Course Information & Requirements

Professor Dudley M. Marchi

Office: 401 Withers Hall
Email: dmm@ncsu.edu
Virtual Office Hours By Appointment

Spring Semester 2025

Teaching Philosophy of Inquiry-Guided Learning

This course is designed as an inquiry-guided learning experience: Students will thus learn through active investigation.  This process will improve their ability to develop informed questions, identify and collect appropriate materials, present results systematically, analyze and interpret results, formulate conclusions, and evaluate these conclusions.  Such learning promotes critical thinking and develops lifelong learners. It fosters intellectual development and maturity and the recognition that ambiguity and uncertainty, qualities often expressed in France's tradition of the visual arts, are inevitable, and that we must learn to make reasoned judgments in the face of such uncertainties.

Student Learning Outcomes

Visual & Performing Arts –

At the end of the course students will be able to:

  • Describe the aesthetic, historical, and cultural evolution of the arts in France.
  • Analyze works of French of art to demonstrate how the general social and historical background is embedded in the artistic details of the chosen work of art and how artistic elements (composition, color, line, space, shapes, etc.) are used to create content and meaning.
  • Explain how French art relates to the cultural and historical contexts in the country of France.

Global Knowledge –

At the end of the course students will be able to:

  • Identify and examine works of art, cultural artifacts, ideas, values, technological developments, and attitudes of France from the country’s origins to the present.
  • Explain how French art relates to its cultural and historical contexts in the country of France.

Course Materials

- Textbook

Lisa Neal, France: An Illustrated History
[Hippocrene Books, 2001 - under $20 - price varies]
ISBN 0-7818-0835-9
Available at NC State Bookstores and also at amazon.com

- Internet resources on course web site and others of the student's choosing.

- Recommended Reading

Carol Strickland - The Annotated Mona Lisa: A Crash Course in Art History


Grading

In this course you should focus on being a systematic learner and thinker and increasing your analytical abilities., Be your best self, attend to all requirements, meet deadlines, develop an enthusiasm for the course material, and you will perform well in the course.

  • Written Assignments [70%]: Students will write six two-page assignments on various topics to be assigned by the instructor. Assignments are due as indicated on the syllabus. Each assignment is worth 11.677% of the final grade.

  • Midterm Exam [14.97%]: There will be a three-page midterm exam which will allow students to synthesize
    and discuss the material studied during the first half of the semester.

  • Final Exam [14.97%]: There will be a three-page final exam which will allow students to synthesize
    and discuss the material studied during the semester.

  • Late Assignments -Time management is essential to success in this course. Keep up with the syllabus and hand in all assignments and exams on time. There are no make-up assignments and exams in this course. There are penalties for late assignments as explained in the Introduction below.

  • Academic Integrity - Regardless of discipline, honest and rigorous scholarship is at the foundation of a Research I institution. Students are bound by the academic integrity policy as stated in the Code of Student Conduct. Students are required to uphold the university pledge of honor and exercise honesty in completing every assignment. Violations of academic integrity will result in referral to the Office of Student Conduct with a recommendation of a failing grade for the assignment. A second violation will result in a failing grade for the course
    .
  • Disability Policy -  Reasonable accommodations will be made for students with verifiable disabilities. In order to take advantage of available accommodations, students must register with the Disability Resource Office on the third floor of Holmes Building (Suite 304). For more information on NC State’s policy on working with students with disabilities, please see the Academic Accommodations for Students with Disabilities Regulation (REG02.20.01). https://policies.ncsu.edu/regulation/reg-02-20-01.

  • Diversity Policy - This course fosters free and open dialogue, the acceptance and discussion of different opinions, and mutual respect among class members.  Please consult NC State Policies on Non-Discrimination.

  • NC State's Policies, Regulations, & Rules (PPR) -  Students are responsible for reviewing the NC State University PRR that pertains to their course rights and responsibilities.
Introduction to FL 216 DE
Introductory Questionnaire
Assignments & Exams
Writing Guidelines
Questions to Ask of a Work of Art

Les Frères Limbourg

Les Très Riches Heures du Duc de Berry - 1400's