Engineering the Eternal: Science and Art Conservation in the Netherlands

Catalog description

This course seeks to address three burning questions at the interface of cultural heritage and science, technology and engineering: (1) How does art serve as a record of science history and reflect the cultural understanding of scientific principles at the time? (2) How are science and technological advancements helping us understand and preserve our cultural heritage? and (3) How is water-based technology (e.g., dams, mills, even modern renewable sources) intertwined with the national identity of the Netherlands? How has the Dutch people?s relationship with water (as merchants, soldiers, colonizers, etc) shaped the physical landscape of the country and the artistic culture? How is climate change impacting cultural heritage preservation in the Low Countries (Netherlands and Belgium)? Much of our understanding of cultural heritage comes from material objects. This immersive course in the Netherlands and Belgium will allow students to think deeply about the relationships between arts, culture, and science in one of the most visited cultural destinations in Europe. We will dig into the ways technological innovations in the fields of microscopy, imaging science, climate change, and artificial intelligence are being leveraged to enhance our understanding of how historical objects were created, as well as best preservation practices for cultural heritage. Through an immersive experience in the arts and culture of the Netherlands and Belgium, students will participate in the active reckoning of the enduring concept of the ?Dutch Golden Age,? which artificially separates the iconic, artistic prospering of the period from the negative social, political, and colonial factors that allowed it to flourish. Additionally, we will reckon with Dutch power brought about via colonialism enabling the Netherlands to be a cultural hub. Lastly, students will gain an appreciation for Dutch…