This course explores recent movies and novels with art historical themes and references, focusing on the boundaries between history, criticism, and fiction. We view clips of the movies, read excerpts of the novels, consider their historical contexts, and discuss their creative interrelations. We discuss films such as Caravaggio (Jarman, 1986), Vincent & Theo (Altman, 1990), Frida (Taymor, 2002), Girl with a Pearl Earring (Webber, 2003), Nightwatching (Greenaway, 2007), and Mr. Turner (Mike Leigh, 2014), and novels from A. S. Byatt's Still Life (1985) to Donna Tartt's The Goldfinch (2013), which integrate descriptions of paintings into complex narratives. Critics often question the historical accuracy of such works; this class goes a step further, to ask how fictional presentations might help us deepen our understanding of the art in question.
910.758.01 Homewood campus $186 (6 sessions) Thursdays, Oct. 29 to Dec. 10, 6:30 to 8:30 p.m.
JHU full-time faculty and staff are eligible for 80% tuition remission. You will be unable to register online and receive the discount. For more information, contact 410-516-8516.
