The Master of Arts in the History of Decorative Arts and Design, a collaborative program of Parsons The New School for Design and the Cooper-Hewitt, National Design Museum, offers a two-week graduate summer seminar in France. The course is open to all students currently enrolled in MA or PhD programs at an accredited university.
June 17–28, 2013
$5,165 per course (includes all gratuities and course materials)
Participants are responsible for their own accommodations, meals, and all transportation to and from course locations.
Seventeenth and Eighteenth Century France: Châteaux, Historic Gardens, and Food and Culture
Alice Jarrard, assistant professor, design history and design studies, School of Art and Design History and Theory
This course offers an introduction to the history of châteaux in 17th- and 18th-century France, beginning with a survey of the château as an architectural type. Most of the class meeting time is devoted to on-site visits to Ecouen, Chantilly, Vaux le Vicomte, and Versailles. Visits offer students the opportunity to explore decorative interiors from the Renaissance to the Rococo period. Special attention is paid to specific examples of furniture and textiles, enabling students to develop their visual skills and appreciation of craftsmanship. The course's second theme connects the history of the châteaux and garden to the history of gastronomy. Students research 17th-century fêtes and the presentation of food through an examination of contemporary porcelain and silverware. One site visit is dedicated to the reconstruction and sampling of a historic meal.
Participants earn three graduate credits for successful completion of the course.
Students are expected to attend all classes, site visits, and excursions. Classes and excursions begin promptly at the designated times, and latecomers cannot be accommodated. Grades are based on class participation (20 percent) and a final slide identification and essay examination (80 percent).
The course is moderately physically challenging because it involves hours of walking and standing. Due to space limitations, friends and family cannot join the class for lectures, walks, or site visits.
Visit Registration for more details. Early registration is advised.
For more information about the summer graduate seminar, email historyofdecarts@si.edu or call 212.849.8344.
