UWA Handbook 2025

Unit Overview

Description

Rome has always played a pivotal role in European culture and beyond. First as the centre of the Roman Empire, then as the seat of the Catholic church, the Eternal City attracted centuries of patronage and artistic production on an unrivalled scale. Numerous layers of evidence provide an unequalled historic kaleidoscope—from the ruins of classical Rome, its Renaissance and Baroque churches and palaces, to the late nineteenth century historicist monuments or the grand plans for a new Rome partially implemented under Mussolini's fascist regime. This unit provides students with the opportunity of gaining an on-site overview of Roman art and architecture from classical antiquity to the present day. One key theme of the unit therefore is the importance of physical context on the creation and viewing of works of art. Another key aspect is the interplay of different layers of art and architecture. To what extent, for example, is our perception of Rome's classical past shaped by the drastic interventions of fascist urban planning? Students are given the opportunity to explore and move between different archaeological layers, to critically consider issues faced by the demands of conserving artistic heritage in a major European tourism destination and to research on a range of art works and sites from classical antiquity to the twenty-first century as they explore to what extent Rome continues to be a cultural and political symbol, as much as a city.

Credit

6 points

Offering

Availability	Location	Mode
Not available in 2025	Rome	Face to face

Details for undergraduate courses

• Level 2 elective

Outcomes

Students are able to (1) understand the historical, cultural and physical contexts of art and architecture in Rome and how these contexts have shaped the objects' production and display; (2) understand how artworks mediate social and cultural meaning; (3) demonstrate oral communication and interpersonal skills; (4) synthesise visual and aesthetic analyses into broader discourses of art history; (5) apply principles of argument in art historical discourse; and (6) use and apply research techniques in art historiography.

Assessment

Indicative assessments in this unit are as follows: (1) oral assessment; (2) short written assessment; and (3) long essay. Further information is available in the unit outline.

Student may be offered supplementary assessment in this unit if they meet the eligibility criteria.

Unit Coordinator(s)

Dr Susanne Meurer

Unit rules

Prerequisites

HART1000 Great Moments in Art (formerly VISA1000)
or HART1003 Ways of Seeing: Themes and Theories in Art

Incompatibility

VISA2283 Rome

Approved quota: 25—allocated on academic merit and year of study (i.e. a third-year student is given precedence over a second-year, who can reapply the following year). Limited enrolment on account of restrictions to group sizes for on-site visits in churches and museums.

Incidental fees

Incidental student fees and charges are costs incurred by students as part of their studies at UWA that are in addition to their tuition fees (further information is available "
Participation in this unit will incur the following incidental fee(s):
(1) International Field Trip (estimated cost - 4,740 AUD)
(2) Entrance fees to museums and monuments in Rome (estimated cost - 260 AUD).

Contact hours

taught on-site over a 2-week period

Note

This unit is available in summer 2018. Refer to the History of Art Rome Study Tour webpage for further details.