Africanist Travel Writing: Texts, Contexts, Theory

3 units

This course will examine the art, politics, and history of Renaissance Florence, Venice, Ferrara, and Rome. We will study how love, beauty, religion, and politics were intertwined in these cities. We will consider how the flourishing of the arts occurred along with the oppressive rule of the Church; why, for one out of two women in upperclass families, the choice was the convent rather than marriage; the rise of courtesan culture and pornography; conspicuous consumption; healing as a matter of faith and a matter of science. Prof. Wallace will present the great artists who worked in these cities, including works by Donatello, Masaccio, Brunelleschi, Botticelli, Michelangelo, Leonardo, and Vasari. Prof. Stone will examine Sarah Dunant's trilogy of best-selling historical novels: The Birth of Venus, set in Florence; In the Company of the Courtesan, set in Venice; and Sacred Hearts, set in Ferrara. Ms. Dunant, who will be a visitor to the University during part of the semester, will introduce the class to historical documents that she used in creating her novels. Guest lecturer Prof. Monson (Music Dept.) will explore connections between nuns who make both music and magic.