Reading assignment: Next week I’ll talk about Art Nouveau, and if there’s time I’ll also discuss a few artists who were precursors to the Expressionists. (If I don’t get the second topic then I’ll cover it in a couple weeks when we move on to German Expressionism.)

For this lecture we’re moving on to chapter 4, but skipping the first few pages. Here’s what to read:

• Pages 74 to 89 (start with the box on Walter Pater and read from there)

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Writing assignment: The readings cover a pretty wide range of artworks in several mediums, including architecture and domestic objects.You’ll also see that Art Nouveau and early Expressionism are very different in their techniques, materials, and the artists’ interests and goals.

Rather than have you write a piece about a broad concept from the reading this week, I’d like you to choose an artwork or a piece of architecture that catches your eye and tell me about it. Alternately, you could choose an artist or architect you like and tell me about his works in general, using the pieces shown in the book to explain his style, concepts, and materials. Whichever you choose, give me the basic facts as presented in the book, discuss how the art/artist you’ve chosen was new or groundbreaking at the time (if they were), and then tell me in just a sentence or two why you chose that artwork or artist. Your piece should be the usual length: about least a half a page to a full page.