Studying at York
Law & Art: Parallel Perspectives - LAW00060M
Module summary
This module focuses on the interaction of legal and art historical issues which arise when facilitating, protecting, and regulating the creation, use and marketing of art. The module explores the difficulty of defining 'art' from a history of art and legal perspective; concepts of originality, copies and reproductions; the complex and conflicting roles of participants in the art market; and regulation of practice in the art world.
Module will run
| Occurrence | Teaching period |
|---|---|
| A | Semester 1 2024-25 |
Module aims
The module takes a unique inter-disciplinary approach towards exploring key issues in the art world. Parallel perspectives from both the history of art and legal worlds are identified and explored in relation to foundational issues of art law. Namely, exploring the difficulties inherent in defining 'art'; analysing the competing pressures involved with notions of originality, copies and reproductions; the multiple roles played by participants in the art world; regulation of auction houses and participants in the art market; the significance of contracts and commercial practice.
Module learning outcomes
As a result of this module students will be able to:
- Apply advanced research skills to locate and synthesise a range of artistic and legal sources to develop a deep and systematic understanding of legal and art historical perspectives on defining 'art'
- Evaluate, applying deep conceptual understanding and with reference to advanced scholarship, the most significant legal and art historical difficulties inherent in studying art law as an academic discipline
- Critically analyse the multiple roles played by participants in the art world
- Critically evaluate the strategies of, and challenges posed by, the regulation of the art market and its participants
- Analyse complex information within specified case-studies to identify and evaluate legal and art historical issues arising
- Apply advanced problem-solving skills and synthesise a range of legal perspectives to propose evidenced, practical solutions to legal and art historical issues
- Apply a range of personal and collaborative transferable and practical legal skills in the context of problems and debate around the parallel legal and art historical perspectives of art
Module content
Sessions in this module are co-taught by staff from both York Law School and the Department of Art History in a seminar format allowing for inter-disciplinary discussion and debate.
Indicative assessment
| Task | % of module mark |
|---|---|
| Oral presentation/seminar/exam | 100 |
Special assessment rules
None
Additional assessment information
Formative work, in the nature of engagement and oral contributions which will feed into the summative presentation element of the module, is embedded in the module as a result of its interactive seminar format.
Indicative reassessment
| Task | % of module mark |
|---|---|
| Oral presentation/seminar/exam | 100 |
Module feedback
Formative feedback will be provided to students throughout the module during seminars and lectures. Individual written summative feedback will also be provided after relevant assessments.
Feedback will be provided within the Policy Turnaround Time.
Indicative reading
Art Is Not What You Think It Is - Donald Preziosi, Claire Farago
‘The End of Art: A Philosophical Defense,’ History and Theory, vol.37, no.4 (December 1998), pp127-143 – Arthur Danto
The Brillo Box Archive: Aesthetics, Design, and Art - Michael Golec
Beauty and the Beasts: on Museums, Art, The Law, and the Market – Stephen Weil
Visual Arts and the Law – Judith Prowda
Art Law: The Guide for Collectors, Investors, Dealers and Artists – Ralph Lerner, Judith Bresler
Everyday Genius: Self-Taught Art and the Culture of Authenticity – Gary Fine
The Rise of the Artist in the Middle Ages and Early Renaissance – Andrew Martindale