Introduction to Medieval Art

This course surveys major themes in the art of Europe, Africa, and the Middle East, from the Late Roman Empire to 1300. Students will encounter objects and images representative of the many varied cultures and peoples geographically and chronologically bound together in the Middle Agesfrom famed imperial capitals to merchant emporia to trade routes traversing the Mediterranean, the Sahara, the North Atlantic, and beyond. An overarching theme is the political function of art and its role in the cult-religious practices of different belief systems. In many cases, students will follow the lives of objects and images across time and space and explore how their meanings change when brought into different cultural or ideological contexts. The course combines lectures on specific societal contexts with workshops dedicated to mediums, materials, and singular art objects, including visits to Boston-area museums.

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