Book & Paper Conservation MPhil
Testimonies on Practice: Book and Paper HISTART5151
- Academic Session: 2026-27
- School: School of Culture and Creative Arts
- Credits: 10
- Level: Level 5 (SCQF level 11)
- Typically Offered: Semester 1
- Available to Visiting Students: No
- Collaborative Online International Learning: No
- Curriculum For Life: No
Short Description
This course presents students with historical documentary and visual testimonies on artistic practice from the eleventh century to the present. A historiographic review of the key primary art technological texts on artists' techniques relevant to books and paper will be the focus of the course. Primary sources may include Archives & Special Collections, The Glasgow School of Art Archives and Collections, National Archives of Scotland, Edinburgh and artists' studio archives.
Timetable
Lecture: 1 x 1 hr over 5 weeks as scheduled on MyCampus
Seminar: 1 x 1 hr over 5 weeks as scheduled on MyCampus
1x2hr Workshop in special collections
Excluded Courses
None
Co-requisites
None
Assessment
The standard assessments for this course are:
■ Essay (2500 words) - 100%
If required, for instance where a disability prevents a student from undertaking a specific method of assessment, the following alternatives are available:
■ There is no alternative to the essay, but a flexible deadline can be offered as reasonable adjustments (students should follow the usual process for extensions)
Further reasonable adjustments may be provided where necessary. Students are encouraged to consult with the course convenor.
Main Assessment In: December
Course Aims
This course aims to:
■ Provide detailed knowledge of key documentary and visual sources, on artists' techniques and materials across a wide historical range.
■ Provide a theoretical and historical context for interpreting such sources.
■ Provide students with the methodology to study such sources, as well as the tools to arrive at a correct interpretation.
■ Critically address the ways in which traditional notions of artists' practice can be evaluated through primary source material
Intended Learning Outcomes of Course
By the end of this course students will be able to:
■ Apply the studied methodology and interpretative skills to primary art technological sources.
■ Interpret and contextualise a broad range of source material on techniques and materials across the full historical spectrum covered by the course.
■ Apply knowledge of historical source material to the examination of artworks in books and on paper.