OVERVIEW

The course shows a selection of sources of the controversial debate about sacred images (so-called iconoclasm). The discussion of the sources is relevant for the language of and representation in the Byzantine icon in the Middle Ages, and some modern and contemporary visual arts can be traced to its iconography as well.

AIMS AND CONTENT

LEARNING OUTCOMES

The course aims to give students the following knowledge, competencies and abilities: - through the direct reading of texts, knowledge of the historical phases and theological arguments for and against icon worship; - competence to recognise the influxes of the debate on icons in artistic techniques and iconographic schemes; - ability to compare analogies and differences between western and eastern medieval artistic iconographic schemas.

AIMS AND LEARNING OUTCOMES

For the aims, see above. Learning outcomes in detail:

it is expected that, at the end of the attendance and after the study of the related program, students will be able

• to contextualize the literary and theological sources on the icon in time, space and literary genre they belong to;
• to connect the sources to the debate phases on the icon;
• to identify the connections between the theology of the icon and the main iconographic schemes.

TEACHING METHODS

Classes are held in person. Attendance, although not compulsory, is recommended. The lecturer, at the specific request of a student (by e-mail), may allow him/her to follow classes remotely via “Teams” platform and to view class recordings.

Methodology: lessons with PowerPoint/pdf presentations, frequent dialogues, polls and interactive platforms. Flipped classroom. Seminars by experts in the field.

It is requested to subscribe on Aulaweb as well, in order to get information, didactic material, notices, bibliography and so on.

Students who can attend no lessons at all are warmly invited to contact the professor at the beginning of the course via email.

SYLLABUS/CONTENT

“Sisters” icons: Constantinople, Kiev, Moscow.

The debate about sacred images in Byzantium lasted two centuries and ended in an “official” form and definition in the same period when Cyril and Methodios evangelized the Slavs (9th c.). After prince Vladimir of Kiev was baptised with his people at the end of the 10th century, the icons connected Constantinople to the Rus’ of Kiev and later with the rise of Moscow. Some relevant phases of the Byzantine icon and its development in time and space are presented here: from the Christ Pantocrator of Sinai to the Theotokos of Vladimir, up to the Trinity of Andrej Rublev (“the icon of icons”), the course allows to understand some aspects of the Eastern Europe which are still relevant nowadays.

The content is designed both for attending and non-attending students.

Students who cannot attend classes may ask for a different syllabus and/or tailored bibliography. In any case, non-attending students are required to contact the professor as soon as possible via email.

RECOMMENDED READING/BIBLIOGRAPHY

Students may ask for a wholly English bibliography: please email as soon as possible pia.carolla@unige.it.

Bibliography for students who regularly attend the classes:

P.A. Florenskij, Le porte regali, Milano, Adelphi, 1977; OR: Id., La prospettiva rovesciata, Milano, Adelphi, 2020.

L. Uspenskij - V. Losskij, Il senso delle icone, Milano, Jaca Book, 2007, pp. 21-51.

Bibliography for non-attending students:

P.A. Florenskij, Le porte regali, Milano, Adelphi, 1977; OR: Id., La prospettiva rovesciata, Milano, Adelphi, 2020.

F. Dell’Acqua, Iconophilia. Politics, Religion, Preaching, and the Use of Images in Rome, c. 680-880, (Birmingham Byzantine and Ottoman Studies) Abingdon - New York, Routledge 2020.

L. Uspenskij - V. Losskij, Il senso delle icone, Milano, Jaca Book, 2007, pp. 21-51.

L. R. Cresci, “Echi di dibattiti teologici sull’icona e sulla Croce nella poesia di Giorgio di Pisidia.” Erga / Logoi 5.1 (2017), pp. 29–36.

Á. Kriza, Depicting Orthodoxy in the Russian Middle Ages: The Novgorod Icon of Sophia, the Divine Wisdom, Oxford, Oxford University Press 2022.

TEACHERS AND EXAM BOARD

Exam Board

PIA CAROLLA (President)

FRANCESCA GAZZANO

LIA RAFFAELLA CRESCI (Substitute)

AGNESE FONTANA (Substitute)

ARIANNA MAGNOLO (Substitute)

LESSONS

LESSONS START

15th February 2023

Class schedule

THE ICON AND ITS SOURCES

EXAMS

EXAM DESCRIPTION

Oral exam.

ASSESSMENT METHODS

Oral exam: students will be asked (i) to read, explain and comment on the theological and historical sources about icons and iconoclasm in order to assess their competences to put texts and discussions into context; (ii) to analyze iconographic schemes in order to assess their capacity to connect theological themes and visual art(ifact)s.

Minimum 'pass' requirements for the oral exam are: (a) identifying the main themes in the theological debate on icons; (b) tracing their connections with iconographic schemes.

'Excellence' requirements are: identifying and discussing the multiple connections among the theological debate, the analytical reading of the selected sources and the definition of the most relevant iconographic schemes.

Exam schedule

FURTHER INFORMATION

Please contact the professor for any further information in English.