ART 353 Medieval Art and Architecture
This cultural history course examines European and Islamic art and architecture from the fourth through the late fourteenth centuries. It begins during the late Roman Empire with the legalization of Christianity and concludes in Italy during the late Gothic period. Topics studied include the art of the Dura-Europos synagogue; artistic and architectural contributions under the reign of Justinian; Anglo-Saxon material art; Hiberno-Saxon illuminated manuscript paintings; icons and iconoclasm; relics and reliquaries; Romanesque architectural sculpture; Gothic sculpture, architecture, and stained glass; and Gothic panel and fresco painting. The course also focuses on periods of harmonious coexistence among Jewish, Islamic, and Christian artists and scholars in medieval Spain; on the role of such mystics as Hildegard von Bingen; and on the communicative power of invisibility in late Gothic painting. The chief primary sources are the extraordinary medieval works of art and architecture at the Metropolitan Museum of Art's main branch and the Cloisters, which students visit during the semester. Students also learn about ongoing archaeological discoveries of medieval art. When possible, they meet with experts in the field of medieval textile preservation and conservation.