Francesca DELL'ACQUA | THE MIDDLE AGES: OBJECTS, QUESTIONS, AND APPROACHES

cod. 0322400053

THE MIDDLE AGES: OBJECTS, QUESTIONS, AND APPROACHES

	0322400053
	DEPARTMENT OF CULTURAL HERITAGE
	EQF7
	ART HISTORY AND CRITICISM
	2024/2025

PERCORSO STUDY PATHWAY IN COMMON

	OBBLIGATORIO
	YEAR OF COURSE 1
	YEAR OF DIDACTIC SYSTEM 2016
	AUTUMN SEMESTER

TEACHING UNITS

	SSD	CFU	HOURS	ACTIVITY	TYPE OF ACTIVITY
	L-ART/01	9	45	LESSONS	COMPULSORY SUBJECTS, CHARACTERISTIC OF THE CLASS

PROFESSORS

	FRANCESCA DELL'ACQUA T Curriculum
	IGOR DORFMANN Curriculum

	Objectives
	THIS MODULE AIMS TO PROVIDE STUDENTS WITH HISTORICAL-CRITICAL INSTRUMENTS TO UNDERTAKE THE ANALYSIS OF ARTEFACTS AS ELEMENTS OF HISTORICAL UNDERSTANDING OF THE MEDIEVAL PERIOD. A TECHNICAL AND FORMAL ANALYSIS WILL BE ACCOMPANIED BY A HISTORICAL AND CRITICAL FRAMEWORK, WITH REFERENCE TO EXISTING HISTORIOGRAPHY AND THE POSSIBILITY OF OVERCOMING IT. WHERE EXISTING, CONTEMPORARY WRITTEN SOURCES WILL BE CONSIDERED IN ORDER TO BETTER CONTEXTUALISE THE VALUE OF MEDIEVAL ARTEFACTS WITHIN BROADER CULTURAL-HISTORICAL, SOCIAL, AND POLITICAL STUDIES. AT THE END OF THE MODULE, THE STUDENT SHOULD HAVE ACQUIRED A CERTAIN AUTONOMY OF JUDGMENT; COMMUNICATION SKILLS; THE KNOWLEDGE OF THE MAIN CENTERS OF ARTISTIC PRODUCTION IN THE WEST AND IN THE NEAR EAST; THE QUESTION OF ARTISTIC PATRONAGE; THE ABILITY TO RECOGNISE WORKS AND ANALYSE THEM FROM A HISTORICAL, STYLISTIC, ICONOGRAPHIC, AND TECHNICAL-MATERIAL POINT OF VIEW; THE UNDERSTANDING OF THE MAIN CRITICAL-METHODOLOGICAL PROBLEMS RELATED TO THE DISCIPLINE OF MEDIEVAL ART HISTORY; A CRITICAL POSITION TOWARDS SOURCES AND DOCUMENTS.

THIS MODULE AIMS TO PROVIDE STUDENTS WITH HISTORICAL-CRITICAL INSTRUMENTS TO UNDERTAKE THE ANALYSIS OF ARTEFACTS AS ELEMENTS OF HISTORICAL UNDERSTANDING OF THE MEDIEVAL PERIOD.
A TECHNICAL AND FORMAL ANALYSIS WILL BE ACCOMPANIED BY A HISTORICAL AND CRITICAL FRAMEWORK, WITH REFERENCE TO EXISTING HISTORIOGRAPHY AND THE POSSIBILITY OF OVERCOMING IT.
WHERE EXISTING, CONTEMPORARY WRITTEN SOURCES WILL BE CONSIDERED IN ORDER TO BETTER CONTEXTUALISE THE VALUE OF MEDIEVAL ARTEFACTS WITHIN BROADER CULTURAL-HISTORICAL, SOCIAL, AND POLITICAL STUDIES.
AT THE END OF THE MODULE, THE STUDENT SHOULD HAVE ACQUIRED A CERTAIN AUTONOMY OF JUDGMENT; COMMUNICATION SKILLS; THE KNOWLEDGE OF THE MAIN CENTERS OF ARTISTIC PRODUCTION IN THE WEST AND IN THE NEAR EAST; THE QUESTION OF ARTISTIC PATRONAGE; THE ABILITY TO RECOGNISE WORKS AND ANALYSE THEM FROM A HISTORICAL, STYLISTIC, ICONOGRAPHIC, AND TECHNICAL-MATERIAL POINT OF VIEW; THE UNDERSTANDING OF THE MAIN CRITICAL-METHODOLOGICAL PROBLEMS RELATED TO THE DISCIPLINE OF MEDIEVAL ART HISTORY; A CRITICAL POSITION TOWARDS SOURCES AND DOCUMENTS.

	Prerequisites
	A BASIC KNOWLEDGE OF FOREIGN LANGUAGES IS NECESSARY IN ORDER TO ACCESS RELEVANT BIBLIOGRAPHY

	Contents
	THE MODULE WILL FOCUS ON CHRISTIAN VIRTUES, THEIR PERSONIFICATIONS AND THEIR SOCIO-CULTURAL RELEVANCE IN THE MEDIEVAL WEST AND NEAR EAST. CASE STUDIES DATED BETWEEN LATE ANTIQUITY AND THE LATE MIDDLE AGES WILL PROVIDE INSIGHTS INTO THE FOLLOWING ISSUES: ICONIC FIGURES AND VIRTUES IN THE LATE ANCIENT PAGAN WORLD; VIRTUES BETWEEN THE PAGAN WORLD AND THE CHRISTIANISED WORLD; RHETORIC IN THE CONSTRUCTION OF TEXTUAL AND VISUAL IMAGES; TEXTUAL AND VISUAL IMAGES AS A REFLECTION OF MENTAL IMAGES AND SENSORY PERCEPTION; THE CONSTRUCTION OF EMBLEMATIC FIGURES IN THE MORAL SPHERE.

Contents

THE MODULE WILL FOCUS ON CHRISTIAN VIRTUES, THEIR PERSONIFICATIONS AND THEIR SOCIO-CULTURAL RELEVANCE IN THE MEDIEVAL WEST AND NEAR EAST. CASE STUDIES DATED BETWEEN LATE ANTIQUITY AND THE LATE MIDDLE AGES WILL PROVIDE INSIGHTS INTO THE FOLLOWING ISSUES: ICONIC FIGURES AND VIRTUES IN THE LATE ANCIENT PAGAN WORLD; VIRTUES BETWEEN THE PAGAN WORLD AND THE CHRISTIANISED WORLD; RHETORIC IN THE CONSTRUCTION OF TEXTUAL AND VISUAL IMAGES; TEXTUAL AND VISUAL IMAGES AS A REFLECTION OF MENTAL IMAGES AND SENSORY PERCEPTION; THE CONSTRUCTION OF EMBLEMATIC FIGURES IN THE MORAL SPHERE.

	Teaching Methods
	IN-CLASS LECTURES AND DISCUSSIONS; IF POSSIBLE WE WILL ORGANISE A ONE-DAY STUDY TRIP TO NAPLES, ROME, OR FLORENCE.

	Verification of learning
	THE ACQUISITION OF COMPETENCES INHERENT TO THE ANALYSIS OF THEMES DEALT WITH OVER THE MODULE WILL BE VERIFIED THROUGH A WRITTEN ASSESSMENT AND A FINAL ORAL EXAMINATION. THE WRITTEN ASSESSMENT WILL CONSIST OF AN ESSAY, TO BE PRODUCED AT HOME, CENTRED ON THE ANALYSIS OF AN EXAMPLE PREVIOUSLY AGREED WITH THE LECTURER; STUDENTS WILL HAVE TO SEND IT TO THE LECTURER AT LEAST 15 DAYS BEFORE THE EXAM DATE THEY SELECTED.

Verification of learning

THE ACQUISITION OF COMPETENCES INHERENT TO THE ANALYSIS OF THEMES DEALT WITH OVER THE MODULE WILL BE VERIFIED THROUGH A WRITTEN ASSESSMENT AND A FINAL ORAL EXAMINATION. THE WRITTEN ASSESSMENT WILL CONSIST OF AN ESSAY, TO BE PRODUCED AT HOME, CENTRED ON THE ANALYSIS OF AN EXAMPLE PREVIOUSLY AGREED WITH THE LECTURER; STUDENTS WILL HAVE TO SEND IT TO THE LECTURER AT LEAST 15 DAYS BEFORE THE EXAM DATE THEY SELECTED.

	Texts
	1.A. KATZENELLENBOGEN, ALLEGORIES OF THE VIRTUES AND VICES IN MEDIAEVAL ART: FROM EARLY CHRISTIAN TIMES TO THE 13TH CENTURY. STUDIES OF THE WARBURG INSTITUTE 10, LONDON, 1939, PP. 1–56 (ONLINE, INTERNET ARCHIVE: HTTPS://ARCHIVE.ORG/DETAILS/ALLEGORIESOFVIRT0000KATZ_Z1H3) 2.V. IVANOVICI, BETWEEN STATUES AND ICONS. ICONIC PERSONS FROM ANTIQUITY TO THE EARLY MIDDLE AGES. CONTEXTS OF ANCIENT AND MEDIEVAL ANTHROPOLOGY 5, LEIDEN, 2023, PP. XXV–XXXI; 1–10; 33–79; 125–40. (BIBLIOTECA CENTRALE UNISA) 3.M. C. CARILE, “IMPERIAL ICONS IN LATE ANTIQUITY AND BYZANTIUM. THE ICONIC IMAGE OF THE EMPEROR BETWEEN REPRESENTATION AND PRESENCE,” IKON 9 (2016), PP. 75-98. (PDF) 4.F. DELL’ACQUA, ICONOPHILIA: RELIGION, POLITICS, AND THE USE OF IMAGES IN ROME C.680–880. BIRMINGHAM BYZANTINE AND OTTOMAN STUDIES 27, ABINGDON-ON-THAMES 2020, PP. 23–32; 61–69; 87–92; 100–108; 118–120; 241–309. (BIBLIOTECA CENTRALE UNISA) 5.F. DELL’ACQUA, AN IMAGE OF AUTHORITY. THE IVORY PLAQUE WITH THE ENTHRONED VIRGIN FROM AACHEN, C. 800–810, IN (IN)SIGHTS REGARDING MEDIEVAL ART. A TRIBUTE TO HERBERT KESSLER, SPECIAL ISSUE OF ‘CODEX AQVILARENSIS. REVISTA DE ARTE MEDIEVAL’, 37 (2021), PP. 179–96. (PDF)

Texts

1.A. KATZENELLENBOGEN, ALLEGORIES OF THE VIRTUES AND VICES IN MEDIAEVAL ART: FROM EARLY CHRISTIAN TIMES TO THE 13TH CENTURY. STUDIES OF THE WARBURG INSTITUTE 10, LONDON, 1939, PP. 1–56
(ONLINE, INTERNET ARCHIVE: HTTPS://ARCHIVE.ORG/DETAILS/ALLEGORIESOFVIRT0000KATZ_Z1H3)

2.V. IVANOVICI, BETWEEN STATUES AND ICONS. ICONIC PERSONS FROM ANTIQUITY TO THE EARLY MIDDLE AGES. CONTEXTS OF ANCIENT AND MEDIEVAL ANTHROPOLOGY 5, LEIDEN, 2023, PP. XXV–XXXI; 1–10; 33–79; 125–40. (BIBLIOTECA CENTRALE UNISA)

3.M. C. CARILE, “IMPERIAL ICONS IN LATE ANTIQUITY AND BYZANTIUM. THE ICONIC IMAGE OF THE EMPEROR BETWEEN REPRESENTATION AND PRESENCE,” IKON 9 (2016), PP. 75-98.
(PDF)

4.F. DELL’ACQUA, ICONOPHILIA: RELIGION, POLITICS, AND THE USE OF IMAGES IN ROME C.680–880. BIRMINGHAM BYZANTINE AND OTTOMAN STUDIES 27, ABINGDON-ON-THAMES 2020, PP. 23–32; 61–69; 87–92; 100–108; 118–120; 241–309. (BIBLIOTECA CENTRALE UNISA)

5.F. DELL’ACQUA, AN IMAGE OF AUTHORITY. THE IVORY PLAQUE WITH THE ENTHRONED VIRGIN FROM AACHEN, C. 800–810, IN (IN)SIGHTS REGARDING MEDIEVAL ART. A TRIBUTE TO HERBERT KESSLER, SPECIAL ISSUE OF ‘CODEX AQVILARENSIS. REVISTA DE ARTE MEDIEVAL’, 37 (2021), PP. 179–96.
(PDF)

	More Information
	THE MODULE WILL BE TAUGHT DURING THE FIRST SEMESTER (LATE SEPTEMBER–EARLY NOVEMBER)

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Francesca DELL'ACQUA | THE MIDDLE AGES: OBJECTS, QUESTIONS, AND APPROACHES