Art & Architecture of the Medieval World

(3 Credit Hours) · Undergraduate

This class explores the development of art and architecture in the medieval Mediterranean world (ca. 300 to 1300). In this survey, our goal will be to expand the conventional understanding of medieval art by studying moments and sites of artistic interaction between Western European, Byzantine, and Islamic cultures. In the course of the semester, we will explore artworks and monuments in places such as Dura Europos, Palermo, Rome, Baghdad, Damascus, Venice, Jerusalem, Cordoba, Constantinople, Thessaloniki, and Ravenna. Our discussions will cover a variety of themes, including the circulation of artifacts; the relationship between Christian basilicas and Islamic mosques; the problem of religious imagery; the rise of the cult of saints; and questions of cultural appropriation. Readings will include both primary sources in translation and secondary literature, and the class will introduce students to a variety of methodological approaches. The class will include visits to the Snite Museum, the Hesburgh Library Special Collections.