OVERVIEW

The course of History of Medieval Art aims to offer a concise but complete picture of the artistic production in the Italian, European and Mediterranean area between the beginning of the fourth and second half of the fourteenth century (about 313-1370), that is, from the age of Constantine to the international Gothic included.

AIMS AND CONTENT

LEARNING OUTCOMES

The "Medieval Art History" course aims to provide a historical overview of the arts of Western and Byzantine Europe between the Paleochristian age and the early fifteenth century.

AIMS AND LEARNING OUTCOMES

The Medieval Art History course aims to provide an overview of artistic production in the area of Western Europe and Byzantium between the beginning of the 4th and the second half of the 14th century (ca. 313-1370), that is, from the age of Constantine to the International Gothic period excluded, with extensive references to the production of other civilizations, such as the Islamic, which from the 7th century CE emerged on the Mediterranean scene.

Primary educational objectives of the course are:

to acquaint students with the characters, typical and specific functions of artistic production during the centuries that are defined as the "Middle Ages."

to make them understand the role - specific, irreplaceable and in each period peculiar - that such production played, also as an instrument of communication and symbolic domination, in the individual periods and geographical areas indicated above, as well as its relationship with other aspects of political and social dialectics, culture, mentalities and religious beliefs and practices.

In addition to such knowledge, the course also aims to promote in students individual methodological skills to be applied consciously and critically in order to: analyze and discuss, by decoding them, the messages conveyed by the work of art; read the material characteristics, iconographic and stylistic techniques of the most varied medieval artistic artifacts.

All with the general cultural aim of bringing each student to an autonomy of judgment that enables him or her to understand such artifacts as documents of history and cutture and as instruments of communication of complex and multifaceted social, political and institutional arrangements.

The aim of the course is also to broaden, by stimulating and specializing them, the skills of presentation and communication of content, so as to support and encourage the continuation of the course of study in higher levels and, eventually, in the field of research.

More specifically, the student should be able to:

    situate works, phenomena and artists in a correct chronological scan, linking artistic artifacts to the historical context and society in which they were produced;
    expound with critical awareness the topics covered in the study texts, during face-to-face lectures and lectures on the territory (in the case of attending students) or in supplementary readings (in the case of non-attending students);
    emphasize possession of the critical tools necessary for the analysis of images relevant to the course;
    apply the acquired theoretical knowledge to concrete case studies.

In the case of the 6 cfu exam, the expected learning outcomes refer to the chronological span indicated in the relevant exam syllabus, from the early 4th to the 13th century, a period that extends to the early 14th century for the 9 and 12 cfu exam. The 12 cfu exam extends to the latter fourteenth century, in relation to which students are expected to show a more detailed level of knowledge and critical awareness.

At the end of the course, the student will

- will have the basic skills in medieval art history useful for entering master's degree classes in archaeology, philology, history and art history.

These outcomes relate to the 6 cfu teaching. Additional learning outcomes, for those taking the 9 or 12 cfu teaching, will consist of an increasing (9 to 12 cfu) ability to analyze, contextualize and understand key aspects and phenomena of the periods covered

Translated with www.DeepL.com/Translator (free version)

PREREQUISITES

Basic notions of Euro-Mediterranean medieval history, history of literature and philosophy are required as prerequisites within the limits set by upper secondary school programs

TEACHING METHODS

Classes are held in person. Attendance, although not mandatory, is strongly recommended. Students who attend lectures in presence are considered to be attending.
The lecturer, at the specific request of each student, allows by individual registration on the Teams platform the remote enjoyment of lectures and related recordings.

The powerpoints projected by the lecturer in class will be made available to students via TEAMS and Aulaweb

All students (including non-attending students), in order to be constantly informed about lectures, workshops, educational trips, conferences and other cultural initiatives relevant to the specific training purposes of the Course, MUST subscribe to Aulaweb.

SYLLABUS/CONTENT

NB: The three programs below (for 6, 9 and 12 cfu) are for both attending and non-attending students

Programme for students using the teaching for 6 cfu

Early Christian art: monuments and artefacts. Rome, Milan. Ravenna
Longobard Age Art: Pavia, Castelseprio, Cividale
Art of the Carolingian and Ottonian Ages
Italy and Europe between the 11th and 12th centuries: monasteries, pilgrimages, roads
Architecture, sculpture and cities in Italy in the 12th century
Architecture of the 13th Century between Europe and Italy
Thirteenth-Century Painting in Italy

Programme for students using the teaching for 9 cfu

Early Christian Art: Monuments and Artifacts. Rome, Milan. Ravenna
Art of the Longobard Age: Pavia, Castelseprio, Cividale
Art of the Carolingian and Ottonian Ages
Italy and Europe between the 11th and 12th centuries: monasteries, pilgrimages, roads
Architecture, sculpture and cities in Italy in the 12th century
Architecture of the 13th Century between Europe and Italy
Thirteenth-Century Painting in Italy
Sculpture in Italy from Frederick II to the Early Fourteenth Century
Painting and Sumptuary Arts in Italian Art Centres between the Two and Fourteenth Centuries: Rome, Assisi, Florence, Siena

Programme for students using the teaching for 12 cfu

Early Christian Art: Monuments and Artifacts. Rome, Milan. Ravenna
Art of the Longobard Age: Pavia, Castelseprio, Cividale
Art of the Carolingian and Ottonian Ages
Italy and Europe between the 11th and 12th centuries: monasteries, pilgrimages, roads
Architecture, sculpture and cities in Italy in the 12th century
Architecture of the 13th Century between Europe and Italy
Thirteenth-Century Painting in Italy
Sculpture in Italy from Frederick II to the Early Fourteenth Century
Painting and Sumptuary Arts in Italian Art Centres between the Two and Fourteenth Centuries: Rome, Assisi, Florence, Siena
Avignon and the 'International Gothic' style
European Courts in the Late 14th Century: Sumptuary Arts, Painting, Sculpture

RECOMMENDED READING/BIBLIOGRAPHY

Of the textbook (chosen from those listed below) each student will compulsorily study only the chapters that cover the topics scheduled for 6, 9 and 12 cfu, respectively, as indicated in the "Syllabus/Content" section of this sheet

Non-attending students should study in full two of the volumes indicated in the Bibliography

Bibliography for 6 cfu

Antonio PINELLI, Le ragioni della bellezza. 2. Dalla Tarda Antichità a Giotto, Loescher Editore, Torino, 2012 (EDIZIONE ROSSA)

this excellent textbook is not currently in reprint by the publisher; however, it can be purchased online, used or even new. If this is impossible, it can be replaced with one of the two following textbooks :

Elda CERCHIARI, Pierluigi DE VECCHI, Arte nel tempo, Milan, Bompiani, 1991 (and subsequent editions), 1st volume, pp. 240-400; 2nd volume, the whole book

Salvatore SETTIS, Tommaso MONTANARI, Arte. Una storia naturale e civile, volume 1 Dalla Preistoria alla Tarda Antichità, only pp. 366-405: volume 2 Dall'Alto Medioevo alla fine del Tredento, the whole book

Bibliography for 9 cfu

FOR ALL  STUDENTS:

Antonio PINELLI, Le ragioni della bellezza. 2. Dalla Tarda Antichità a Giotto, Loescher Editore, Torino, 2012 (EDIZIONE ROSSA)

this excellent textbook is not currently in reprint by the publisher; however, it can be purchased online, used or even new. If this is impossible, it can be replaced with one of the two following textbooks :

Elda CERCHIARI, Pierluigi DE VECCHI, Arte nel tempo, Milan, Bompiani, 1991 (and subsequent editions), 1st volume, pp. 240-400; 2nd volume, the whole book

Salvatore SETTIS, Tommaso MONTANARI, Arte. Una storia naturale e civile, volume 1 Dalla Preistoria alla Tarda Antichità, only pp. 366-405: volume 2 Dall'Alto Medioevo alla fine del Tredento, the whole book

ONE from the following two books:

Enrico CASTELNUOVO, Arte delle città, arte delle corti tra XII e XIV secolo, Einaudi (PBE, ns), Torino, Einaudi,  2009;
Michele TOMASI, L'arte del Trecento in Europa, Einaudi (PBE Arte 4), Torino, Einaudi, 2012.

or two chapters of the medieval parts of the following volume:

Storia dell'architettura in Italia. Tra Europa e Mediterraneo (VII-XVIII secolo), a cura di A.Naser Eslami, M. Nobile, Milano, Pearson, 2022

Bibliography for 12 cfu

FOR ALL STUDENTS:

Antonio PINELLI, Le ragioni della bellezza, 2, Dalla Tarda Antichità a Giotto, Torino, Loescher, 2012 (EDIZIONE ROSSA); integrato (limitatamente all'ultimo argomento del programma) da: Elena CERCHIARI, Pierluigi DE VECCHI, Arte nel tempo, Milano, Bompiani 1991 (e successive edizioni), volume I, secondo tomo.

Antonio PINELLI, Le ragioni della bellezza. 2. Dalla Tarda Antichità a Giotto, Loescher Editore, Torino, 2012 (EDIZIONE ROSSA)

this excellent textbook is not currently in reprint by the publisher; however, it can be purchased online, used or even new. If this is impossible, it can be replaced with one of the two following textbooks :

Elda CERCHIARI, Pierluigi DE VECCHI, Arte nel tempo, Milan, Bompiani, 1991 (and subsequent editions), 1st volume, pp. 240-400; 2nd volume, the whole book

Salvatore SETTIS, Tommaso MONTANARI, Arte. Una storia naturale e civile, volume 1 Dalla Preistoria alla Tarda Antichità, only pp. 366-405: volume 2 Dall'Alto Medioevo alla fine del Tredento, the whole book

ONE from the following two books:

Enrico CASTELNUOVO, Arte delle città, arte delle corti tra XII e XIV secolo, Einaudi (PBE, ns), Torino, Einaudi,  2009;
Michele TOMASI, L'arte del Trecento in Europa, Einaudi (PBE Arte 4), Torino, Einaudi, 2012.

or two chapters of the medieval parts of the following volume:

Storia dell'architettura in Italia. Tra Europa e Mediterraneo (VII-XVIII secolo), a cura di A.Naser Eslami, M. Nobile, Milano, Pearson, 2022

THE FOLLOWING TEXT
2. C. Di Fabio, G. Ameri, F. Girelli, Giovanni Pisano, Art e Dossier, n. 376, Firenze, Giunti, 2020

TEACHERS AND EXAM BOARD

Exam Board

CLARIO DI FABIO (President)

GIANLUCA AMERI

FRANCESCA GIRELLI (Substitute)

LESSONS

LESSONS START

25 th September 2023, 9 am

Class schedule

MEDIEVAL ART HISTORY

EXAMS

EXAM DESCRIPTION

The exam is oral.

The student is invited first to present and discuss a topic, a problem, a work of art of his choice (within the programme); the Commission will then invite him to recognise, identify and place chronologically one or more works of art (among those available on manuals and texts in adoption) and/or to treat a theme, a problem, a concept, a phenomenon, an artifact or a typology of artifacts, an artist, a field, always within the programme.

Each student will come to the exam with his/her own manuals and other textbooks, as well as images in USB flash drive)

ASSESSMENT METHODS

The exam is oral and includes the use of textbook images and those used in class, made available to students.
Evaluation concerns knowledge and skills.

The following will occur:

the ability to respond in compliance with and consistency with the proposed question;

the ability to discuss the contents expressing specific linguistic knowledge;

the specific knowledge of the topics covered;

the ability to analyze images; to refer them to an artist and / or an era and to argue the judgment;

the ability to broaden the analysis by correlating artistic products and historical-cultural phenomena, in the broadest sense of the term.

Based on the degree of achievement of this knowledge and skills, grades above the threshold of sufficiency will be assigned.

Regarding the attribution of the votes:

1. To achieve excellence (grades ranging from 28 to 30 with honors), the candidate must reveal excellent general knowledge, comprehension skills of expression: marked ability to analyze the proposed artifacts, with the ability to establish links also of an interdisciplinary nature; availability and aptitude for discussion and deepening, in-depth and organic vision of problems;

2. an acceptable but predominantly mnemonic knowledge, a superficial analysis and a correct but not always appropriate language will lead to a satisfactory evaluation (good marks from 25 to 27 inclusive) and votes (from 23 to 24);

3. a sometimes incomplete knowledge, a superficial understanding, an intermittent ability to analyze, discuss and place chronologically and historically the proposed artistic documents, simplistic or approximate expression modalities can be evaluated sufficient (18-22);

4. obvious and extended gaps in poor knowledge, understanding, analysis, inappropriate language, lack of reference points regarding the historical-formal location of the works and the topics presented in class will be evaluated negatively.

Exam schedule

FURTHER INFORMATION

Please note: Each student will have to carry to the exam his/her own manuals and textbooks, as well as his own image-folders in USB flash drive.

Please note: No students receptions on days where the exam sessions are fixed.

Please note: When  - for educational, managerial or scientific commitments, or for cases of force majeure - the teacher could not make the reception, he will communicate this to students by AULAWEB and/or by a notice placed outside the door of access to the professors offices, at Balbi 4, fifth floor.