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Learner Reviews & Feedback for Sexing the Canvas: Art and Gender by The University of Melbourne

4.6
stars
431 ratings

About the Course

What do paintings tell us about sex? How is art gendered? In this course we will study some of the world’s most beloved pictures guided by expert curators and art historians who step outside of the square, bringing a gendered reading to the masterpieces contained in the magnificent collections that we have been lucky enough to bring to the Coursera platform. In this course you will learn how: * Gender and sexuality is an integral part of the production and reception of works of art * To increase your understanding of paintings through theories of gender and sexuality * To understand key terms from gender-related theories of art history and museology * To recognise the operation of what is termed ‘the gaze’ and how it works in relation to paintings * Ideas about gender and sexuality can productively be employed in theorising art curatorial practices * To take the initiative in relating theoretical ideas about gender and sexuality to the reading and display of art and visual cultures. View the MOOC promotional video here: http://tinyurl.com/hm7qbl3...

Top reviews

EF

May 20, 2021

Thanks for the opportunity of this course which was interesting and very well presented .The single inconvenience was Quiz # 9 which was not only difficult but very chaotic to understand and follow.

IC

May 29, 2020

Very interesting and complete -a great window into several art galleries (especially now, during the context of COVID-19!), styles, personalities and iconic works of art.

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1 - 25 of 105 Reviews for Sexing the Canvas: Art and Gender

By Nikita M

Aug 24, 2017

Very interesting course. Gives you insights on how gender played an important role in the arts. Also how to differentiate and read work on sexuality and gender.

By Priscila S

Sep 13, 2017

This course is great, except for the last part about the australian aborigen art. It's SO difficult for us -non english speakers- to understand this classes. The rest of the course is excellent!

By Barbora K

Jun 16, 2020

very basic, might be good for some one who has never done any art history before , however the tests were way too easy - one could pass them without watching the videos as most of the questions were either leading ones, or on of the optional answers ways just obviously right (aka way longer than other options, more descriptive or just the only one that made sense), and passing with just 50% right shouldn't really be an option

By Graziano C

Mar 4, 2021

Not always focused on what I believed was the main subject of the course (in particular lessons on orientalism and aborigenal art).

I am very disappointed on the lack of accuracy and revision of videos' subtitles: too many mistakes that cannot be forgiven to a specialistic course.

By Ilse d Y C

May 29, 2020

Very interesting and complete -a great window into several art galleries (especially now, during the context of COVID-19!), styles, personalities and iconic works of art.

By Ellin I

Apr 3, 2022

This is a fascinating course with an exciting title. The professors are very good and interesting. I have already discussed what I learned with others in conversation.

By Alina L

Dec 30, 2016

I learned a lot from this course! I loved how analytical it was and it was great to learn about the historical contexts of gender on the canvas. It has already made some of my museum visits much more interesting and thought-provoking. I will say that at times it would be difficult to follow the lecturers is the only issue I had with this course. Otherwise it was awesome.

By Kathryn

Jun 12, 2016

I really enjoyed this course. An added bonus--I now understand what "sensibility" really means as related to the novel, Sense & Sensibility" by Jane Austen. I hope this team comes up with a part 2 or another class.

By Petra S

Apr 26, 2018

I am at week 7 in this course and am thoroughly enjoying it. I would highly recommend it to anyone interested in the history of art and the status quo for men and women throughout history, and how that influenced artists' careers and styles as painters,especially women. The mini video lectures are interesting well presented, the accessibility and information about paintings here in various galleries in Australia, in America and the UK is invaluable. It has convinced me further of the importance of art and how artists past and present can not only give us pieces of great beauty and amazing skill, but a window into a world that may have passed, be present or be otherwise not part of our world. It is refreshing also to be introduced to works where female subjects/sitters have agency, or to artists who went against the usual conventions of the time in their subject matter. A great course.

By Michael B

Dec 12, 2020

I absolutely enjoyed this course. I wish it could be considered for credits toward a degree, though. The main issue revolving this course is the online quizzes. I perfectly understand the immense challenge in terms of critical thinking/reading, but there are some questions on each quiz that contain the "you can select more than one answer -- select the one(s) which you think are correct" -- they NEVER access anyone's authentic intelligence of this course. I might get 68% as my 'final grade' but I know my heart/soul/mind keeps telling me that I got the "A" because of the first online quiz. Such the quizzes do NOT actually measure one's understanding/full grasp of this course. Otherwise, wonderful video lectures! Thank you, Professor Hoorn. I hope to pursue a graduate certificate in Art History from this university someday :)

By Mary K

Sep 22, 2021

I found the course absolutely fascinating and learned a great deal about the gaze, and particularly Indigenous Australian art. I think that some of the experiences to do with land and ancestry are similar to indigenous African people. I was delighted to be introduced to artists that I had never heard of before the course, for example Hilda Rix Nicolas, whose art I really admire. I think the lectures were clear, though I didn't always agree with the content! I find that multiple choice questions, although the only possible form for this kind of learning, are sometime ambiguous, and I would like to know the answers to those that I got wrong. A great course, well worth considering, and a huge thank you for all the hard work that went into it's preparation. Mary Kleinenberg

By MartinaR

Jan 8, 2018

I find this course super interesting with many different ideas about the way we look at the pieces of art. The professors show us paintings from different periods of time and different cultures and explain the circumstances and ideas that influenced those artists, they also question the gender, the role of the woman, the role of the viewer etc. I really enjoyed this course and learned a lot about few artists I already knew something about, and about others, that I didn't know at all and I'm happy to have learnt many informations that will help me understand those artists and enjoy their work and reflect upon it. Thank you!

By Alexandra M

Jan 6, 2018

Really enjoyed participating in this course! It gives a great introduction to gender theories in relation to their representation in famous works of art and shows changes in understanding of gender and sexuality through the art history. I also really liked more open dialogically-structured lectures offered in the weeks 8 materials.

I can recommend this to those who wants to start with gender studies or increase understanding of art works and especially to those who enjoys good mixed-discipline classes.

By Alix G

May 15, 2021

Very interesting, with teachers that introduced complex and though inducing concepts. Would definitely recommend to anyone interested in the differences made between genders in artworks ! The only thing i would have liked would be for there to be a last week talking about more recent art, and the queer community in the more recent years, with the abolition of gender roles, the differences between the notions of gender and sex, etc. being more present in younger generation.

By Miriam V V

Apr 29, 2020

Estoy muy satisfecha con el curso. Sólo añadiría un poco de feedback en los comentarios que escribimos y en los tests, en los apartados de multirespuesta, un poco de variabilidad.

Muchas gracias por ese enfoque del arte!! Muy interesante!

I am very satisfied with the course. I would just add a little feedback in the comments we write and in the tests, in the multi-response sections, a little variability.

Thank you very much for that approach to art !! Very interesting!

By Rinny J

Nov 24, 2022

I didn't know what to expect from this course, but it's given me a new perspective on looking and exceeded my expectations from an art course. I feel like an art study with the level of dept and study with which the instructors shared in this course. I also understand the power of gender in art, with an unexpected bonus of relationships of owners and their domesticated animals. This has been a refreshing course. Anyone who is interested in art should take it.

By Dalia M A

Mar 3, 2017

Can't Describe The Awesomeness Of This Great Course ...

The Great Relationship Between The History Of Art & The Vision To The Cultural History Of Countries ...

I'm Really Speechless When I'm Seeing This Awesome Pieces Of Art ..

No Words To Describe ...

Thanks To Everyone Who Works On This Great Wonderful Course..Professor Jeanette Hoorn..All The Professors & All The Team Of The Course..

Appreciate Your Hard Work A Lot ...

Thank You So So Much ...

By Maria S

May 17, 2022

Смотрела всю лекцию с живым интересом! Огромное спасибо Мельбурнскому университету за возможность приобщиться к такой интересной теме обсуждения и посмотреть на картины под другим углом! Поистине завораживающие педагоги, особено K.O. Chong-Gossard за первую неделю! Задал ритм всему курсу и просто легко прочел материал. Его можно часами пересматривать :)

By Aleksandr Z

Oct 11, 2019

Obviously, the theme is relevant, but what is great, the presentation is accessible for somebody with no particular background in art history. According to Immanuel Kant there are two worlds, one is realm of observation and the other one of imagination. This course is the great guide to the second and brings you keys to understand collective imagination.

By Ε Σ

Jun 6, 2018

Getting the chance to participate in this interesting course was definitely one of the highlights of 2018! All professors were great speakers sharing their important knowledge on the subject in the most conceivable way for the audience. The Greek subtitles was a huge surprise for me since I am Greek :)

Thank you for this course!

By Miryung S

Mar 27, 2020

I really enjoyed doing this course.

I didn't realise how much emotions, history and dreams a single piece of art can encapsulate.

The course was well spread out and presented and the quizzes were just the right level of difficulty.

Thank you for bringing such wonderful art to our homes, Coursera!

By Angela T

Jun 8, 2018

This is a fascinating course which covers different periods of art history with a focus on the representation of women. The presentations are very interesting and move at a good pace. I learned a lot about art which will make visits to galleries much more enjoyable. I'd recomend this course.

By Elsa C

Oct 10, 2016

Un curso magnífico. Ha sido un verdadero placer escuchar las exposiciones de los profesores. Muy pocas veces he escuchado palabras tan inspiradoras sobre el arte que al mismo tiempo hayan conectado con mi alma de una manera tan directa. Gracias ha sido un curso inspirador.

By Kathy C

Apr 3, 2021

I wasn't sure what to expect and am rather an art Novice. But I enjoyed this course and learned quite a bit--not only about the artists and their featured paintings, but also about Society at the time of the painting, etc--it helped me understand the development of art.

By Caroline

Feb 7, 2017

An excellent and thoroughly engaging course on disparate pieces of art within the context of gender and sexuality. The course allowed me to view artistic works within a cultural context that is deeply embedded yet often ignored .