English 337. Spring 2006 Joseph Viscomi

Tues: 2-4:30 office GL 504

Greenlaw 321 office hrs. T 12-2 & by appt.

jsviscom@email.unc.edu 962-8764

Texts: Revolutions in Romantic Art and Literature

Electronic course pak with extra readings and selected criticism at:

http://sites.unc.edu/viscomi/romrev

Blake, William. The Marriage of Heaven and Hell (copy H). Ed. G. Keynes, Oxford U. Press, 1975.

The William Blake Archive: http://blakearchive.org

Resources:

Art Reserve: Books and Exhibition Catalogues on Reserve in Art Library, Hanes Art Center, under book’s catalogue number (list of books at end of syllabus)

The English Romantic Poets; A Review of Research and Criticism, ed. Frank Jordan, 4th edition. MLA, l985. [Davis Reference Shelf, PR590.E5.1985, ROW 29]. This is an annotated bibliography of books and important articles on the Romantic poets and their works. Critical works on the Romantics from before and after 1985 to the present can be found through the index of periodical literature, the annual bibliography published by Garland Press (from 1979) and journals in the field, e.g., Blake/An Illustrated Quarterly, The Wordsworth Circle, and Keats-Shelley Journal, which is now online for the years 1994-2005 at: http://www.rc.umd.edu/reference/ksjbib/. See also http://www.lib.unc.edu/ for UNC’s Article Databases (e.g., MLA International Bibliography [1963-2005]), Eighteenth-Century Collections Online, and Literature Online), E-Journal Finder, and Print Journals (Catalog Search); Voice of the Shuttle, http://www.english.upenn.edu/~mgamer/Romantic/; Romantic Literary Resources, http://andromeda.rutgers.edu/~jlynch/Lit/romantic.html; Romantic Circles, Scholarly Resources: http://www.rc.umd.edu/reference/; and Google Scholar at http://www.scholar.google.com/. For articles online, see the Scholarly Journal Archive at http://www.jstor.org/. Also helpful is the Introduction to Library Research, http://www.lib.unc.edu/instruct/tutorial/.

Blake's The Book of Thel, The Songs of Innocence and of Experience, The Marriage of Heaven and Hell, America, a Prophecy, Europe, a Prophecy, The Book of Urizen are illuminated books that are reproduced in excellent facsimiles, copies of which are in the Department of Rare Books, Wilson Library; for excellent digital reproductions of various exemplary copies of these and other of Blake’s illuminated books, as well as engravings, paintings, and helpful bibliographies, go to The Blake Archive at http://blakearchive.org [WBA]

NB. “cp” refers to the page numbers of the pages in the articles or sections in the course pack;

“pp” refers to page numbers in books and articles on Reserve.

“*” suggests you should print this out and bring to class

1/17 Introduction to Course: Drawing as Paradigm, Print as Reproduction:

concepts of taste, originality, models, education, spontaneity, translation, and deception

Reynolds on sketches, from Discourse VIII (handout)

PART I

1/24 Technical and aesthetic origin of Blake's illuminated printing:

*Drawing Manuals: Selection of comments on prints and drawings

Blake Archive/About Blake: Blake biography and illustrated essay on illuminated printing

*Blake: Critical comments on illuminated printing

*Blake: Prospectus for illuminated books

*Blake: letters: 1818 to Turner, 1827 to Cumberland

Gilpin: On Sketching Landscapes, from Three Essays

Gilpin: Essay on Prints, cp i-xii, 1-52, 165-174

*Landseer: Lecture III

Art Reference:

Gasgoinge, How to Identify Prints (NE 850.G37.1986, reference section),

1a-c; 5a-d, 6a-c, 7a-c, 9a-c, 10a-c, 12, 14-17, 21-26; glossary and vocabulary

Fitzwilliam, The Print in England, Art & Genius: Printmaking in early 19^th c England pp 6-11

William Blake Archive:

Explore the illuminated books and Book of Job, Dante, and The Grave engravings

1/31 William Blake: The Marriage of Heaven and Hell (copy H)

Art reserve:

Blake, The Early Illuminated Books, introduction and commentary to The Marriage

(copy F), pp. 113-140;

also online in course pack under Selected Criticism: Eaves, Essick, Viscomi, Introduction to

Blake’s Illuminated Books, and Introduction to the Marriage

William Blake Archive:

The Marriage of Heaven and Hell, copies C, D, F, G, I

2/7 William Blake: The Marriage of Heaven and Hell (copy H)

*Hazlitt: On Imitation; On Originality

*Blake: letters: 1799 to Trusler (2) and to Cumberland

*Coleridge: On Poesy and Art (on imitation and copy)

2/14 Technical and aesthetic context for illuminated printing revisited: Blake’s art theories

Reynolds: Contents and Introduction, Reynold’s Introduction

* Discourses III, IV, VI, VII

*Blake: Annotations to Reynolds (c. 1808)

*Blake: from the Descriptive Catalogue (1809) cp 547-48, cat. # VIII and IX

*Blake: Laocoon

*Blake: Public Address (c. 1809)

*Hazlitt: on Reynolds, Genius and Originality, Imitation of Nature, the Ideal

*Hazlitt: Why the Arts are not Progressive

Art reserve:

Hipple, The Beautiful, the Sublime, and the Picturesque, chapter on Reynolds

PART II

2/21 The Sublime, the Beautiful, and the Picturesque

Burke: Introduction,

*Burke: Essay on Taste + chap. 1-3 from A Philosophical Enquiry

*Gilpin: Three Essays

*Blake: letter, 1800, to Cumberland, 1802 to Butts

Art reserve:

Hipple, chapter on Burke

Bicknell, Beauty, Horror and Immensity , preface

Wilton, Pars' Journey Through the Alps

RARE BOOKS, WILSON LIBRARY, EXHIBITION ON ROMANTICISM

Take home exam for Part I due.

2/28 The Picturesque and Anti-Picturesque in practice

slide lecture on the development of watercolor painting, 1760-90

*Gilpin: Two Essays

*Cozens: The New Method, + illus.

*Drawing Manuals: Craig, Aiken, and reviews attacking the Picturesque

*Hazlitt: On the Picturesque and Ideal

Art reserve:

Bicknell, Wordsworth’s Guide to the Lakes,

(introduction, itinerary, chronology; look at the pictures)

Wilcox, British Watercolors

Wilton, British Watercolor s, 1750-1850

(examine Smith, Sandby, Towne, Pars, J.R. Cozens, A. Cozens)

Parris, Landscape in Britain, browse through

Rosenblum, Romantic Art in Britain, browse through

ORAL REPORTS:

3/7 workshop in wash drawing

Cozens: The New Method; art supplies: large sheets of drawing paper and transparent papers,

black ink and large watercolor brushes, pencils

3/14 Spring Break

3/21 Watercolor Painting

slide lecture on Girtin, Cotman, Turner, Constable

*Turner, Constable: background readings

*Hazlitt: On the Pleasure of Painting

Art reserve:

Wilcox, British Watercolors

Wilton, British Watercolors, 1750-1850,

(entries on Girtin, Cotman, Turner, Constable);

Butlin, Gadney, Parris, Rosenblum: browse

Fitzwilliam, The Print in England, essay on Turner and Constable, pp. 12-14

ORAL REPORTS:

PART III

3/28 Wordsworth’s lyrical poetry

*Wordsworth: Advertisement to the Lyrical Ballads

*Wordsworth: poems from the Lyrical Ballads (list to be given later)

*Gilpin: Observations on the River Wye

ORAL REPORTS:

Take home exam for Part II due

4/4 Coleridge’s lyrical poetry

*Coleridge: Pantisocracy, Frost at Midnight, Kubla Khan, Reflections,

*Coleridge: Nightingale, Lime Tree Bower, Aeolian Harp

ORAL REPORTS:

4/11 Wordsworth’s prose and aesthetics

*Wordsworth: Preface to Lyrical Ballads, 2^nd edition, and Appendix

*Wordsworth: "On the Sublime and Beautiful”

ORAL REPORTS:

4/18 Wordsworth’s Prelude

*Wordsworth: Prelude, parallel text: books 11/12

ORAL REPORTS:

4/25 Wordsworth’s Prelude

*Wordsworth: Prelude, parallel text: books 12/13, 13/14

5/2 Papers Due

5/9 final exam: 8:00 AM

Requirements:

take-home essay exams (due 2/21 and 3/28)

final exam on the readings and class discussions

one oral report on assigned topic (this can be collaborative)

research or critical essay

The paper is due at the end of the semester but will be developed concurrent with the class. The paper can be on any of the poets, artists, critics, or printmakers of the period, or any interdisciplinary topic, that is, a comparative analysis of works in various media, or on any relevant aesthetic issue, theme, subject, or concept, including a further development of study or exam questions or your oral report. The paper can be a collaborative and/or multi-media Web project. I will expect you to discuss your ideas for papers with me and with other members in the class.

Study questions for Parts I, II, III. These questions can also be used as topics for your class paper.

Part I. For the first take home exam, answer two of the following questions in 4 or more pages. Due 2/21.

1. Discuss the ways in which Blake and Landseer agree and disagree about the state and status of printmaking in England in the Romantic period.

2. What is Blake's idea of books, prints, and/or readers in The Marriage of Heaven and Hell? Where and how does he express this idea?

3. Discuss the ways in which text and/or illustrations of The Marriage of Heaven and Hell or The Book of Urizen comment on the creative process, perception, or the usurpation of originals by imitations.

4. Reynolds recommends "not the industry of the hands, but of the mind." Discuss in detail what he means by this and why he advocates this position.

5. Blake states "How very Anxious Reynolds is to Disprove and Contemn Spiritual Perceptions." Explain what Blake means by this and why he says it.

6. Both Blake and Reynolds are concerned with the way that art is taught and perceived. Examine some of the main topics, like inspiration and genius, on which they agree and disagree.

7. Discuss how Blake and Hazlitt agree and disagree regarding theories of Reynolds or on the topics of progress in the arts, imitation, genius, and originality.

Part II. For the second take home exam, answer two of the following questions in 4 or more pages. Due 3/28

1. What are Cozens objectives in the New Method and why does he consider them important? Are they realized in practice? If so, how; if not, why not?

2. Compare and contrast the drawing instructions and practices of Cozens (or Gilpin) and Blake (or Craig), using examples from their work and/or writings (or works executed in their styles) to support your findings.

3. How do you think Burke, Reynolds, Blake, and Cozens would respond to the watercolors of Turner reproduced in Butlin? Explain their responses by citing their writings or painting styles.

4. Define the Picturesque traveler and argue the case for or against him, using the writings and works of the critics and painters to support your claims.

5. In what ways does Gilpin see himself as extending the aesthetic theories of Burke and/or Reynolds?

6. Discuss the painting styles of Towne, J. R. Cozens, and Girtin in relation to one another, to the topographical ideal, and to the late watercolor paintings of Turner.

7. Discuss a few watercolor drawings or paintings that express Burkean ideas of the sublime and beautiful.

Part III. Study questions and potential topics for final papers

1. Discuss the ways in which Burke's idea of the sublime or Gilpin's idea of the picturesque figure into the poetry of Wordsworth or Coleridge. Focus on passages from poems in the Lyrical Ballads, or the Prelude, or one or two other poems.

2. Discuss the ways in which Burke's idea of the sublime or Gilpin's idea of the picturesque figure into the prose of Wordsworth or Coleridge. Focus on passages from the Preface, essay on Wordsworth’s "The Sublime and the Beautiful," or Coleridge’s "On the Principles of Genial Criticism."

3. Examine the themes of mediation and/or natural vs arbitrary sign-systems, as expressed in the writings or creative works (paintings, drawings, prints, or poems) of two or more poets and artists.

4. Discuss the use of painting as a metaphor or analogy in the poetry and/or prose of Wordsworth and Coleridge.

5. Discuss the ways in Wordsworth and/or Coleridge “picture” nature, i.e., how they verbally describe pictures and the picturesque.

6. Examine Hazlitt’s views on originality and imitation or on depicting nature in art and compare them with Wordsworth’s, Coleridge’s, or Blake’s.

ART RESERVE BOOK LIST

ND1140.B36. 1986 Barrell, J. Political Theory of Painting from Reynolds to Hazlitt

ND1354.4.B47.1 Bermingham, A. Landscape and Ideology

N6766.B52. 1981 Bicknell, P. Beauty, Horror and Immensity

ND2240.B535. 1987 Bicknell, P. Gipin to Ruskin

DA 670. L1 W67. 1984 Bicknell, P. Wordsworth's Guide to the Lakes
PR 4142. E285. 1998 Blake, W. The Early Illuminated Books

PR 4144.U7. 1995 Blake, W. The Urizen Books

N6797.B57.B87 Butlin, M. Complete Paintings & Drawings of William Blake

Folio ND 1942 T8. B8 1965 Butlin, M. Turner's Watercolors

N6766.C8 Cummings, F. Romantic Art in Britain
PE 25 A5 HEFT 71 Draper, J. Bibliography on18th Century Aesthetics [Davis]

NE628.P756. 1985 Fitzwilliam The Print in England
ND 1942 C66 F55 Fleming-Williams Constable's Landscape Drawings

NC 242 C5 G33 Gadney, R. Constable's Oil Sketches

NE 850 G37 1986 Gasgoinge, B. How to Recognize Prints [reference section]

Folio ND497 C7. H5 1985 Hill, D. Constable's English Landscape Scenery
BH221.G72.H5 Hipple, W. J. The Beautiful, The Sublime, The Picturesque

BH301.L3 H8 Hussey, C. The Picturesque

ND 1354.4 P37.1973 Parris Landscape in Britain
N6797 C67 A4.1982 Rajnai, M. John Sell Cotman

N6766.C8 Rosenblum Romantic Art in Britain

Folio ND 1942 T8. A4 Shanes, E. Turner's Picturesque Views in England and Wales
NE 642.B5.V57.1993 Viscomi, J. Blake and the Idea of the Book

ND 1928 W533. 1985 Wilcox British Watercolors

ND 1928 W55. 1977 Wilton British Watercolor 1750-1850

N6797.T88 A4. 1980 Wilton Turner and The Sublime

Folio NC 242 P33. W5 Wilton William Pars Journey Through the Alps

ND 1942 T8. W55 1982 B Wilton Turner Abroad

Topics for Oral Reports

18^th c. English Landscape Gardening (see J. Dixon Hunt)

Capability Brown, the landscape architect

The English country house (see Mark Girouard and Clive Wainwright)

Ruins in romantic art or literature

The grand tour

The picturesque tour, or a specific tour once taken by a painter, poet, or connoisseur

The English Lake District

Dr. Syntax (a parody of William Gilpin, by Rowlandson and Coombs)

Tintern Abbey or another popular site visited by picturesque tourists

Landscape, a Poem (Gilpin)

Rudolf Ackerman’s Repository of Art

Prince Hoare (early 19^th c. art critic) on Cultivating the Public’s Taste and the influence of Art on Morals

The Man of Taste

The Gothic in art, architecture, or literature

William Hazlitt

Thomas Rowlandson

James Gillray

Alexander Cozens

Paul Sandby

Joshua Reynolds

Thomas Girtin

Turner’s tours, or a specific tour

Turner’s poetry

Turner’s prints

Constable’s prints

Boydell’s Shakespeare (large prints after paintings of scenes from Shakespeare; see me for bib)

Green Romanticism (see Kroeber’s Ecological Literary Imagination

WW Descriptive Sketches and Evening Walk

WW and travel literature (see Coe)

WW and Constable (see Kroeber)

WW’s Guide to the Lakes

The British Museum

The British Institution

The Royal Academy

Images for the French Revolution (satirical prints, see Gilray)

Mountain Gloom, Mountain Glory, M. H. Nicholson

Newton Demands the Muse, M. H. Nicholson

Morris Eaves, The Counter-Arts Conspiracy: Art and Industry in the Age of Blake

Robert Essick, The Language of Adam (study of Blake in light of 18^th century theories of language)

Theresa Kelly, Revisionary Aesthetics (in Wordsworth)

Wordsworth and the Sublime (Weiskel vs Wlecke)

Blake and the Sublime (see Deluca)

Anne Bermingham, The Ideology of Landscape

Morton Paley, The Apocalyptic Sublime

Drawing’s role in the education of women (see Bermingham, Sha, and essays of V. Knox, E. Darwin, John Burton, Hannah More, John Moir; de Bolla has a good bib on the subject)

Shee’s Rhymes on Art, 1809

Connoisseurship (see C. J. Gibson–Wood)

Idea of patronage (see Prince Hoare’s Director or The Artist, in Rare Books)

Uvedale Prince, theorist of the picturesque (see Hipple, Draper)

Richard Paine Knight, theorist of the picturesque (see Hipple, Draper, N. Penny)

Humphry Repton, landscape architect

George Beaumont, art patron and friend of WW (see F. Own and D. Brown)

Thomas Stothard: The Mechanisms of Art Patronage in England, c. 1800. S. Bennett

The Discovery of Painting: The Growth of Interest in the Arts in England 1680-1768, Iain Pears

Selling Art in Georgian England: The Rise of Arthur Pond, L. Lippincott

Politics of the Picturesque, ed. Copley and Garside.

In Search for the Picturesque, M. Andrews

Grand tours and Cook’s Tours, Lynne Withey

The Romantic Ethic and the Spirit of Modern Consumerism, Colin Campell

“Portrait Painting as a Business Enterprise in London in the 1780s” Marcia Pointon (Art History 7 1984)

Landscape Imagery and Urban Culture in early 19^th-c. Britain, A. Hemingway

Edward Dayes, on Taste or Drawing, from his Works (1805)

James Thomson’s The Seasons

18^th c. Topographical poetry

Forgery and the Philosophy of Art

“Original Genius” (see Draper for bib)

Alexander Gerard, on Genius (see Hipple, Draper)

Achibald Alison, on Taste (see Hipple, Draper)

Hogarth’s Analysis of Beauty

Ut Pictora Poesis (see Rensselaer W. Lee)

Rousseau’s Essai sur l’origine des langues, ch. 16 “Fausse analogie entre les couleurs et les sons”

Bromley, on painting’s superiority over poetry