ART 305: EARLY MEDIEVAL ART: IMAGING GOD, IMAGING POWER
______ Fall 2011, MWF 10:00-10:50 am; McCormack Building 3rd Floor, Room 407, U Mass Boston; Professor: Dr. David Areford; Office hours: M 11:30-2:30 pm and by appointment; Office: McCormack 4th Floor, Room 453, E-mail:
COURSE DESCRIPTION:
This course surveys the art and architecture of Western Europe and Byzantium from the Early Christian period to the rise of the Holy Roman Empire (c. 200 - c. 1100 A.D.) and beyond in the case of Late Byzantine art (c. 1350). Although medieval art objects are displayed in museums and many medieval buildings survive throughout the world, this art often seems completely foreign to modern viewers who are unfamiliar with both its subject matter and the purposes of its design. The art of this period was made primarily to serve the needs of the Christian church and the Christian faithful, as well as both religious and political leaders. This course aims to return medieval objects and architectural spaces to the religious, political, and socioeconomic contexts in which they were produced. Although the material is organized chronologically, lectures, readings, discussions, and assignments will stress key themes such as the origins or “invention” of Christian images, the changing depictions of God/Christ, the debated place of images in religious worship, the relationship between text and image, the role of patrons and politics, the impact of pilgrimage, the cult of relics and saints, the liturgical function of the art object, and how art and architecture is designed to communicate ideas and to focus and channel the response of the viewer. Beyond exploring these specific themes, students will gain a detailed knowledge of Christian iconography as represented in a variety of media – architecture, sculpture, painting, manuscript illumination, mosaic, ivory, and metalwork. In addition to three exams, students will complete two essays – a critical analysis of a book-length study of Early Christian art and a research/position paper that explores the role of images in religious worship. (These papers fulfill the requirements for the Writing Proficiency Requirement Portfolio.) Class meetings will consist of lectures, as well as discussions and two video screenings.
This course fulfills the Arts Distribution requirement. As defined by the College of Arts and Sciences, courses in the arts and humanities “investigate human concerns, ideas and experiences, as well as the creative productions through which humanity seeks to express itself.” Students will develop a “better appreciation of the ways in which the aesthetic, moral, intellectual and spiritual aspects of the human condition have been...articulated.” The course readings, lectures, discussions, exams, and assignments stress the Arts Distribution capabilities of critical thinking/verbal reasoning and critical reading and analysis.
REQUIRED READING:
James Snyder, Medieval Art: Painting, Sculpture, Architecture 4th-14th Century (Prentice Hall, 2nd ed., 2005) – available in the campus bookstore and Course Reserves in Healey Library.
Thomas F. Mathews, The Clash of Gods: A Reinterpretation of Early Christian Art (Princeton, rev. ed., 1999) –available in the campus bookstore and Course Reserves in Healey Library.
Selected readings available as PDFs on the course website.
Recommended Reading (any one of the following dictionaries):
James Hall, Dictionary of Subjects and Symbols in Art (Harper Collins, 1979; or Richard Irwin, 1985).
George Ferguson, Signs and Symbols in Christian Art (Oxford Univ. Press, 1961; reissue 1966).
Peter and Linda Murray, Oxford Companion to Christian Art Architecture (Oxford Univ. Press, 1998).
Peter and Linda Murray, Dictionary of Christian Art (Oxford Univ. Press, 2001; new edition 2004).
COURSE REQUIREMENTS and GRADING:
Class participation (attendance, discussion, reading, two written summaries): 15%
Essay 1 (analysis of The Clash of Gods): 15%
Essay 2 (on the role of images in worship): 15%
Exam 1: 15%
Exam 2: 20%
Exam 3: 20%
Grading scale: 100-97/A+, 96-93/A, 92-90/A-, 89-86/B+, 85-83/B, 82-80/B-, 79-76/C+, 75-73/C, 72-70/C-, 69-66/D+, 65-63/D, 62-60/D-, 59 and lower/F. NOTE: All assignments must be turned in on the date due and at the beginning of the class meeting. Assignments will not be accepted via e-mail. For students who elect to take this course Pass/Fail, please meet with the professor immediately to discuss the minimum requirements for pass/fail credit.
ATTENDANCE:
Students are expected to attend all class meetings and to be punctual. Students will sign the attendance sheet at the beginning of class; if a student arrives after the attendance sheet is collected, it is the student’s responsibility to inform the professor of his/her presence at the conclusion of the class meeting. If a student must be absent due to an emergency or for any reason, the professor should be notified in advance. NOTE: Attendance is part of the class participation grade, and it is hoped that students will attend all class meetings. But each student is allowed three unexplained absences (for emergencies, religious holidays, etc.). Beyond these three allowed absences, the class participation grade will be reduced – four absences will result in a one letter grade reduction; five absences will result in a two letter grade reduction; and more than five absences will result in failure of the entire class participation grade. NOTE: If a student is absent nine times or more, the student will fail the entire course. If a student is repeatedly late to class, the class participation grade will also be reduced; for every two late arrivals one absence will be recorded and the course participation grade will be reduced as mentioned above. (Please speak to the professor immediately if you have an emergency or an unusual life situation that affects your attendance.)
HONOR CODE:
For all assignments, each student is bound to the Code of Student Conduct (as outlined in the U Mass Boston Student Handbook). In participating in this class, each student pledges to produce original work (no plagiarism or collaboration!).
CLASSROOM ETIQUETTE:
Class meetings will begin promptly at the scheduled time. You are expected to arrive on time and remain seated during the duration of class with all of your attention focused on the information being communicated by your professor. During class discussions, students should also show respect for and pay attention to their fellow students. Please do not leave early or begin preparations for departure before class is over. Also, make sure that beepers, cell phones, and other electronic devices are turned off before class begins.
ONLINE COMPONENT:
This course is linked to a course webpage (http://art305-areford.wikispaces.umb.edu/). To access the course webpage, go to the webpage address and then input your UMB email username and password. On the course webpage, you will be able to download and print lists of “Objects and Terms” for each week’s lectures (NOTE: Each student will need to bring these to class as a guide to the lectures), Video Worksheets, Exam Study Guides, Essay and reading assignments. There are also various links and resources (including ARTstor).
This course also uses ARTstor (http://www.artstor.org.ezproxy.lib.umb.edu/index.shtml), a database of thousands of digital images of art objects. For each exam, a file of study images will be posted on ARTstor for review. (ARTstor includes many images not included in the course or in the course textbook. Students are encouraged to explore this database on their own, looking at alternate views of objects covered in class, etc.) NOTE: After connecting to the website, click on “Enter Here” (in the upper right corner); then you can search “Folders and Image Groups” (in the middle of the page) for posted files of study images or other images as you like. From your home computer, you will need to enter your last name and library barcode to access the site.
DISABILITY STATEMENT:
If you have a disability and feel you will need accommodations in order to complete course requirements, please contact the Ross Center for Disability Services (Campus Center, UL, Rm. 211) at 617-287-7430.
CLASS SCHEDULE:
Week 1:
W, Sept. 7: Course Overview: Art Before the Era of Art
F, Sept. 9: The Origins of Christianity 1: From Jesus to Christ
Reading, etc: Begin the readings listed for W, Sept. 14; in preparation for screening, print out worksheet for part 3 of “From Jesus to Christ…” and study Frontline webpage: http://www.pbs.org/wgbh/pages/frontline/shows/religion
In-class screening: Part 3 of “From Jesus to Christ: The First Christians,” a Frontline documentary, PBS, 1998.
Week 2:
M, Sept. 12: The Origins of Christianity 2: The Textual Tradition
Reading, etc: Continue the readings listed for W, Sept. 14; in preparation for screening, print out worksheet for part 4 of “From Jesus to Christ…”
In-class screening: Part 4 of “From Jesus to Christ: The First Christians,” a Frontline documentary, PBS, 1998.
W, Sept. 14: The Origins of Christianity 3: Competing Visions of Jesus Christ – Class Discussion
Reading: PDF: (1) The Gospel According to Mark and (2) The Gospel According to John, from The New Oxford Annotated Bible, eds. Bruce Metzger and Roland Murphy. New York: Oxford University Press, 1991.
Read sections on the Gospels of Mark and John, under “The Story of the Story-tellers,” http://www.pbs.org/wgbh/pages/frontline/shows/religion
F, Sept. 16: The First Christian Images 1: Catacombs
Reading: Snyder: Ch. 1: “Art and Religion in Late Antiquity,” 2-12.
Week 3:
M, Sept. 19: The First Christian Images 2: More Catacombs and Sarcophagi
W, Sept. 21: The First Christian Images 3: Catacombs, Sarcophagi, and a House-Church
Reading: Snyder: Ch. 1: “Art and Religion in Late Antiquity,” 13-16.
F, Sept. 23: The Clash of Gods 1 – Class Discussion
Reading: Thomas F. Mathews, The Clash of Gods: A Reinterpretation of Early Christian Art (Princeton Univ. Press, 1993), 3-53 (Chs. 1-2).
Week 4:
M, Sept. 26: Christian Art Becomes Official 1: The Basilica and the Mausoleum
Reading: Snyder: Ch. 2: “Constantine and the Arts,” 17-24; and Ch. 3: “The Fifth and Sixth Centuries,” 31-40.
W, Sept. 28: Christian Art Becomes Official 2: Decorating the Basilica
Reading: Snyder: Ch. 3: “The Fifth and Sixth Centuries,” 31-40.
F, Sept. 30: The Clash of Gods 2 – Class Discussion
Reading: Thomas F. Mathews, The Clash of Gods: A Reinterpretation of Early Christian Art (Princeton Univ. Press, 1993), 54-141 (Chs. 3, 4, & 5).
Week 5:
M, Oct. 3: Christian Art and Architecture Beyond Rome
Reading: Snyder: Ch. 2: “Constantine and the Arts,” 26-30; and Ch. 3: “The Fifth and Sixth Centuries,” 49-52.
W, Oct. 5: Christian Text and Image 1: Manuscripts
Reading: Snyder: Ch. 3: “The Fifth and Sixth Centuries,” 40-48.
F, Oct. 7: The Clash of Gods 3 – Class Discussion
Reading: Thomas F. Mathews, The Clash of Gods: A Reinterpretation of Early Christian Art (Princeton Univ. Press, 1993), 142-194 (Chs. 6, 7, and Epilogue).
Week 6:
M, Oct. 10: Columbus Day (Holiday)
W, Oct. 12: Class cancelled
F, Oct. 14: Christian Text and Image 2: Boxes, Flasks, and Doors
Reading: Snyder: Ch. 2: “Constantine and the Arts,” 24-26; and Ch. 3: “The Fifth and Sixth Centuries,” 35, 48.
Due in class: Essay 1 (analysis of The Clash of Gods).
Week 7:
M, Oct. 17: Justinian and the Golden Age of Byzantium 1
Reading: Snyder: Ch. 4: “Byzantine Art Before Iconoclasm,” 54-65.
W, Oct. 19: Justinian and the Golden Age of Byzantium 2
F, Oct. 21: Exam 1 (covers Early Christian Art; Snyder, Chs. 1-3).
Week 8:
M, Oct. 24: The Art of Mosaic Decoration 1: Thessaloniki and Mount Sinai
Reading: Snyder: Ch. 4: “Byzantine Art Before Iconoclasm,” 65-70.
W, Oct. 26: The Art of Mosaic Decoration 2: Ravenna
Reading: Snyder: Ch. 4: “Byzantine Art Before Iconoclasm,” 72-90.
F, Oct. 28: The Art of Mosaic Decoration 3: Ravenna
Week 9:
M, Oct. 31: The Art of Mosaic Decoration 4: Ravenna
W, Nov. 2: Icon or Idol 1 – The Politics and Theology of Image Making/Image Viewing
Reading: Snyder: Ch. 4: “Byzantine Art Before Iconoclasm,” 70-71; and Ch. 5: “Middle and Late Byzantine Art,” 91-96.
F, Nov. 4: Icon or Idol 2 – Evaluating the Arguments (Class Discussion)
Reading: PDF: (1) Justin Martyr and others, “Selected Statements from the Early Christian Fathers;” (2) Tertullian, “The Argument from Scripture” and Minucius Felix, “A Philosophical Argument,” in Caecilia Davis-Weyer, ed. Early Medieval Art 300-1150. University of Toronto Press, 1986; (3) St. Gregory the Great, “St. Gregory the Great to Bishop Serenus of Marseille,” in Caecilia Davis-Weyer, ed. Early Medieval Art 300-1150. University of Toronto Press, 1986; (4) “The Iconoclastic Position” and “The Orthodox Position,” in Cyril Mango, ed., The Art of the Byzantine Empire, 330-1450: Sources and Documents. University of Toronto Press, 1986; (5) Easter Sermon, Constantinople, 867.
Week 10:
M, Nov. 7: Medieval Family Feud – Iconophiles vs. Iconophobes (Class Discussion)
In-Class Debate: Based on reading for F, Nov. 4.
Due in class: Summary of key arguments for and against images.
W, Nov. 9: The Triumph of Orthodoxy 1: Mosaics
Reading: Snyder: Ch. 5: “Middle and Late Byzantine Art, 96-100.
F, Nov. 11: Veterans Day (Holiday)
Week 11:
M, Nov. 14: The Triumph of Orthodoxy 2: Manuscripts, Ivories, and Reliquaries
Reading: Snyder: Ch. 5: “Middle and Late Byzantine Art, 100-105.
W, Nov. 16: Symbolic Space: Middle Byzantine Mosaic Decoration
Reading: Snyder: Ch. 5: “Middle and Late Byzantine Art, 105-111.
F, Nov. 18: East Meets West: Venice and Sicily 1
Reading: Snyder: Ch. 6: “Byzantine Art and Italy,”120-132.
Week 12:
M, Nov. 21: East Meets West: Venice and Sicily 2
Due in class: Essay 2 (on the role of images in worship).
W, Nov. 23: Meanwhile Back in Constantinople: Late Byzantine Art
Reading: Snyder: Ch. 6: “Byzantine Art and Italy,” 118-119.
F, Nov. 25: Thanksgiving Holiday
Week 13:
M, Nov. 28: The Barbarians are Coming! – Early Medieval Art in the West
Reading: Snyder: Ch. 7: “Northern Traditions and Synthesis,” 134-138, 150-163;
and Ch. 9: 214-216
W, Nov. 30: Exam 2 (covers Byzantine Art; Snyder, Chs. 4-6)
F, Dec. 2: Ireland and England: Illumination and Transformation
Reading: Snyder: Ch. 7: “Northern Traditions and Synthesis,” 138-150.
Week 14:
M, Dec. 5: Charlemagne and the Revival of the Roman Empire 1
Reading: Snyder: Ch. 8, “Carolingian Art and Architecture,”164-174.
W, Dec. 7: Charlemagne and the Revival of the Roman Empire 2
Reading: Snyder: Ch. 8, “Carolingian Art and Architecture,”175-192.