2008/09 Undergraduate Module Catalogue

ARTF3153 'The Pope of Modern Art' - Herbert Read and 20th Century Art

20 creditsClass Size: 19

Module manager: Ben Read
Email: B.W.Read@leeds.ac.uk

Taught: Semester 1 (Sep to Jan) View Timetable

Year running 2008/09

Pre-requisite qualifications

ARTF2000 or any level 2 ARTF coded module

This module is approved as an Elective

Module summary

PRE-REQUISITES: Students wishing to take this module as an elective at level three must have completed at least 20 credits from ARTF 2000 or any other level two ARTF coded module.This module will assess the contribution of the British poet and critic Herbert Read to definitions of 'Modernism' in 20th century art. It will look at the origins of his involvement in modern art via the revolutionary art-scene in Leeds in the years before 1914, it will investigate how his writings on art related to his friendship with particular artists such as Henry Moore, Barbara Hepworth, Ben Nicholson and Patrick Heron, as well as investigating how these incorporated and developed the relationship between art, psychoanalysis and politics from the 1930s to the 1960s. Students will be encouraged to base their study on Read's own Library housed in the Special Collections of the Brotherton Library.Assessment: 1 x 1 hour exam (50%) and 1 x 2-3,000 word essay (50%)

Objectives

On completion of this module, students should be able to assess the contribution of the British poet and critic Herbert Read to definitions of 'Modernism' in 20th century art; the origins of his involvement and how his writings on art related to his friendship with artists; and the ways in which these writings incorporated and developed the relationship between art, psychoanalysis and politics.

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 module will examine Read's involvement with the revolutionary art-scene in Leeds in the years before 1914. It will examine a series of crucial essays by Read including 'Psychoanalysis and Literary Criticism' (1925), one of the first essays in English to relate art generally to psychoanalysis, 'Essential Communism' (1935) which argues against a Marxist interpretation of art - from an anarchist viewpoint, as well as key texts such as Art Now 1933 and its relationship to the persecution of European artists in Nazi Germany, Read's writings on Henry Moore and art post 1945, and his growing disillusionism with American commercialism in the visual arts in the 1960s. Students will be encouraged to base their study on Read's own Library housed in the Special Collections of the Brotherton.

Teaching methods

Delivery type	Number	Length hours	Student hours
Seminar	11	2.00	22.00
Private study hours			178.00
Total Contact hours			22.00
Total hours (100hr per 10 credits)			200.00

Private study

150 hours - class preparation including researching textual and visual materials/reading/preparing presentation
28 hours - essay

Opportunities for Formative Feedback

- student presentations, non-assessed
- participation in class discussions
- attendance at seminars/lectures

Methods of assessment

Coursework

Assessment type	Notes	% of formal assessment
Essay	1 x 2,000-3,000 word essay	50.00
Total percentage (Assessment Coursework)		50.00

Normally resits will be assessed by the same methodology as the first attempt, unless otherwise stated

Exams

Exam type	Exam duration	% of formal assessment
Standard exam (closed essays, MCQs etc)	1 hr 00 mins	50.00
Total percentage (Assessment Exams)		50.00

Normally resits will be assessed by the same methodology as the first attempt, unless otherwise stated

Reading list

The reading list is available from the Library website

Last updated: 11/08/2009

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