English 94D. Spring 2004 Joseph Viscomi

Thurs: 2:00-4:30 office GL 504 962-8764

Greenlaw 321 office hrs. Thurs 2:00-3:00

& by appt.

TEXTS: Revolutions in romantic Art and Literature, Course Packet [Kinko’s, under Viscomi]

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

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

ART RESERVE: Books and Art Catalogues on Reserve in Art Library, Hanes Art Center, under book’s catalogue number

RARE BOOK RESERVE: Facsimiles of William Blake’s Illuminated Books on Reserve in Rare Books, Wilson Library

NB. “cp” refers to course packet page numbers and not the page numbers of the articles in the course pack; “pp” refers to page numbers in books and articles on Reserve.

1/13 Introduction to Course

PART I

1/20 Drawing as Paradigm, Print as Reproduction:

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

Reynolds on sketches, from Discourse VIII (handout and cp 100)

Gilpin, from Three Essays, cp 146-7, 153-73 [essay 3, On Sketching Landscapes]

Gilpin, Essay on Prints, cp 202-224

Selection of comments on prints and drawings, cp 286-87

1/27 Technical and aesthetic origin of Blake's illuminated printing:

slide lecture on engraving and other print technologies

Blake, Prospectus for illuminated books, cp 296

Blake’s letters: 1818 to Turner, 1827 to Cumberland cp 330

Critical comments on Illuminated Printing cp 319

Landseer, Lecture III, cp 348-69

Viscomi, “Illuminated Printing,” http://sites.unc.edu/viscomi/illuminated_frameset.htm

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

Blake, The Early Illuminated Books, Introduction, pp. 9-15

optional: Viscomi, Blake and the Idea of the Book, chapters 1-15.

RARE BOOK RESERVE WILLIAM BLAKE ARCHIVE

Selection of Illuminated Books browse Works in Archive, use various features

2/3 William Blake: The Marriage of Heaven and Hell (copy H, in Oxford)

ART RESERVE:

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

(copy F), pp. 113-140

WILLIAM BLAKE ARCHIVE

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

2/10 William Blake: The Marriage of Heaven and Hell (copyH)

Hazlitt, On Imitation, cp 391-2; On Originality, cp 429-32

Blake letters, 1799 to Trusler and to Cumberland, cp. 321-23

Coleridge, On Poesy and Art (on imitation and copy) cp 370-74

2/17 technical and aesthetic context for illuminated printing revisited: Blake’s art theories

Reynolds, Discourses III, IV, VI, VII, cp 55-61, 67-109;

Hazlitt, on Reynolds, Genius and Originality, Imitation of Nature, the Ideal, cp 407-19

Hazlitt, Why the Arts are not Progressive. Cp 389-90

Blake's Annotations to Reynolds (c. 1808) cp 297-314

Blake, from the Descriptive Cat (1809). and Laocoon, cp 315-17

Blake, Public Address (c. 1809) cp 289-95;

ART RESERVE:

Fitzwilliam, The Print in England,essay on Art and Genius, pp 6-11
Hipple, The Beautiful, the Sublime, and the Picturesque, section on Reynolds

PART II

2/24 The Sublime, the Beautiful, and the Picturesque

Burke: A Philosophical Enquiry, cp 1-38

Gilpin, Three Essays, cp 123-173

Blake letter, 1802 to Butts, cp 324

ART RESERVE:

Hipple, 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.

3/2 The Picturesque in practice

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

Gilpin, Two Essays, cp 183-201;

Cozens, The New Method, cp 225-64 + illus.

Craig, Aiken, and reviews attacking the Picturesque, cp 265-73

Hazlitt, On the Picturesque and Ideal, cp 433

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

Wordsworth, et. al, Wordsworth & the Age of English Romanticism, parts 4-5

ORAL REPORTS:

3/5-15 Spring Break

3/16 workshop in drawing

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

black ink and large watercolor brushes, pencils

3/23 Watercolor Painting

slide lecture on Girtin, Cotman, Turner, Constable

Turner, Constable, handout

Hazlitt, On the Pleasure of Painting, cp 420-28

ART RESERVE:

Wilcox, British Watercolors

Wilton, British Watercolors, 1750-1850,

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

Butlin, Gadney, Parris, Rosenblum: browse

Wordsworth and the Age of English Romanticism, part 6

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

ORAL REPORTS:

PART III

3/30 Samuel Taylor Coleridge

lyrical poetry, handout

“On the Principles of Genial Criticism,” cp 375-386

ORAL REPORTS:

Take home exam for Part II due

4/6 William Wordsworth's lyrical poetry

Advertisement to the Lyrical Ballads, cp 332

poems from the Lyrical Ballads, cp handout

Gilpin, Observations on the River Wye, cp 174-182

ORAL REPORTS:

4/13 Wordsworth cont.

Preface to Lyrical Ballads, cp 333-44

"On the Sublime and Beautiful," handout

excerpts from the Pedlar and Prelude, handout

ORAL REPORTS:

4/20 Wordsworth cont.

excerpts from the Prelude, cp handout

ORAL REPORTS:

5/2 papers due

5/8 final exam: 2:00

Requirements:

take-home essay exams (due 2/24 and 3/30)

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 2/24.

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?

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 3/30

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 sublimeand 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 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
PR5885.W67.1987	Wordsworth	Wordsworth & the Age of English Romanticism