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University of Glasgow: Art History: Technical Art History, Making and Meaning

Institution University of Glasgow View institution profile
Department School of Culture & Creative Arts
Web www.glasgow.ac.uk/
Study type Taught

Summary

The Masters focuses on the act of making and everything that encompasses: materials, techniques, intentions, context and concept. You will study treatises and other testimonies on artistic practice and reconstruct historical recipes and modern techniques to understand artists' materials, practices and aesthetic choices. You will develop transferable skills and a thorough understanding of the science and conservation that supports the interpretation of artworks. You will learn about the change and preservation of cultural heritage, as well as exploring issues of authenticity. Technical art history is an exciting and rapidly growing field involving art historians, scientists and conservators, which also branches out to economics, social history and philosophy.

  • You will study objects and artefacts, interacting with professionals and academics from the Hunterian Museum & Art Gallery, Glasgow Museums, National Galleries of Scotland, as well as national and international institutions linked to research projects.
  • You will be part of the Kelvin Centre for Conservation and Cultural Heritage Research. https://www.gla.ac.uk/schools/cca/research/arthistoryresearch/kelvincentre/. Our research and training facilities include photography, microscopy, UV imaging, Infra-Red Reflectography, FTIR, pXRF, Raman, HPLC, RTI, contact profilometers, uniaxial and biaxial tensile testers, ageing ovens (thermal and light), 3D printing and dyeing.
  • You will have access to the Hunterian Study Centre at Kelvin Hall, offering an exceptional opportunity for research-led, object-based learning and cross-disciplinary research.
  • You have the opportunity to complete a work placement, where you can explore a possible future career while meeting professional practitioners and developing your skills and experience.
  • You will benefit from guest speakers from technical art history, conservation, artist studios and the museum profession: broadening your horizons, offering you networking opportunities and research contacts.
  • You will participate in reconstruction workshops of painting techniques, as well as workshops on the reconstructions of pigment recipes and scientific examination techniques.
  • You can take a study trip to Amsterdam, London, Madrid or Munich, visiting major museums and their conservation studios and research labs, as well as research institutions working in the field of technical art history

Drawing upon the expertise of an interdisciplinary team, the programme includes taught and research components. You will take six core courses followed by a period of object-based research towards a dissertation.

Core courses

  • RESEARCH METHODS AND SKILLS
  • ART IN THE MAKING: HISTORICAL TECHNIQUES
  • ART IN THE MAKING: MODERN & AVANT-GARDE TECHNIQUES
  • THE AUTHENTIC ART WORK: INTERPRETATION, CONSERVATION, PRESENTATION.
  • TESTIMONIES ON ARTISTS' PRACTICE: DOCUMENTARY AND VISUAL SOURCES
  • WORK PLACEMENT

Dissertation

  • DISSERTATION

The programme will enable you to work with collections within cultural heritage organisations, or in a commercial environment in the fields of technical art history, curation and collections care. The programme will also prepare you for a further postgraduate education in conservation or academic research.

MLitt

University of Glasgow

The University of Glasgow is one of the UK’s most prestigious seats of learning, and the fourth oldest university in the English speaking world. Established in 1451 and recognised for its world-changing research and teaching, the University has inspired thinkers from eminent scientist Lord Kelvin and the father of economics Adam Smith, to Scotland’s First Minister Nicola Sturgeon. 

Rankings

The University:

  • is ranked 81st in the world in the QS World University Rankings 2023
  • is in the top 100 in the world: Times Higher World University Rankings 2023
  • 95.9% of students in employment or further study 6 months after graduation …
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