Early Medieval Art

Catalog description

A survey of the art of Western Europe from the Early Christian era through the Ottonian Empire, c.300-1050 CE. ART H 302 Illuminating the Dark Ages (3) (GA;IL)(BA) This course meets the Bachelor of Arts degree requirements. Art History 302 concentrates on the art of northern Europe between 600 and 1050 CE, from the years which saw the art and culture of the migration period in Europe meet and merge with the Greco-Roman traditions of the Mediterranean, to the beginnings of Romanesque art. Arts of the Jewish and Islamic traditions will also be discussed. Works studied include architecture, manuscript painting, ivory carving and goldsmith work, most of which were produced by or for members of the clergy, royalty or the lay aristocracy. The basic structure of the course is chronological. The course is designed to meet two principal goals. The first is to increase students' powers of visual analysis and help them build a critical vocabulary for discussing an art object's medium, composition, style, and iconography. The second is to foster an understanding of the deep implication of the visual arts in their social and cultural contexts. The course therefore involves significant material relating to political, economic and religious issues. It investigates problems in patronage, function, reception and censorship. It considers such intra- and cross-cultural issues as representations of gender, sexuality, and race. Requirements include essay exams and at least one paper. As a general education course in the arts, this course provides an introduction to early Medieval art to a student of any major. This course has no prerequisite, and presumes no prior exposure to art. Students majoring in Art History will learn in it both the common vocabulary of the field and the outlines of the field that form the foundation for future study.