Description
Inspired by the student-centred, experiential, affective and sensory approaches of recent art history, this paper will discuss the integration of drawing activities in the classroom as an important part of the multimodal art historical pedagogy. It will present as its case study an honours module on Raphael and his Reception, which incorporates a practice-based seminar entitled ‘Drawing like Raphael’. It will consider this pedagogical method in theory and practice and will reflect on its benefits, challenges and student feedback. Incorporating drawing in the classroom implies methods of learning-by-doing and facilitates slow, deep learning. The task prolongs the time needed for examining, encourages delving into and gives students the possibility to understand historical materials and processes first-hand. Studies have also shown that drawing is superior to activities such as reading or writing because it forces the person to process information in multiple ways: visually, kinaesthetically, and semantically. Drawing involves mental and bodily processes and invites an emotional, affective and sensory approach. It also develops students’ sensitivity to the variety of media, grounds, and their combinations, giving them an experiential understanding of the meaning of materiality. This paper will argue that drawing is a creative and fun way to build skills in visual expression and interpretation, but also one that brings affects and emotions to art historical inquiries and encourages students to bring their own thoughts and lived experiences to their art historical studies.| Period | 4 Apr 2024 |
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| Event title | Association for Art History, 2024 Annual Conference |
| Event type | Conference |