The goal of the course is to offer specific knowledge and critical and historiographical tools to investigate the field of applied arts of the Middle Ages. Specific objectives include strengthening the ability to read and contextualize medieval and Byzantine portable and precious art production, and to develop a more mature and independent understanding of the artwork. Seminar-based activities will stimulate the acquisition of more articulate research methodologies and the ability to present issues relevant to art-historical heritage in written and/or oral form to an audience of specialists and non-specialists.
teacher profile teaching materials
The arts referred to, with an obsolete term, as “minor” were an essential component of medieval aesthetics, in Europe as well as in the Byzantine world. This is evidenced not only by the variety of artifacts that still populate our museums, but also by the written sources that record their reception, meanings and modes of fruition.
The module aims to examine the production of precious objects in the Mediterranean area between the 4th and 13th centuries. We will focus particularly on enameled ornaments and ivory carvings, two artistic media that enjoyed great popularity both in Byzantium and in the West. They will be studied in their technical, stylistic and typological aspects, as well as in their relationship to monumental art. We will also investigate the channels of dissemination, reuse and recontextualization (often a true resemantization) in both medieval and modern times of objects whose appreciation over time can effectively be defined as “global”.
Lectures will be mostly class-based but visits to collections and museums may be envisaged; as part of seminar-type activities, students will practice presentation skills on the topics covered in the module.
Programme
PRECIOUS ARTS IN BYZANTIUM AND THE WEST BETWEEN THE 4TH AND THE 13TH CENTURIESThe arts referred to, with an obsolete term, as “minor” were an essential component of medieval aesthetics, in Europe as well as in the Byzantine world. This is evidenced not only by the variety of artifacts that still populate our museums, but also by the written sources that record their reception, meanings and modes of fruition.
The module aims to examine the production of precious objects in the Mediterranean area between the 4th and 13th centuries. We will focus particularly on enameled ornaments and ivory carvings, two artistic media that enjoyed great popularity both in Byzantium and in the West. They will be studied in their technical, stylistic and typological aspects, as well as in their relationship to monumental art. We will also investigate the channels of dissemination, reuse and recontextualization (often a true resemantization) in both medieval and modern times of objects whose appreciation over time can effectively be defined as “global”.
Lectures will be mostly class-based but visits to collections and museums may be envisaged; as part of seminar-type activities, students will practice presentation skills on the topics covered in the module.
Core Documentation
Exam bibliography will be specified at the beginning of the second semester.Attendance
Optional but strongly encouraged.Type of evaluation
The test consists of an interview and takes place at the end of the course (there are no midterm tests). The interview will be based on the assessment of (1) knowledge and understanding of selected art works, the ability to contextualize them, and to present them appropriately, according to the standards of the discipline; (2) the ability to address general problems, as discussed in class and based on the course bibliography; (3) attending students will also be assessed based on their work within the seminar.