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2006/07 Undergraduate Module Catalogue

ARTF2028 The Wanderers. Critical Realism in Nineteenth Century Russia

20 creditsClass Size: 20

Module manager: Dr David Jackson
Email: d.jackson@leeds.ac.uk

Taught: Semester 2 (Jan to Jun) View Timetable

Year running 2006/07

Pre-requisites

Students must have completed at least 20 credits fromt he following modules: ARTF1045, ARTF1007, ARTF1008, ARTF1041, ARTF1042, ARTF2000

Module replaces

ARTF3009 The Peredvizhniki

This module is approved as an Elective

Module summary

The rise of critical realism in 19th century Russia culminated in 1870 with the formation of the Peredvizhniki (called the Wanderers in the West), Russia's first independent artistic society. Established against a background of academic autocracy, state censorship, political and social inequalities, and fierce controversy over Russia's cultural destiny, the Peredvizhniki realised liberal aspirations for a progressive, national school of art, widening the social audience of art by touring their brand of accessible realism to the provinces. Through depictions of the harsh lives of the peasantry, the fate of political activists, Russian history (professing critical analogies to contemporary events), Russian landscapes and portraits of the nation's cultural elite (Tolstoy, Dostoyevsky etc.), the school became synonymous with dissident sentiments. The Peredvizhniki frequently tackled controversial subjects from within the most totalitarian of European powers, but its members were far from being models of artistic utilitarianism. Consideration is given to the extraneous pressures brought to bear on artists, the majority of whom came form peasant backgrounds, to adopt the ideologies of Russia's celebrated literary intelligentsia.Assessment: 1 x 1hour exam (50%) and 1 x 2,000 - 3,000 word essay (50%)

Objectives

On completion of this module, students should be able to identify the salient features, visually and ideologically, of Russian realist art and to position them within a cultural and historical context. They should also be able to provide an analysis of the political, cultural, social and artistic factors that influenced the emergence of the Wanderers as a school; identify and comment critically on some of the key works of late nineteenth century Russian art; and approach a Russian painting with an intellectual strategy for analysing its content and meaning and be able to construct and sustain criticism and analyses with regard to works of visual production, and to related text-based source materials.

Skills outcomes
Verbal and written fluency in constructing a logical and coherent argument.
Use of audio visual aids
Participation in group discussions
Co-ordination and dissemination of a range of historical, contextual visual information
Using bibliographies and databases
Verbal and written fluency in constructing a logical and coherent argument.
Use of audio visual aids
Participation in group discussions
Co-ordination and dissemination of a range of historical, contextual visual information
Using bibliographies and databases

Syllabus

The rise of critical realism in 19th century Russia culminated in 1870 with the formation of the Peredvizhniki (called the Wanderers in the West), Russia's first independent artistic society. Established against a background of academic autocracy, state censorship, political and social inequalities, and fierce controversy over Russia?s cultural destiny, the Peredvizhniki realised liberal aspirations for a progressive, national school of art, widening the social audience of art by touring their brand of accessible realism to the provinces. Through depictions of the harsh lives of the peasantry, the fate of political activists, Russian history (professing critical analogies to contemporary events), Russian landscapes and portraits of the nation's cultural elite (Tolstoy, Dostoyevsky etc.), the school became synonymous with dissident sentiments. The Peredvizhniki frequently tackled controversial subjects from within the most totalitarian of European powers, but its members were far from being models of artistic utilitarianism. Consideration is given to the extraneous pressures brought to bear on artists, the majority of whom came form peasant backgrounds, to adopt the ideologies of Russia's celebrated literary intelligentsia.

Teaching methods

10 X 2 hour lecture/seminars with student presentational input

Private study

150 hours class preparation including researching textual and visual materials/reading and presentation preparation.
30 hours essay preparation and writing.

Opportunities for Formative Feedback

Attendance
In-class presentation
Participation in class discussion

Methods of assessment

1 x 2000-3000 word essay (50%)
1 x 1 hour exam (50%)

Reading list

The reading list is available from the Library website

Last updated: 04/06/2007

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