UMASS LOWELL
College of Arts and Sciences/Art History
Dr. L. Cheney


Women and Art
Syllabus of Lectures

COURSE DESCRIPTION: This course will focus on women both as the subjects and the creators of art. It will be organized chronologically and thematically. This will involve a historical survey of women artists and their artistic contributions, as well as an examination of the religious, mythological and secular images of women in art. Extensive attention will be given to the creation, modification and persistence of these images throughout history, due to various social, economical, psychological and intellectual conditions.

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 strongly recommended for every class meeting. Students are responsible for the content of all lectures and assigned reading materials.

CLASS COMPORTMENT: Since this is a professional presentation at the university level, you are not permitted to eat, drink, converse and receive phone calls during class lectures and discussion. Students are not permitted to tape the lectures without my permission. Disable students must see me on the first day of class to accommodate their individual needs.

REQUIRED READINGS:
-C. Whitney, "Women, Art and Society" (London: Thames and Hudson, 1990)
-L. Cheney, et al, "Self-Portraits by Women Painters" (London: Ashgate, 2000)
Furthermore, a series of articles will be provided in class for additional reading.

SUGGESTED READINGS:
-E.H. Fine, "Women and Art." New York: Allanheld & Schram Publishers, 1995.
-Charlotte S. Rubinstein, "American Women Artists." Boston: G.K.Hall, Publishers, 2000.
-Norma Broude and Mary D. Garrard, "The Expanding Discourse: Feminism and Art History." New York: Harper & Row Publishers, 1992.
-Norma Broude and Mary D. Garrard, "Feminism and Art History." New York: Harper & Row Publishers, 1982.
-Linda Nochlin, "Women, Art, and Power and Other Essays." New York: Harper & Row Publishers, 1988.
-Linda Nochlin, "The Politics of Vision." New York: Harper & Row Publishers, 1988.
-J.A. Phillips, "Eve: The History of an Idea." New York: Harper & Row Publishers, 1984.
-T.B. Hess and E.C. Baker, "Art and Sexual Politics." New York: Collier Books, 1975.
-Wendy Lesser, "His Other Half: Men Looking at Women Through Art." Cambridge, USA: Harvard University Press, 1991.
-R. Parker, "Old Mistresses." New York: Pantheon Books, 1981.
-Germaine Greer, "The Obstacle Race." New York: Farrar, Straus, Giroux, 1979.
-A.S. Harris and L. Nochlin, "Women Artists: 1550-1900." New York: Alfred Knopf, 1976.
-Wendy Slatkin, "The Voice of Women Artists" (Englewood Cliffs, NJ: Prentice Hall, 2000)
-Wendy Slatkin, "Women Aritsts" (Englewood Cliffs, NJ: Prentice Hall 1995)
-E. Tufts, "Our Hidden Heritage: Five Centuries of Women Artists." New York: W.W. Norton, 1975.

EXAMINATION: Examinations are based on specific material covered in class and on the required readings. All examinations are in essay format. Types of examination may vary from Take Home Exams, Oral Presentations or In Class examination. 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.

EXAMS: The essay examinations consider identification of the artwork, comparison between artworks and attribution problems. The exams and video reports are 50% of your final grade and, the paper and oral presentation (if considered) is 50% of your final grade.

WRITTEN ASSIGNMENT: Suggested topics will be given at the beginning of the semester, along with a general instruction sheet for form of term papers. On March 21 notify me of your written assignment topic. The paper will be due on April 25. All late papers will be penalized. The length of the paper will vary according to the project, double-spaced and typed with illustrations. 

PRESENTATION OF WRITTEN MATERIAL: All written material presented for evaluation should follow these guidelines. Content: You must have an introduction, stating the purpose of your paper, a development explaining thesis of your project and a conclusion, a summary of your findings. If sources are consulted, you must credit them in a footnote or endnote. Bibliographical references must be included to demonstrate the sources you have consulted. Format: The computerized typing must be as follow: accepted fonts New York, Geneva, Courier, Palatino and Bookman; only 12 points in character; page margins one (1) inch all around. A computerized page contains approximately 200 to 250 words. Papers written in any other format are not acceptable. 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. All work done outside of class must be type written or computer printed, double-spaced and free of grammatical errors.

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 an F for the course.

ORAL PRESENTATION: On March 21 notify me of your oral presentation assignment topic. The presentations are scheduled for April 25. During the course further information and guidelines will be given regarding the structure of the oral format.

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

MUSEUM VISITS: Students are individually responsible for visiting the Boston Museum of Fine Arts, the Isabella Stewart Gardner Museum (both in Boston) and the Fogg Art Museum (Cambridge) or other museums in the close vicinity as well as gallery exhibiting woman’s art.

OFFICE HOURS: Wednesday evening after class. You can contact me also through fax, voice mail or email:
Voice Mail: 978-934-3495 
Fax 617-557-2974
Email: Liana_Cheney@uml.edu

EMAIL FORMAT: 
When sending me an email, kindly use as subject the following structure:

A. SUBJECT: Women&Art
B. GREETING: Start your message with Dear Dr. Cheney,….and then write your message
C. SIGN OFF: with your name.

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

Feb 28 EXAM I/Take Home
March 21 Notify me of your paper topic/selection.
April 18. EXAM II/Take Home. Same instruction procedure as Exam I.
April 25 Oral Presentations 
April 30 Paper Due

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

Jan 14 - Introduction. Purpose of the course, methodology and bibliography.
Required Readings:
Whitney, Introduction, 15-27
Cheney, Introduction, xxi.
Recommended:
Broude "Expanding Discourse: Feminism and Art History", pp. 1-18.
Parker, "Old Mistresses", pp. 1-50.
Phillips, Eve. "Woman as Subject."
Hess & Baker, "Art and Sexual Politics."
John Berger, "Ways of Seeing", New York, 1993.

Jan 24 - Images of Women in Antiquity
Required Readings:
Cheney, 1-15
Broude, 19-32 and 33-78.
Recommended:
Steffen Wenig, "The Woman in Egyptian Art", New York, 1969;
Verena Zinserling, "Women in Greece and Rome", New York, 1973;
Charles Seltman, "Women in Antiquity." New York: Collier Books, 1962;
J. O'Faolain & L. Martines, Ed. "Not in God's Image." New York: Harper & Row Publishers, 1973.

Jan 31 - Images of Women and Women Artist in the Middle Ages.
Required Readings:
Cheney, 15-26;
Whitney, 37-59.
Broude, 79-100, 101-118. 
Recommended:
Sibylle Harksen, "Women in the Middle Ages", New York, 1975.

Feb 7 - Images of Women in the Renaissance.
Required Readings:
Cheney, 27-4;
Whitney, 59-104.
Recommended:
Broude, 119-146;
B. Castiglione, "The Book of the Courtier", Book III, 4-18;
H. Sachs, "The Renaissance Woman", New York, 1971;
G. Masson, "Courtessans of the Italian Renaissance". London, 1975.

Feb 14 - Women Artists of the Renaissance.
Required Readings:
Cheney, 41-67;
Whitney, 78-104
Recommended:
Fine, pp. 3-14;
Tufts, pp. 1-58;
Vasari, "Lives." (The Life of Sophonisba);
S. Perlinghieri, "Sofonisba Anguissola", 1995;
E. Tufts, "Ms. Lavinia Fontana from Bologna", Art News, February, 1974, pp. 60-63;
Cantor, "Lavinia Fontana", Japis 1990.

Feb 21 - Images of Women in the Baroque and Women Artists of the Baroque
Required Readings:
Cheney, 67-97;
Whitney, 104-27.
Recommended: 
Garrard, "Artemisia Gentileschi";
R. Spear, "Caravaggio and His Followers";
"Woman as Heroine." Catalogue of the Worcester Exhibition, 1974;
Broude, 147-201;
Fine, 14-34;
Tufts, 59-125;
James Welu, "Judith Leyster", Worcester Art Museum 1995.

Feb. 28 - EXAM I (Take Home)

March 7 - Images of Women in the Rococo and Women Artist of the Rococo. (18th) 
Required Readings:
Cheney, 97-145;
Whitney, 127-165.
Recommended:
Broude, 201-220;
Parker, 50-82;
Fine, 20-21; 35-38,
Tufts, 99-138;
Slatkin, "Voices", Part I.
Kenneth Clark, "The Nude." New York: Anchor, 1990.

March 14 - Spring Vacation

March 21 - Notify me of your paper topic

March 28 - Images of Women in the 19th Century and Women of the 19th Century
Required Readings:
Cheney, 145-167;
Whitney, 165-191.
Recommended:
Broude, 221-271;
Nochlin, "Women, Art and Power, and Other Essays";
Hess & Nochlin, "Woman as Sex Object";
Parker, 114-134;
Fine, pp. 39-62; 63-88; 89-121; 
Tufts, pp. 139-178;
Slatkin, "Voices", Part II.

April 4 - American Women and Women Artists at the End of the 19th Century.
Required Readings:
Cheney, 167-187;
Whitney, 191-236.
Recommended:
Fine, pp. 122-141;
C.S. Rubinstein, "American Women Artist", 1982.

April 11-18 - Images of the Woman in the 20th Century and Women Artists of the 20th Century
Required Readings:
Cheney, 187-207;
Whitney, 236-347.
Recommended:
Broude, 271-347;
Lucy R. Lippard, "From the Center", New York, 1976;
S. Rosenblum, "Picasso and the Anatomy of Eroticism," in Studies in Erotic Art, 1970;
L. Steinberg, "The Philosophical Brothel," Art News (Sept./Oct. 1972);
L. Lippard, "Sexual Politics Art Style," Art in America, (Sept./Oct. 1971);
P. Mainardi, "A Feminine Sensibility," Feminist Art Journal (April, 1972). Fine, pp. 142-224.

April 18 - EXAM II (Take Home)

April 25 - Oral Presentations

April 30 - Paper Due