Approved by Curriculum. Comm. (date, signature) _______________
NEW COURSE FORM
Office of the Dean of the Undergraduate College
Submission Date -- Feb. 28,2003 Semester — 2 (Spring) - Year 2004
(In which course will be first offered)
DEPARTMENT(S) --- cross-listed in Chemistry and History of Art
(Indicate if the course will be listed in more than one department, or if it is a General Studies course)
COURSE TITLE — The Stuff of Art
INSTRUCTOR(S) — Sharon Burgmayer
Course Level - 100 Prerequisites -- none
Is there a limit on enrollment? If so, what is the numerical limit and how are the students to be selected?
Yes, the enrollment will be limited to approximately 20 students for the first time offered due to lab-intensive component. Possibly larger enrollments may be possible in the future depending on student demand, lab space and staffing available.
How often do you plan to teach this course (only once, each year, alternate years, etc.)?
Alternate years.
It is proposed that this course satisfy:
A. The distribution requirement in Division II , lab science course
B. Major credit in the following department(s) none in chemistry
How does this course fit into the major program and/or the college curriculum?
This course will provide an alternative means for students to satisfy the one semester lab science distribution requirement. The course is intended to attract those students who may shun science but who have an affinity for fine arts. The course goal is to emphasize the close relationship of certain aspects of fine arts, especially painting, to both the development of chemistry and its practice.
The course will NOT satisfy a major requirement in chemistry.
Page 2.
How does this course affect the curriculum of your counterpart department or program (identify) at Haverford? What is the reaction of the chairperson or program director of the counterpart program or department? (Append any written or e-mailed responses if available.)
Prof. Terri Newirth, Chair, Department of Chemistry, Haverford College, writes:
Haverford enthusiastically endorses this course. This is a topic that would also be of interest to Haverford students to fulfill their science requirement. They do not need the lab, but might be interested as it sounds like so much fun. It also looks as if there will be significant science content.
(original email response attached)
This form and tentative courses schedule was sent to the following persons and those responses received are attached:
- Prof. Terri Newirth, Chair, Department of Chemistry, Haverford College:
- Prof. Steven Levine, Chair, Department Hitotry of Art, Bryn Mawr College
On page 4.
On page 4.
Signature of Professor (s) _____________________________________
_____________________________________
_____________________________________
Signature of Department Chair (s) _____________________________________
_____________________________________
_____________________________________
(If the course is to be listed in more than one department, all appropriate chairs should sign.)
Page 3.
Course Name and Number Department Date
CHEM 100 - The Stuff of Art Chemistry Feb. 28, 2003
Bryn Mawr College has sought to expand the Bryn Mawr curriculum beyond Western culture and to acknowledge work by and about women and minorities in Bryn Mawr course offerings. We are therefore asking each professor to consider the extent to which each course taught includes a wide range of culturally diverse materials or materials which address issues raised by minorities and women in society.
We realize that not all courses are amendable to such considerations, and believe that each individual member of the faculty is the best judge of his or her own course’s strength in these areas. Nonetheless, we think that the curriculum will be enhanced if each of us seriously considers the rich possibility inherent in including diverse materials in our courses. Please use this opportunity to delineate and augment your sense of the breadth of this offering.
Non-Western content/materials which
Women’s content/materials which
Minority content/materials which
Comments:
_______________________________
Signature, Professor
_______________________________ Signature, Department Chair
Page 4.
Course Name and Number Department Date
CHEM 100 - The Stuff of Art Chemistry Feb. 28, 2003
additional information:
1. Course Summary
"The Stuff of Art" is a course intended to attract those students who may shun science but who have an affinity for fine arts. The course goal is to emphasize the close relationship of certain aspects of fine arts, especially painting, to both the development of chemistry and its practice. Throughout the course, the stuff of art–pigments both ancient and modern, fresco media, glass and ceramics, metalworking– will be the materials used in a variety of investigations in the lab/studio. The historical role of the material in the arts, in alchemy and in the developing science of chemistry will be discussed as well as the synergy between these three areas. Relevant principles of chemistry (and physics in certain cases) will be illustrated through handling, the synthesis and/or transformations of the material. Both chemical reactions and methods of chemical analysis will be introduced, and the application of the latter to art conservation and restoration will be addressed. It is planned to arrange at least one field trip to a lab devoted to fine arts study.
The weekly class structure will be one 90 minute lecture for presentation of background information and one 3-4 hour lab for hands-on work integrated with discussions of the material. Likely course assignments and requirements will be readings (book excerpts and hand-outs) in preparation for lectures, one or more exams to test factual material, one or more lab reports, and a final paper/presentation.
Support for the development of this course (a research associate and supplies) was made through the Center for Science and Society and the Center for Visual Culture. In addition to supporting course development, both Centers are willing to contribute partial funding to support field trips and other class activities. (see attached email copies)
2. Course Guide Description
CHEM100 - The Stuff of Art: the Intersection of Art and Chemistry. This course will emphasize the close relationship of certain aspects of fine arts, especially painting, to both the development of chemistry and its practice. One 90 minute lecture and one three hour lab period per week.
Page 5.
Course Name and Number Department Date
CHEM 100 - The Stuff of Art Chemistry Feb. 28, 2003
3. Tentative Course Schedule (partially complete)
(a) lecture (1.5 hr) (b) lab (3+ hrs)
Part 1- Alchemists and Artists: Ancient Ancestors
Week 1 — (a) intro; our ancestors back to the Bronze Age
(b) alchemical metallurgical transformations — redox chemistry
Week 2 - (a) our ancestors and their pigments
(b) alchemical transformations - liver of sulfur
Week 3 - (a) our ancestors’ media
(b) frescos — acid/base chemistry
Week 4 - (a) our ancestors new pigments
(b) chrome green, Prussian blue, (lead) chrome yellow ;
transition metal chemistry
Week 5 - (a) field trip-
(b) Chemical Heritage Society, Phila. PA - view collection of alchemist paintings
Part 2- Art Services Chemistry; Science Services Art
Week 6 - (a) new hues: emergence of organic chemistry and Pre-Raphaelites
(b) new hues: "orange II", phthalocyanines, Perkins’ purple;
organic chemistry
Week 7 - (a) color theory: color mixing
(b) color theory: color mixing
Week 8- (a) tickling out the truth: spectroscopy
(b) UV/vis spectroscopy of a pigment; mass spectrometry of organic dyes;
Other methods? IR?
Week 9 (a) tickling out the truth: spectroscopy ± chemistry
(b) discrimination of blue pigments (polarized light)
and white pigments (chemical reactions)
(continued next page)
Page 6.
Part 3 - Art (and Chemistry) in the Real World
Week 10 (a) Pigment deterioration
(b)
Week 11 (a) It's human nature to change.
(b) Powder X-ray Diffraction to illustrate lead vs zinc whites
Week 12 (a)
(b)
Week 13 Field trip (Phila. Museum of Art? National Gallery?)
Week 14
Week 15