The aim of the course is to present a general introduction to the history of landscape and gardening, from antiquity to the modern era.
Students must acquire the basic tools for research in landscape history, through two complementary approaches: fieldwork (local surveys) and desk research (documentary sources and historical maps). Lessons are divided into a systematic part and an historical part, which follows the chronological development from Roman era until today.
Students should have a basic knowledge of the history of European architecture.
The course consists of lessons, divided up according to historical eras, and includes visits to historic gardens.
Systematic part: - Basic tools for the study of historic landscapes - Landscape analysis: goals and methods - Sources for research: written sources and visual sources - Research organisation - Morphology of landscape and local history.
Historical part: - The historical development of landscapes and gardens in ancient world - The medieval garden and the monastic culture: the “hortus conclusus” - The Renaissance and the Italian garden - The French formal garden in the age of Louis XIV - Picturesque English landscape gardens in the 18th century.
Basic manuals: C. Tosco, Il paesaggio come storia, Il Mulino, Bologna 2006; C. Tosco, Storia dei giardini, dalla Bibbia al giardino all'italiana, Il Mulino, Bologna 2018; P. Grimal, L’arte dei giardini. Una breve storia, Donzelli Editore, Roma 2005.
Reccomended reading: F. Panzini, Progettare la natura. Architettura del paesaggio e dei giardini dalle origini all’epoca contemporanea, Zanichelli, Bologna 2005; C. Tosco, I beni culturali. Storia, tutela e valorizzazione, Il Mulino, Bologna 2014.
CARLO MARIO TOSCO (President)
ALESSANDRO GABBIANELLI
MARCO PIRAS
