ARTH259

This course explores the development of medieval art and architecture in the Byzantine East and Western Europe from its beginnings in the late Roman Empire to its most grandiose expression in the great Gothic cathedrals. Emphasis will be placed on the historical, social and political context of this artistic development including artists and their patrons, the practice of pilgrimage, the Crusades, and the emergence of monasteries and universities. Jewish, Christian, and Islamic visual culture will be covered. Key subjects include the catacombs, sacred architecture, icons and iconoclasm, relics and reliqueries, calligraphy, manuscript illumination, tapestries, frescoes, sculpture, and stained glass.