IMAGE OF FOOD IN CONTEMPORARY CULTURE
cod. 1008458

Academic year 2021/22
1° year of course - First semester
Professor
- Tommaso LUCCHETTI
Academic discipline
Storia dell'arte contemporanea (L-ART/03)
Field
Attività formative affini o integrative
Type of training activity
Related/supplementary
42 hours
of face-to-face activities
6 credits
hub: PARMA
course unit
in ITALIAN

Learning objectives

At the end of the course the student knows the features of History of modern and contemporary art from the Renaissance to the end of the twentieth century, with a targeted and exclusive perspective based on all the representations and visual expressions that involve food or the canteen in various ways. , in all aspects of food culture, gastronomic heritage, and convivial arts and practices.
The intent is not only to have the knowledge of the main repertoires and figurative models conveyed to food and the table, but to know how to use the images and art objects of the past as evidence of the gastronomic culture of different eras and contexts, and to understand in what way they can document the historicity of typical products and traditional preparations, and then use the iconographic documentation as a source and tool for the historical reconstruction of food and the canteen. We then want to make it clear how the food itself is not only the object of representations in the visual arts, but can be the medium and element itself for artistic creations and ornamental inventions in decorative applications such as pastry, the presentation of dishes, equipment and convivial ceremonies, thus transforming the edible material into an expressive medium.

Prerequisites

Given the specificity of the topics covered, attendance at lectures is recommended for everyone, in particular for students who come from higher studies in which Art History is not one of the teaching subjects; also for this reason, any art history manual among those adopted in high schools and professional institutes that require the study of this discipline is considered mandatory as a basic support for the preparation of this exam

Course unit content

Basic elements of the History of Ancient and Medieval Art, and outlines of the History of Modern and Contemporary Art from the mid-fifteenth century to the end of the twentieth century. The main types of cultural heritage and their importance in investigating the culture of food over time, and its enhancement. Identification of artistic expressions that propose foods and tables as subjects and themes of the representations, and that also use edible material as an expressive means. Methods of analysis and interpretation of the image of food as a vehicle for the historical reconstruction of nutrition, gastronomic culture, convivial art. Meanings and symbols of various foods and tableware. Techniques and purposes of narration and visual communication related to the agri-food imagery, the food and wine heritage, and the rituality of banquets.

Full programme

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Bibliography

A manual of the History of Art (the textbooks of Giulio Carlo Argan, or Cricco-Di Teodoro, or Briganti-Bertelli-Giuliano are worth mentioning, among others)

• course materials provided by the teacher during the course and published on the "Elly" platform

• The following texts:
G. Barbieri, At table with God: table rites in modern age painting, in Culture of food, edited by M. Montanari, F. Sabban, A. Capatti, vol. IV, edited by M. Montanari, Turin, Utet, 2015
L. Corraia, Unveiling the hidden senses: food in market painting, in Culture of food, edited by M. Montanari, F. Sabban, A. Capatti, vol. IV, edited by M. Montanari, Turin, Utet, 2015
T. Lucchetti, The kitchen, the table, the plastic arts, in Culture of food, edited by M. Montanari, F. Sabban, A. Capatti, vol. IV, edited by M. Montanari, Turin, Utet, 2015
S. Malaguzzi, Art and wine, Giunti-Art & Dossier, n. 268, July-August 2010
S. Malaguzzi, Art and food, Giunti-Art & Dossier, n. 200, June 2013
A. Veca, La natura morta, Giunti-Art & Dossier (there are two editions, the oldest is n.46)
It should be noted that these texts, as well as being available in university libraries and copy shops, can be consulted at the disposal of students in the department library.
Any other reading and integration texts will be reported and provided by the teacher directly on the "Elly" platform

Teaching methods

Lectures with the aid of the projection of reproductions of works of art and the commented reading of written passages by artists such as documents and textual sources, together with reflections by historians and art scholars. The teaching materials used during the lessons will be uploaded to the “Elly” platform

Assessment methods and criteria

The exam consists of a first part dedicated to verifying knowledge of the general study program, and a second part of a free research as a practical research essay carried out on a topic chosen by the student.
The first part consists of a written test structured in fifteen multiple choice questions and three open questions; this first phase of verification
aims to assess the degree of learning achieved by students, in particular the knowledge and understanding of the topics covered in the course, the ability to chronologically contextualize the issues, the ability to communicate using specific terminology.
After passing this partial paper, the student will send his / her research work to the teacher, which is approved upon request for corrections, and then evaluated, will arrive at the final overall grade of the exam.
This essay must consist of at least three pages, and must be accompanied by a bibliography, which also includes the reading and consultation of texts specifically researched and consulted in the library, and not only made up of generic navigation on websites. The research must, starting from the descriptive analysis (of style and content) of a work of art, or of a historical photo (at least 50 years old), or of any artefact with decorative or artistic elements, reflect on how the object under examination is able to document historical aspects of food and the canteen, and therefore a historical analysis and reflection on their perception and the methods of use and practices in the era of the work or image in question. In any case, it is always required that the student proposes the subject chosen in advance for approval to the teacher.
Students can register for the exam using ESSE3.

Other information

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