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Connoisseurship
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There are four semesters of connoisseurship. The course of study begins with Introduction to American Decorative Arts (Summer Institute) in July of the first year. This course makes intensive use of the Winterthur Museum's library and object collections, orients Fellows to the Museum, and provides a firm foundation for the coursework that follows. It covers the history of style and introduces different ways of thinking about and looking at objects.
Connoisseurship I begins in the fall semester. It gives Fellows hands-on experience working with objects in differing media such as furniture, glass, and prints. Faculty from the Office of Academic Programs, and the Curatorial and Conservation Departments teach this course. The class also has access to outstanding specialists in traditional crafts and includes field trips to historic sites, collections, and artisan's shops.
Connoisseurship II continues the comprehensive study of objects in the spring semester of the first year, completing the extensive survey of decorative arts media by examining ceramics, paintings, silver, base metals, and textiles. Connoisseurship III takes place in the fall semester of the second year. Students work intensively with museum faculty to develop a specialty in one or two minor fields that will complement their thesis research. They produce a tangible product and present their work to museum staff and the public at the end of the semester. |
