04:30 PM to 07:10 PM M
Section Information for Fall 2010
In this class we’ll explore paintings, sculpture, paintings, and other artifacts created between the years AD 300—just before the Roman Emperor Constantine embraced Christianity—to just before the Italian Renaissance. We will consider artifacts in conjunction with other primary documentation—excerpts from literary works, for example—in an attempt to identify artistic currents. During our explorations, students will witness artistic breakthroughs evident in monumental sculpture, painting, and architecture, culminating in the construction of Gothic cathedrals and brilliant illuminated manuscripts. We will see how popes, monarchs, dukes, and powerful leaders—as well as their consorts and courtiers—created sophisticated artistic programs against the backdrop of a society marked by chivalric codes, a burgeoning economy, a rise in universities, vernacular literature, and full-scale drama. As Europe transformed itself from a rural society to an urban one, we’ll consider how artistic forms responded to people’s changing values. The medieval period is rich and deep, and historians keep discovering more and more about it. We obviously won’t be able to cover everything; we will focus on the most “famous” of the visual arts, with a nod to literary works and the climate in which they were produced. Hand-outs—articles, maps, timelines, synopses—will be available on Blackboard to aid our discussions. Selected videos and films will also be included.Tags:
Credits: 3
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