism to impressionism
6. The arrival of the modern era and the break from reality: surrealism and expressionism
7. The Postmodern age: beyond truth and beauty
8. New Classicism: fresh horizons in Western art?

By the end of the year, students will understand:

• key concepts in the philosophy of beauty;
• the features of major post-18th-century cultural movements, and their philosophical, social, and artistic motivations;
• the influence of historical events and intellectual movements on the Western understanding of beauty, and their subsequent impact on Western artistic form.

Select bibliography:

• "Beauty," The Stanford Encyclopedia of Philosophy, Crispin Sartwell
• Why Beauty Matters, Roger Scruton/BBC
• The Story of Art, Ernst Gombrich
• The Work of Art in the Age of Mechanical Reproduction, Walter Benjamin

• Computer: You will need a stable, reliable computer, running with a processor with a speed of 1 GHz or better on one of the following operating systems: Mac OS X with Mac OS 10.7 or later; Windows 8, 7, Vista (with SP1 or later), or XP (with SP3 or later). We do not recommend using an iPad or other tablet for joining classes. An inexpensive laptop or netbook would be much better solutions, as they enable you to plug an Ethernet cable directly into your computer. Please note that Chromebooks are allowed but not preferred, as they do not support certain features of the Zoom video conference software such as breakout sessions and annotation, which may be used by our teachers for class activities.
• High-Speed Internet Connection: You will also need access to high-speed Internet, preferably accessible via Ethernet cable right into your computer. Using Wi-Fi may work, but will not guarantee you the optimal use of your bandwidth. The faster your Internet, the better. We recommend using a connection with a download/upload speed of 5/1 Mbps or better. You can test your Internet connection here.
• Webcam: You may use an external webcam or one that is built in to the computer. Webcam Recommendations: Good (PC only) | Best (Mac and PC)
• Headset: We recommend using a headset rather than a built-in microphone and speakers. Using a headset reduces the level of background noise heard by the entire class. Headset Recommendations: USB | 3.5mm
• Zoom: We use a web conferencing software called Zoom for our classes, which enables students and teachers to gather from around the globe face to face in real time. Zoom is free to download and easy to use. To download Zoom:
  1. Visit zoom.us/download.
  2. Click to download the first option listed, Zoom Client for Meetings.
  3. Open and run the installer on your computer.
  4. In August, students will be provided with instructions and a link for joining their particular class.
• Scanner: In this class, students frequently submit homework assignments by scanning pages from their workbooks. Students and/or their parents should have easy access to a scanner and the ability to use it.