Topics vary from year to year. This study emphasizes on the Mexican Muralist painters, such as Diego Rivera, David Alfaro Siqueiros and José Clemente Orozco. Discussion of the impact of Mexican Muralism to the Mexican revolution as well as the art of Frida Kahlo and Remedios Varo in the formation of Mexican's artistic identity and origins of artistic forms.

Mexican Muralism Course

COURSE DESCRIPTION: Examination on the dominance of Mexican Muralism in the visual and aesthetic culture in Latin America in the early twentieth century. Discussion on the implication of the social revolution and political sentiments on Mexican murals representations. Also stylistic and iconographical analysis of the Muralists, such as Diego Rivera, José Clemente Orozco, David Alfaro Siqueiros, Rufino Tamayo as well as Frida Kahlo will be studied in relation to past muralist traditions.

ORGANIZATION: Although class discussion is strongly encouraged, this is primarily a lecture course based upon the visual content of works of art presented by way of projected slides. Attendance is highly recommended for every class meeting. Students are responsible for the content of all lectures and assigned reading materials.

CLASS COMPORTMENT: Since this a professional presentation at the university level, you are not permitted to eat or drink during class lectures and discussion. Disabled students must see me on the first day of class to accommodate their individual needs.

OFFICE HOURS: Monday-Wednesday 4:00-6:00 p.m., Friday 12:00-1:00 p.m. or by appointment. My office is in Coburn Hall, Room 201

REQUIRED READINGS:
-Alma Reed, The Mexican Muralists. New York: Crown Publishers, 1970.
-Alma Reed, Orozco. New York: Crown Publishers, 1970.
-Andrea Kettenman, Diego Rivera. New York: Taschen, 1997.
-Andrea Kettenman, Frida Kahlo. New York: Taschen, 1997.
-Diego Rivera, Portrait of America. New York: Crown Publishers, 1950.
-Carlos Fuentes, The Diary of Frida Kahlo. New York: Harry A. Abrams, 1997.
-Philip Stein, Siqueiros: His Life and Works. New York: International Publishers, 1997.
-J. Corredor-Matheos, Rufino Tamayo. Madri: Ediciones Polígrafa, 1997.

SUGGESTED READINGS:
A list of books will be provided in class.

ATTENDANCE: Class attendance is required. Exams are based on class lectures and discussion of visual and historical material.

EXAMINATIONS: There will be two quizzes and examinations–March 2 and April 27. One comprehensive exam on March 30 and a final exam (date to be announced) Examinations are based on specific material covered in class and on the required readings. Examinations missed without prior written excuse from the instructor or written excuse for medical or other emergencies cannot be made up. No electronic mail, fax, telephone, or voice mail is acceptable.

PAPER: There will be one paper due on TBA. All late papers will be penalized or not accepted. The paper should be approximately 10 to 15 pages long, double spaced and typed with illustrations (xeroxed). Suggested topics will be given at the beginning of the semester, along with a general instruction sheet for typing the paper. Notify me of your paper topic on April 13.

GUIDELINES FOR WRITTEN ASSIGNMENT: The written assignment will be graded on form as well as content so that spelling, punctuation, grammar, and syntax are to be considered with some care. Prior to completing your research, you should consult at least 8, post 1960 sources (books and articles). Although you may read survey texts (such a as those of Janson, Hartt, or Gardner), these do not count among the acceptable sources. You may develop a good bibliography for any topic you choose from the books and articles on the Reserve Section of the O'Leary Library/South Campus. Also, The Encyclopedia of World Art and The Oxford Companion to Art may be useful. The Art Index (an annual index of periodical literature on art) is extremely helpful. In your paper define the limits of the topic you are considering, clarify the issues surrounding the topic with respect to the relationship between Italian Baroque, comment on the scholarly problems involved, and offer some original incite into the topic. Be sure to read critically. you will find little agreement among various authors.

NOTE ON PLAGIARISM: Be careful never to copy directly or directly adapt from another author without crediting the source. General sources must be listed in a bibliography; any direct quotation or paraphrase must be footnoted. Any unacknowledged copying will receive and F for the course.

HANDOUTS: A series of xeroxed materials will be given out throughout the course in order to help you with your reading and writing assignments.

EVALUATION: The final exam will count 25% of your final semester grade. The paper will also count 25% of your final semester grade. And the two examinations will count 45% of your final semester grade. The remaining 5% of your final grade will be based your class participation plus your class notes.

MUSEUM VISITS: Students are individually responsible for visiting the Boston Museum of Fine Arts, the Isabella Stewart Gardner Museum (both in Boston), the Fogg Art Museum (Cambridge), the Worcester Art Museum (Worcester), Whistler House Museum (Lowell), the Philips Academy Museum (Andover), and the Curry Museum.

OPTIONAL MUSEUM VISITS: Probably during the semester the Art History Club will sponsor some field trips to the Boston Museums. Also, there will be schedules of one or two trips to New York City, Worcester and, New Haven and Hartford, CT., and Washington, D.C. in order to visit some major exhibitions or museums. You will be encouraged to attend, but not penalized for not participating in these trips.

TIME TABLE FOR EXAMINATIONS:
(N.B. Subject to change with a week of prior notice)

March 2 Quiz I/Exam I. It will consist of identifying visual material presented in class and found in the required assignments. You will be asked to identify the name of the artist, the title of the art work, the style, and give an approximate date of the work. In addition, there will be a section on essay questions.
March 30 Examination. It will be based on slide identification, slide comparisons, an attribution problem and essays along with a brief quiz consisting of identifying visual material presented in class and found in the required assignments. You will be asked to identify the name of the artist, the title of the art work, the style, and give an approximate date of the work. All responses must be written in essay format.
April 13 Notification of Paper Topic. Mexican Muralists Bibliography/Update.
April 27 Quiz II/Exam II. It will be based on slide identification, slide comparisons, and attribution problem and essays. All responses must be written in essay format. In addition, there will be a section of essay questions.
May 11 PAPER DUE. Mexican Muralists Bibliography/Completed.
May 16-23 FINAL EXAMINATION PERIOD. Final Exam time will be announced. The final exam format will be the same as the First and Second Examinations. It will not be cumulative, that is to say, you will be tested on the new visual material presented after the Second Examination, but you will be responsible for the assimilation of general concepts of the Italian Baroque Period of Art in your essay section.

LECTURE, ASSIGNMENT AND EXAMINATION SCHEDULE:
(N.B. Subject to change with a week of prior notice)

Jan 29 - Introduction: What is Mexican Art?
Readings; Peter Selz' article on "Art and Politics: The Artist and the Social Order" (handout)
Willim Squires' article on Rational Criticism and Censorship" (handout)

Feb 2 - Introduction: Mexican milieu and the Revolution.
Discussion on Peter Selz' article on "Art and Politics: The Artist and the Social Order" (handout)
Willim Squires' article on "Rational Criticism and Censorship" (handout)
Video: Viva Zapata
Start a Mexican Muralists Bibliography

Feb 9 - Mexican Muralists and Early 20th Century European Movements
Edward Lucie-Smith's article on "1930-1939" in Visual Arts in the Twentieth Century (handout)
Reed, The Mexican Muralists.
Diego Rivera: His Life and Art
Rivera, Portrait of America
Kettenman, Diego Rivera

Feb 16 - NO CLASS. President's Day

Feb 23 - Diego Rivera: His Life and Art
Rivera, Portrait of America
Kettenman, Diego Rivera
Video: Diego Rivera

March 2 - Quiz I/Exam I
Frida Kahlo: Her Diary and Her Studio
Fluentes, The Diary of Frida Kahlo
Video: Frida Kahlo

March 7 - New York: Art History Field Trip/Optional (Saturday)

March 9 - Frida Kahlo: Her Art and Surrealism
Kettenman, Frida Kahlo
Highly Recommended: H. Herrera, Frida Kahlo, New York: Harper and Row, Publishers, 1990

March 16-22 Spring Break

March 23 - David Alfaro Siqueiros: The Muralist of the Revolution
Readings: Stein, Siqueiros: His Life and Works
Video: The Walls of Mexico

March 30 - EXAMINATION

April 6 - David Alfaro Siqueiros: The Muralist of the Revolution
Stein, Siqueiros: His Life and Works.

April 13 - Jose Clemente Orozco
Reed, Orozco.

April 13 - Notification of Paper Topic. Mexican Muralists Bibliography/Update
Provide an update on Mexican Muralists Bibliography

April 20 - NO CLASS. Patriot's Day

April 24 - Symposium on Latin American and Mexican Art
Friday 12-4 p.m. Attendance Required

April 27 - Quiz II/Exam II

May 4 - Rufino Tamayo: The last Mexican Muralist
Corredor-Matheos, Rufino Tamayo.

May 9 - Washington D.C. Field Trip/Optional (Saturday)

May 11 PAPER DUE. Mexican Muralists Bibliography/Completed
Conclusions on the Mexican Muralist
Corredor-Matheos, Rufino Tamayo
Remedios Varo and Surrealism
Highly Recommended: Ricardo Ovalle and Walter Gruen, Remedios Varo. Madrid: Ediciones Era, 1996
Provide a completed Mexican Muralists Bibliography

May 16-23 FINAL EXAMINATION PERIOD