Course Title: Footsteps of the Impressionists - A Study Tour to Paris

Part A: Course Overview

Course Title: Footsteps of the Impressionists - A Study Tour to Paris

Credit Points: 12.00

Terms

Course Code

Campus

Career

School

Learning Mode

Teaching Period(s)

VART2026

City Campus

Undergraduate

345H Media and Communication

Face-to-Face

 Sem 1 2006,
Sem 1 2007,
Sem 2 2007,
Sem 1 2008,
Sem 2 2008,
Sem 1 2009,
Sem 2 2009,
Sem 1 2010,
Sem 1 2011,
Sem 1 2012,
Sem 1 2013,
Sem 1 2014

VART3571

City Campus

Postgraduate

345H Media and Communication

Face-to-Face

 Sem 1 2013,
Sem 1 2014

Course Coordinator: Alex Syndikas

Course Coordinator Phone: +61 3 9925 3805

Course Coordinator Email: alex.syndikas@rmit.edu.au

Course Coordinator Location: Building 36, Level 2 Room 04


Pre-requisite Courses and Assumed Knowledge and Capabilities

None


Course Description

This international study tour to Paris, France is designed to provide you with an exciting alternative to traditional classroom/studio based learning. This course will examine the principal ideas and movements of art in France from around 1870 to the beginning of the 20th Century, in a chronological order. The course surveys the forerunners of Impressionism, followed by discussions of the main aspects and artists of Impressionism in France. The subsequent development of Post-Impressionism will also be studied with an emphasis on the works of Cezanne, Degas, Gauguin, Seurat and Van Gogh.

Visit the course web site for more information and date of departure:
http://www.rmit.edu.au/mediacommunication/studytours/impressionist


Objectives/Learning Outcomes/Capability Development

In completing this course, you will have:

  • A solid knowledge and understanding of the major artistic achievements in Europe during the period of 1870-1905,
  • An appreciation of the developments of paintings and sculpture around the Impressionist era,
  • Documented the landscape by either creating drawings or using photographic means,
  • An appreciation for the values of art and sculpture from the late 1800’s

.


Learning Outcomes

Upon successful completion of this course, you will be able to:

  • Describe diverse aspects of 19th and early 20th Century French culture
  • Discuss aspects of time and place that influenced and are depicted in a range of 19th and 20th century French art
  • Analyse the ways in which you have been influence by French art and culture in your particular discipline
  • Create artifacts within your disciple that have been influenced by French art and culture
  • Compare and contrast French and Australian modern culture, particularly in relation to your discipline

If undertaking this course as a postgraduate student you will be required to demonstrate higher capacity for application, analysis, synthesis and evaluation of the relationships between culture and art, and your cross-cultural experience


Overview of Learning Activities

Initially, the study tour focuses on the Impressionist Collection housed in the Orsay Museum in central Paris. You will be looking at and discussing artworks and photographs according to the criteria of the visual elements, the cultural and political environment of the time, as well as the artists’ personal lives. The discussions and analysis of artworks will be supported by the respective literature, providing a theoretical and critical background. You will also follow up other impressionist paintings housed at the Marmottan and the L’Orangerie Museums.

The learning experiences of this study tour will be to:

  • Participate in preliminary face-to-face class discussion on Impressionism and view DVDs and QuickTime movies to set the agenda for the study tour once in France,
  • Be involved in daily visits to Impressionist Landscape in the Seine Valley,
  • Visit museums in Paris to closely admire and analyse Impressionists Collections,
  • Participate in group discussions to enable you to contribute and share your experiences and resources,
  • Gather support material from the museum visits,
  • Acquire a better understanding of the French history and its culture,
  • Follow the paths where some of the great artists lived and worked,
  • Visit the locations that were the precursors to the painting movement known as ’Impressionism’,
  • Use basic French conversation language skills to communicate in general,
  • Have the opportunity to taste the culinary delights of the French cuisine.


Overview of Learning Resources

RMIT will provide you with resources and tools for learning in this course through our online system, MyRMIT.


Overview of Assessment

You will be assessed on how well you meet the course’s learning outcomes and on your development against the graduate attributes.

Assessments may include: critical observations, online activities, production of artifacts and reflective pieces.

If you have a long term medical condition and/or disability it may be possible to negotiate to vary aspects of the learning or assessment methods. You can contact the program coordinator or the Disability Liaison Unit if you would like to find out more.

An assessment chart summarises your responsibilities as an RMIT student as well as those of your teachers.

Your course assessment conforms to RMIT assessment principles, regulations, policies and procedures, which are described and referenced in a single document.