Welcome to the course! This site features all the content for the course, including weekly modules, course information, and assignment details. The rest is available on Quercus.
A print-friendly PDF of the course syllabus is available here to download or view .
Click on the headings below to learn more about the course.
Hi everyone,
Some things you might find helpful as you wrap up your compare-contrast essay and exam sheet
I wanted to clarify some things about the research component of assignment 2.
The purpose of it is, really, to demonstrate that you’re able to find appropriate research sources and reference them in ways that make sense and use the right conventions. However, this isn’t a research paper, so it’s not obvious where you should fit those in. In short, you probably don’t want to use it in your visual description - if it’s something you can tell from just looking, it doesn’t need references. You’re more likely to use research to add in facts about the historical background, interpretations, or other information that illuminates your essay. For instance:
Bad example: “As Edward Bacal notes, the painting primarily uses greens and blues to balance the composition”.1
Good example: “As Edward Bacal notes, the artist’s colour palette is inspired by the landscape of her hometown, where the green hills under the blue sky made a striking impact on her.”1
I would say, don’t worry too much about finding the best sources - starting with chapters and articles on the course modules is a good start. You probably won’t find many (or any) texts about the in-person works (here you probably want to broaden your search terms - eg articles about indigenous stone sculpture, rather than a specific work) but you don’t necessarily have to include sources on those works to make up your 2 sources, though it doesn’t hurt.
First, please remember to bring your T-Card to the exam.
Here are answers to common questions about the exam study sheet:
Ok, that’s it for now. Congrats on making it to the end of class. See you at the exam!
Edward
Somehow we're already near the end of classes (and yet there's still so much to do...)
Two things:
First, I am sharing U of T's exam toolkit - this will tell you all you need to know about writing exams in the faculty of arts & sciences, and what to do is problems arise (e.g. if you can't attend, are late/sick, etc.)
Second, course evaluations are now available. If you had a good experience, let us know! If you didn't, tell us what we could do to change that.
I personally read all evaluations, and take them in consideration when designing courses in the future. Believe it or not, there's a real human on the other end, who considers what you have to say. Your input (positive or negative) will help improve this and other courses for students like you.
Please keep feedback constructive. Remember, this isn't a yelp review for a restaurant. You're welcome to share complaints and negative experiences with the course, please just keep it respectful and professional.
There are two ways to access your course evaluations.
Learn more about course evaluations here
Save the date! Our exam is booked for Friday, August 16, 2-4PM in EX100 (the exam centre building at 255 McCaul, just south of College).
What's more, you can see a preview of the exam itself HERE
You will also notice the first assignment has been graded. Due to a small mistake, quercus lists the grade as being out of 10, rather than 100. So if you got a 7.3, that's 73% not 7.3%.
If you have questions or comments about your assignment, please speak to your TA. We don't usually check the comments on speed grader after they're posted, so if you write something there, there's a good chance it could be missed.
Edward
Hi everyone! It's the second to last week(!).
This is a great opportunity to reflect on what has been working for you in the course. If you have thoughts, concerns, or constructive feedback for the teaching team, please feel free to email myself or speak to your TA so we ensure this last half of the semester works for you.
If you submitted your first assignments by the deadline, you can expect to get it back by the end of this week. Meanwhile, assignment 2 is due in less than 2 weeks. Please remember to review the assignment instructions and the rubric before you start.
You can write on any of the main monuments for this assignment; however, if you choose one of the bigger/multi-work ones (the Ajanta Caves, The Great Mosque of Damascus, Paradise Camp) you will have to choose a specific part to focus on - check the assignment 2 instructions to confirm
You can also see the rubric for the ✨assignment 2 document template✨ (.docx) (.pages) (.pdf)
And of course, this week's tutorial will be a good opportunity to talk about the assignment.
Due to certain quercus settings, the first few weeks of tutorial attendance/participation weren't visible to students right away. They now have been since last week - this means you have until the end of this week (Aug 4) to dispute tutorial attendance grades.
The exam... is still far away. Not that far away, but far enough that your best course of action is to focus on assignment 2, attending tutorials, and taking your time reading the course modules.
Thank you for submitting your first assignment / working to finish your first assignment.
With assignment 1 passed, we'll be thinking about the compare and contrast skills you'll use in your final assignment.
The exam office is also in the process of scheduling our final exam - nothing confirmed yet, but it will probably happen early into the exam period. Right now, all the information there is to know about the exam is what's here. The final tutorial (in two weeks) will focus on exam prep, as well.
Hi everyone,
Welcome to week 3 of class! This will be one of the busier weeks, what with assignment 1 due next Sunday, and a lot of content. But we're approaching the halfway point (!). Please see relevant updates below!
There is a request for a volunteer note-taker for this course. Given that this is an online asynchronous course, I would imagine this involves tutorial notes. If you are interested, please see the message in the box below, or jump straight to signing up here!
I hope this isn't too late, but I want to share information on free museum admission:
As noted before, tutorial enrollment is proving tricky for anyone that got into this class recently. Please contact me to arrange tutorial attendance, I'll try to have someone help enroll you in a tutorial section.
Accessibility Services is seeking volunteer note takers for students in this class who are registered in Accessibility Services. By volunteering to take notes for students with disabilities, you are making a positive contribution to their academic success. By volunteering as a note-taker, you will benefit as well - It is an excellent way to improve your own note-taking skills and to maintain consistent class attendance. At the end of term, we would be happy to provide a Certificate of Appreciation for your hard work. To request a Certificate of Appreciation please fill out the form at this link: Certificate of Appreciation or email us at as.notetaking@utoronto.ca. You may also qualify for a Co-Curricular Record by registering your volunteer work on Folio before the end of June. We also have a draw for qualifying volunteers throughout the academic year.
Steps to Register as a Volunteer :
Thank you for your support and for making notes more accessible for our students.
A student mentioned the Beam with Nurat al-Sur is not on view at the Aga Khan. My apologies! I'm pretty sure I saw it last May, and the website lists it as being on display, but these things happen, so in place of that, you are welcome to write on any one piece from this page instead.
I also updated the cover page template for assignment 1, since the formatting may have been messy (please use this document for your first assignment - it includes a grading rubric you may find helpful).
As noted, we expect you to attend the same tutorial section, but realize people may have gotten into the course late, when most sections were already filled, or may have schedule conflicts. In these cases, I'd rather you join another tutorial than miss the one you're enrolled in - that said, I can't personally change your enrollments, so ask that you check in with me and your TA beforehand so we can keep a record of tutorial attendance (otherwise you may not get credit for a tutorial you attended!)
In module 2.1. the "Principles of Design PDF" link led to the wrong file. I added the correct link and, better yet, made a carousel with real examples on the course site (you can see that here).
Thanks and have a great weekend ahead!
Edward
Hi everyone! Welcome to Week 2 There's a lot to cover, including formal analysis skills (these are crucial for your first assignment), Syrian mosques, Chinese handscrolls, and Japanese prints.
Hi everyone,
First, a correction:
There was a mistake on the course site, which listed TUT5301 twice, which meant TUT0301 was not stated, and that the tutorial discussion board for TUT0301 was not shared (it is now available). If you were confused about the location of the tutorial (Tuesday 2-3PM in OISE3312), my sincere apologies! If you still figured out where to go, thank you! However, further apologies about the discussion board. If you missed the tutorial because of this error, I will give you the credit for this week.
Second, a TA change:
Due to unforseen conflicts, Esther Kim will now be leading the Tuesday afternoon tutorials (after this week, Fahimeh will be leading tutorials on Wednesday). This does not affect your tutorial enrollment or anything else - please keep coming to the same place at the same time!
Thanks for understanding and bearing with these bumps as the course launches.
Hi! 👋
I'm writing to welcome everyone to FAH101 - Monuments of Art History which begins tomorrow (Tuesday July 2).
The first tutorials start this Tuesday/Wednesday too! So please ensure you've registered for a tutorial section on ACORN.
If you haven't already, please take some time to look through the course syllabus, to familiarize yourselves with the nature of and guidelines for this course (a video walkthrough of the syllabus is available here). Information about assignments and the first week's content is now live. This semester is going to zoom by, so I encourage you to get a good start!
Enjoy the rest of your long weekend!
– EdwardThis is an online-asynchronous course made up of 24 modular lessons plus six weekly tutorials.
In place of lectures, this course features online modules (lessons made up of short videos, texts, and images) which explore art objects and develop your art historical skills. A group of modules will be posted on the course site each Monday. You can work through them on your own time but should aim to complete them before that week’s tutorial.
Tutorials are a mandatory part of this course and occur each week. There, you will discuss course content, practice key art historical skills, and collaborate on activities with classmates. Attendance and completion of activities make up 15% of your final grade.
Note: Neither the instructor nor TAs can alter your tutorial enrolments.
This course is led by Edward Bacal, a Sessional Lecturer and PhD grad from U of T’s Art History Department. In addition to overseeing this course, Edward designed and coded this website himself. Course content is based off the FAH101 course developed by Samantha Chang (her efforts in creating it are much appreciated!).
Throughout the semester, you will primarily be in contact with one of our teaching assistants, who are responsible for leading tutorials and grading assignments.
Edward Bacal: edward.bacal@mail.utoronto.ca
Office hours by appointment. You can schedule a 15-minute meeting here or by email.
Note: If you cannot make it to an office hours appointment, you have up to two hours to cancel, otherwise you will be penalized 1 mark (of 100).Monuments of Art History examines key works of art and architecture from antiquity to the present and from across the globe, with emphasis on the cultural roles art has played throughout history. This broad selection of artworks corresponds to subject areas taught by U of T’s Art History faculty, offering a preview of many 200-400 level courses you can take through the Department of Art History.
We will pay special attention to developing foundational art historical skills, including the ability to observe, analyze, compare, and write about works of art and architecture. Tutorials will provide training in, and practice applying, the basic principles and vocabulary of art historical scholarship. Assignments are based on these skills and draw on course modules, tutorials, readings, and visits to local museums.
No previous knowledge of art or architecture is required.
To successfully complete this course, you will have to
Active participation in tutorials, including completion of short activities, is essential to your success in the course. As such, each tutorial* counts to 3% of your final mark.
* You can miss one tutorial without losing marks; i.e. you have to attend 5 of the 6 tutorials to receive full marks.
If you cannot make it to a tutorial, you can receive partial marks by completing that week's activity online, within 48 hours of your tutorial meeting.
Please check Quercus to confirm your tutorial attendance is entered - you will not be able to dispute attendance grades after 2 weeks of each tutorial - however, please allow 48 hours for these grades to be entered.
This is the first of two assignments in which you will engage with one art object, chosen from one (1) of the options presented here. It consists of two parts: a sketch with notes and a written analysis.
To start, select the object you feel most compelled to analyze and visit it in person. While there, create a sketch that, to the best of your abilities, depicts the object as it impresses you. As part of your sketch, include notes and/or diagrams that explain / highlight your observations about the art object.
Note: You will not be graded on the artistic quality of the sketch. The sketch can look terrible and you can still get an A. What matters is how you demonstrate close engagement with the object through the way you record your visual observations on the page.
Next, you will write a 600-700 word formal analysis of your chosen artwork. Here you will take what you noted in making your sketch and translate your observations into a cohesive essay, applying the skills you will learn in Module 3 and practice in tutorials.
Looking ahead, this essay will prepare you for assignment 2: by preparing you to identify the ways one artwork is visually constructed, you will be ready to discuss how those qualities connect and/or distinguish multiple artworks seen together.
This assignment builds on your sketch and formal analysis by comparing your chosen artwork (the same one from assignment 1) with one of the "monuments" from class (options are listed below) in order to analyze and interpret the differences/similarities between them. Whereas assignment 1 asked you to visually examine one art object in isolation, this assignment asks you to re-examine that work in relation to another, and to offer explanations—backed by references—that substantiate your observations.
Like in your formal analysis, you will have to include a thesis statement that distills the key claims of your analysis. Here, you will also have to cite 2 or more scholarly sources to support your claims (more on citations below).
Word count: 900-1100 words (including citations and bibliography).
A specific cave fresco or sculpture from the Caves of Ajanta (i.e. not the whole set of caves)
A specific architectural feature or mosaic from the Great Mosque of Damascus (i.e. not the whole thing).
Zhang Zeduan (attributed), Along the River during Qingming Festival,
Katsushika Hokusai, Under the Wave off Kanagawa,
Jan van Eyck, Ghent Altarpiece
Jerónimo de Balbás, Altar of the Kings
Albert Eckhout, one painting from the Series of Eight Figures (i.e. not the whole series)
Tarsila do Amaral, Abaporú
Gottfried Lindauer, Tāmati Wāka Nene
Two Guns (Sarcee), Painted Buffalo Robe
Hannah Ryggen, Ethiopia
Dorothea Tanning, Birthday
Remedios Varo, Creation of the Birds
Shirin Neshat, Rebellious Silence
One photograph from Yuki Kihara, Paradise Camp.
Yinka Shonibare, End of Empire
Wangechi Mutu, MamaRay
The exam will be 2 hours long, but will be designed to take roughly 90-110 minutes to complete.
The exam has not yet been written, but will likely consist of essay questions: one short, one medium, and one long. You will be able to choose from a selection of questions.
Questions will focus on broad themes and ideas explored throughout the course. You will be expected to speak to these ideas about art in relation to specific examples from the course (e.g. "how is the theme of devotion expressed across works from different cultures?"). This exam will NOT emphasis memorization or providing objective answers (you won't see questions like "what year was the Ghent Altarpiece completed?").
You will be allowed to bring in a study-sheet: this is one (and only one) page (8.5" x 11" or similar), which you can fill with handwritten notes (no print-outs). Pro-tip, making this sheet is a great way to study. No other aids are allowed.
The exam has not been scheduled yet. The faculty of arts and sciences schedule all exams, and I don't have any say on when and where it will take place. I just know it's during the exam period (August 15-30).
It's worth 35% of your final grade (The Faculty of Arts and Sciences requires first year courses have exams that are worth at least 1/3 of your grade).
Having an exam is an useful opportunity to reflect on the range of content and ideas explored throughout the course. While in-person exams are an imperfect way of evaluating learning, and not a format that's optimal for everyone, I've tried to adapt it so that people who need more time or may benefit from notes can complete it to the best of their abilities. More to the point, the reality is that it's currently essential to have an AI-proof evaluation where you practice writing in your own voice. I know that many people may be English language learners or not be strong writers, but I'm not looking for polished essay-style responses, so much as evidence of you communicating your own original thoughts about the course content.
If you have a conflict (e.g. another exam at the same time) you can report it to the faculty registrar. More information is here.
If you are not able to be present for the exam, or miss it for any legitimate reason, you can contact the registrat to defer your exam. More information is here.
Please see this resource for information: https://sidneysmithcommons.artsci.utoronto.ca/i-cant-make-a-test-or-exam-what-do-i-do/
1: Short questions (15 marks, approx. 10-15 mins)
2. Medium-length questions (30 marks, approx. 25-35 mins)
3. Long Question (55 marks, approx. 50-60 mins)
The teaching team is here to support you in doing your best work, in ways that are fair and equitable. That means ensuring everyone has the opportunity to successfully complete this course, regardless of differing learning styles and needs. Likewise, the university has resources to assist students of all abilities, including support with academic skills, personal accommodations, and health and wellness.
As undergraduates, you are expected to take responsibility for your performance in this course, which means respecting course policies and accepting the consequences of not doing so. In the name of professionalism and ethics, the teaching team cannot bend the rules or give preferential treatment to individuals (just a friendly reminder that no one is entitled to an easy grade or free pass). However, we are here to help you and encourage you to address difficulties you may experience in the course. We also understand unexpected crises can impact your course performance, and encourage you to address these issues as soon as possible with both the teaching team and your college registrar (we cannot grant extensions or accommodations retroactively).
You are welcome to discuss course matters with the teaching team by email. You may also speak with the instructor during office hours (by appointment over zoom) and speak to your TA during tutorials. To ensure your email makes it to us, please use your mail.utoronto.ca address and include “FAH101” in the subject line. Allow up to 48 hours for a reply.
You can also post questions on the class FAQ discussion board, which is a good place to share information and discuss the course.
The teaching team cannot respond to assignment queries within 24 hours of the deadline, or requests to review your assignment before you submit it. If you intend to contest a grade, please wait at least a full day before contacting me and include a short description - in your own words - of your concern.
Please keep emails concise and professional (you don’t need to apologize for contacting instructors, that’s part of our job!). For example, avoid sending messages that are AI-generated or try to use excessive flattery or persuasion for personal advantage.
You are expected to regularly check your email and course announcements for important updates about the course. Please also consult the syllabus and course site if you have questions (the teaching team is not obliged to reply to emails about anything that is already clearly stated in course documents).
All students are welcome in this course. I encourage you to address difficulties you may experience in the course and to take advantage of resources that may help you meet your learning needs. If you experience difficulties that affect your learning in the course and have a disability or believe you may have a disability, I encourage you to register with Accessibility Services here. You can also contact them at (416) 978-8060 or visit them here.
Note: Academic accommodations do not exempt you from meeting course and program standards.
If you are experiencing serious personal or medical crises that are preventing you from completing course requirements, please contact your registrar as soon as possible — it is crucial to address such issues before assignment deadlines. We cannot provide retroactive accommodations after deadlines.
In our course, we work in the context of a university committed to principles and programs for equity, diversity, and inclusion (EDI). Please refer to the University’s Statement on Equity, Diversity, and Excellence (2006). If you have any concerns about EDI in our course, please get in touch with me (Edward), and we will address the concerns together.
Our learning environment (including Quercus) is a shared space, which means we should be mindful and respectful of our colleagues, As we explore the histories and objects of different spaces and places, be sensitive to our various cultural and linguistic backgrounds, as well as different political and religious beliefs. I encourage students to challenge and be challenged by ideas — exposure to other views and opinions is part of the learning experience — but not without respecting such differences. If disagreements arise, try to offer constructive feedback and avoid prescriptive language. We will work together to create an environment of constructive dialogue, inclusiveness, and mutual respect. We are all in this together.
Academic integrity is essential to the pursuit of learning and scholarship and ensuring that a degree from U of T is a strong signal of each student’s individual academic achievement. As a result, the University treats cases of cheating and plagiarism very seriously. The University’s Code of Behaviour on Academic Matters outlines the behaviours that constitute academic dishonesty and the processes for addressing academic offences. Potential offences include, but are not limited to the following:
Do not use generative artificial intelligence tools and apps to complete and/or support the completion of assignments in this course. The teaching team is interested in reading your observations, analyses, and insights. Your sketches demonstrate your careful looking and are not assessed on artistic skills. Using generative AI in this course will be considered an academic offence relating to the use of unauthorized aids. Thank you for helping us promote and maintain a productive learning community.
Assessments are submitted electronically through Quercus. Normally, students will be required to submit their course essays to the University’s plagiarism detection tool for a review of textual similarity and detection of possible plagiarism. In doing so, students will allow their essays to be included as source documents in the tool’s reference database, where they will be used solely for the purpose of detecting plagiarism. The terms that apply to the University’s use of this tool are described on the Centre for Teaching Support & Innovation website (https://uoft.me/pdt-faq).
All suspected cases of academic dishonesty will be investigated following procedures outlined in the Code. Students are expected to seek additional information about what constitutes appropriate academic behaviour or appropriate research and citation methods from their instructors or other institutional resources.
The Art History writing lab, led by Dr. Colin Murray, offers workshops and one-on-one tutoring sessions to help students develop ideas, write, and edit art history papers.
The fourteen writing centres at U of T provide individual consultations with trained writing instructors and group teaching in workshops and courses. There’s no charge for this instruction—it’s part of your academic program. The mandate of writing centres is to help you develop writing skills as you progress through your studies. All the undergraduate colleges have writing centres for their students. Visit the Writing at the University of Toronto website for more information. The English Language Learning program also provides various offerings.
More than sixty advice files on all aspects of academic writing are available on the “Advice on Academic Writing” page. Visit the “Using Sources” page for advice on how not to plagiarize, documentation format, and methods of integrating sources.
Footnotes and bibliography entries for this course follow the Chicago Manual of Style (CMoS). A Quick Guide is available publicly online.
The Ask Chat with a Librarian virtual chat service remains open. Library staff can help you with library-related questions and research right away. Our very own Christine Clemens is currently steward of the Art History library (filling in for Margaret English, whom you may encounter in the future). The Art History Research Guide also provides advice, useful tools, and links to the best resources for art history research.
Oxford Art Online offers access to the most authoritative, inclusive, and easily searchable online art resources available today. Users can simultaneously search Oxford’s acclaimed art reference works, which are listed individually below: the Benezit Dictionary of Artists, the Encyclopedia of Aesthetics, The Oxford Companion to Western Art, and The Concise Oxford Dictionary of Art Terms, as well as many specially commissioned articles and bibliographies available exclusively online.
Over 2,000 museums and galleries offer virtual tours and online collections via Google’s Art & Culture pages. Have fun exploring!
Weekly modules will be made available each Monday.
July 1: Civic holiday (university closed)
July 8: Last day to enrol in S courses
July 9: First day to select a Credit/No-Credit (CR/NCR) option for S courses
July 21: Assignment 1: Annotated sketch + formal analysis due
July 29: Last day to drop course
August 5: Civic holiday (university closed)
August 12: Last day of classes
August 13:
Deadline to request Late Withdrawal (LWD) at College Registrar's Office
Last day to add or remove a CR/NCR option in S and Y courses
August 15-30: Exam period
August 30:
Last day to submit a petition in S and Y courses
Last day for instructors to accept late term work without needing to submit a petition to the Faculty.
July 1: Civic holiday (university closed)
July 8: Last day to enrol in S courses
July 9: First day to select a Credit/No-Credit (CR/NCR) option for S courses
July 21: Assignment 1: Sketch with formal analysis due
July 29: Last day to drop course
August 5: Civic holiday (university closed)
August 12: Last day of classes
August 13:
Deadline to request Late Withdrawal (LWD) at College Registrar's Office
Last day to add or remove a CR/NCR option in S and Y courses
August 30:
Last day to submit a petition in S and Y courses
Last day for instructors to accept late term work without needing to submit a petition to the Faculty.