The Legacy of Roman Art from the Renaissance to Today

Catalog description

Beginning in the Renaissance, European artists and scholars were eager to unearth ancient Roman art and architecture to study what they perceived to be the glory of ancient Rome. Discoveries of ancient masterpieces impacted the work of artists like Raphael and Michelangelo, and later Annibale Carracci, Peter Paul Rubens, and Gianlorenzo Bernini. In this lecture course, students will analyze how early modern artists, patrons, and scholars used the visual and cultural vocabulary of ancient Roman art to build monuments dedicated to civic virtue and imperial power, and how many of these artistic practices and cultural ideals continue to shape our society today. Examples of painting, sculpture, and architecture will all be considered. Students will also study the interdisciplinary methods employed by antiquarians and consider how contemporary art historical methodologies can be traced to early antiquarian practices. A