Renaissance Art and the East

Catalog description

This seminar explores artistic exchange between the Christian west and competing cultures in the east from c. 1250-1600, focusing on the powers of Italy and their interaction with the Islamic dynasties, the Mamluks of Egypt and the Ottomans in Turkey, as well as the Christian state of Byzantium. Special topics of interest may include palace architecture; city planning; portraiture; the exchange of luxury goods; and the use of art as a diplomatic tool. Substantial research paper required.