ARTH 394 - Seminar in Art History

FDR: HA
Credits: 3-4

Winter 2018, ARTH 394-01: Whose Fault is the Renaissance? Medieval Rome and Modernity (3). Integral to the idea of the Renaissance is a rebirth of ancient culture, typically understood as a return of the majesty that was Rome. But which Rome was being revived? Was it the city of the emperors, august patrons of philosophy, rhetoric, and public art? Or was it the city of St. Peter and the apostles, founders of the Christian church and the papacy? Both of these Romes survived side by side in the physical fabric of medieval Rome. This seminar examines the different ways that elements of ancient Rome were referenced in the art and architecture of Rome and central Italy (including Assisi and Florence), from the 13th to the early 15th century. (HA) Gustafson.

Spring 2018, ARTH 394-01: When Jesus was Zeus? From Pagan to Christian Art (4). An investigation of the development of Christian art out of pagan Late Antique culture. Students consider how early Christians adopted Greco-Roman art, tweaking and adapting those older traditions into images of Christian triumph and propaganda. As a colloquium driven by student conversation and participation, discussion is rooted in the historical complexities of Pagan and Christian relationships. We examine current scholarly debates on what has been called the Clash of the Gods: Christ as a magician, as Zeus or Asclepius, and even as feminine. (HA) Gustafson.