Beyond Antiquity: Visual Arts 400-1400 (LKX018P05.2020-2021.

1A)

Study Phase: Bachelor (propedeuse)

Lecturer: Jan L. de Jong

Office Location: Oude Boteringestraat 34, room 305 (3rd floor), 9712 GK Groningen
Email: j.l.de.jong@rug.nl
Work Phone: 050-36 36091

2. Content of the course unit

This course offers a survey of works of art, artists, and patrons (both institutions such as the
Church and individuals like kings and princes) during the so-called Middle Ages, that is the
period of 1.000 years after the fall of the Roman Empire. Works of art in various media will
be studied within the specific context in which they originated. Issues to be discussed include
their original function, their subject matter and possible meaning, their makers and patron(s),
their place within a stylistic development and their historical significance.

3. Position of the course unit in the degree program

‘Beyond Antiquity: Visual Arts 400-1400’ serves as an introduction to the visual arts created
during the 1000 year long period after the fall of the Roman Empire (ca. 400 – 1400 CE). It
also serves as a first introduction to the most important approaches to the study of art objects
in a historical context.

4. Learning outcomes of the course unit

The specific learning outcomes correspond to the general learning outcomes as formulated in
the Teaching & Exam Regulations (OER 2019-20, Ba Art History): K1, K2, K5, K7; T1; C4;
L1, L2.

5. Modes of instruction and learning

=> See the extensive instructions on the Nestor site.

Every week, there will be one digital lecture available via the Nestor site.

During this weekly digital lecture, a number of important art works from a specific time
period will be discussed and studied from various points of view (see below: 9, Weekly
timetable). Most of the topics discussed during these digital lectures can be found on various
places and pages spread throughout the handbook (see below: 8, Literature). In addition to
these digital lectures and the handbook, there will be in-depth material (an article or chapter
of a book; see below: 8, Literature) that will have to be studied closely. This in-depth material
focuses on one specific aspect discussed during the digital lectures. Students are expected to
read this in-depth literature and to answers the questions about it on the Nestor site. After
submission of the answers, they will automatically receive the lecturer’s answers, together

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with some further information and references. (See the extensive instructions on the Nestor
site).

The Nestor link ‘Art Works Shown’ leads to lists with works of art that have been discussed
during the digital lectures. These lists contain the names of the artists as well as the
subjects/titles of the art works, and further information. Students are recommend to print the
lists beforehand and have them with them when you watch/listen to the digital lectures, so that
they will not have to worry about the correct spelling of unfamiliar names, exact dates, places
of residence and so on and so forth.

Students themselves will have to search the internet or the library for images of works of art
or buildings shown during the lectures. This is to familiarize them with the internet and the
library. Hopefully, while searching, they will have a look at many more images than just the
ones shown during lectures. There are therefore no ready-made internet pages containing
images of the slides shown. Under the Nestor link ‘Internet Addresses’ they can find
instructions on how to search for images and information on the internet.

6. Assignments & assessment

During the course, the students will have to write a paper on an artwork from the period 400-
1400, that they have studied personally in situ. (See the extensive instructions on the Nestor
site). At the end of the course, there will be an exam with 4 or 5 essay questions. (Again, see
extensive information on the Nestor site.) The grade of the paper will be 20 % of the final
grade.

7. Calculation student workload

Watching/listening to the digital lectures: (7 × 2) = 14 hours

Preparing to watch/listen to the digital lectures = 14 hours

Reading 250 pages = 60 hours

Answering questions: 14 hours

Excursion + paper: 8 + 14 = 22 hours

Preparation exam = 16 hours

Total: 140 hours = 5 ECTS

8. Literature

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As handbook for this course will be used: Debra J. DeWitte, Ralph M. Larmann & M.Kathryn
Shields, The Thames & Hudson Introduction to Art. London (Thames & Hudson) 2015. 624
pages; 865 color illustrations. ISBN 9780500239438. Most of the topics discussed during the
lectures can be found on various places and pages spread throughout this book; therefore, it is
not possible to give an listing of exactly which paragraphs or pages that should be studied.
Students are expected to find the relevant text passages themselves.

Additional literature (at the stat of the course, information will be given on how to obtain
these publications):

Lecture 01, Introduction. Definitions and Time Limits; the Impact of Antiquity => Michael
Greenhalgh, The Survival of Roman Antiquities in the Middle Ages. London (Duckworth)
1989, chapter X: ‘Statues and Reliefs’, pp. 202-218

Lecture 02, Christianity: Rise and Impact on the Arts => Creighton Gilbert, The Saints’ Three
Reasons for Paintings in Churches. Ithaca, NY (The Clandestine Press) 2001

Lecture 03, Christianity: Development, Spread andFurther Impact on the Arts => Joan E.
Barclay Lloyd, ‘The River of Life in the medieval mosaics of S Maria Maggiore in Rome’, in:
Bernard J. Muir (ed.), Reading texts and images. Essays on Medieval and Renaissance art
and patronage in honour of Margaret M. Manion, Exeter (University of Exeter Press) 2002,
pp. 35-55

Lecture 04, Development of the Arts after the Roman Era (ca. 400 – 1000) => Adam S.
Cohen and Anne Derbes, ‘Bernward and Eve at Hildesheim’, in: Gesta 40 /1, 2001, pp. 19-38
(link: www.jstor.org/stable/767193)

Lecture 05, The Arts from ca. 1000 to 1400 (Romanesque and Gothic) => H.L. Kessler,
Seeing Medieval Art. Peterborough, Ont., and Orchard Park, NY (Broadview Press) 2004,
Chapter 2: ‘Making’, pp. 45-64

Lecture 06, Religious Art as Functional Art (ca. 1000 to 1400) =>

 ‘The Life of Jesus in Art’, from: Fred S. Kleiner, Gardner’s Art through the Ages: The
Western Perspective, 14th Edition, Wadsworth (Cengage Learning) 2014, pp. 240-241
 Émile Mâle, Religious art in France. The thirteenth century. A study of Medieval
iconography and its sources. Princeton, N.J. : Princeton University Press, 1984 (Tr. by M.
Mathews. Originally: L’art religieux du XIIIe siècle en France : étude sur l’iconographie
du moyen âge et sur ses sources d’inspiration, Paris 1919), pp. 3-15 and 267-292.

Lecture 07, 14th Century Arts in Italy => Bruce Cole, Giotto and Florentine Painting, 1280-
1375. New York (Harper & Row Publishers) 1976, chapters 1 and 2: ‘Giotto di Bondone’ and
‘Giotto’s Heritage’, pp. 1-39.

9. Weekly timetable

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Week Date Theme of the Lecture and Corresponding Literature
 1 (37) 7 - 13 September Lecture: Introduction. Definitions and Time Limits; the
2020 Impact of Antiquity

Literature:

 Michael Greenhalgh, The Survival of Roman

Antiquities in the Middle Ages. London (Duckworth)
1989, chapter X: ‘Statues and Reliefs’, pp. 202-218
 Relevant pages in the Handbook, The Thames &
Hudson Introduction to Art.

 2 (38) 14 - 20 September Lecture: Christianity: Rise and Impact on the Arts

2020
Literature:

 Creighton Gilbert, The Saints' Three Reasons for

Paintings in Churches. Ithaca, NY (The Clandestine
Press) 2001
 Relevant pages in the Handbook, The Thames &
Hudson Introduction to Art.

 3 (39) 21 - 27 September Lecture: Christianity: Development, Spread and Further

2020 Impact on the Arts

Literature:

 Joan E. Barclay Lloyd, ‘The River of Life in the

medieval mosaics of S Maria Maggiore in Rome’, in:
Bernard J. Muir (ed.), Reading texts and images.
Essays on Medieval and Renaissance art and
patronage in honour of Margaret M. Manion, Exeter
(University of Exeter Press) 2002, pp. 35-55
 Relevant pages in the Handbook, The Thames &
Hudson Introduction to Art.

 4 (40) 28 - 4 October 2020 Lecture: Development of the Arts after the Roman Era (ca.
400 – 1000 CE)

Literature:

 Adam S. Cohen and Anne Derbes, ‘Bernward and Eve

at Hildesheim’, in: Gesta 40 /1, 2001, pp. 19-38
 Relevant pages in the Handbook, The Thames &
Hudson Introduction to Art.

 5 (41) 5 - 11 October 2020 Lecture: The Arts from ca. 1000 to 1400 CE

(Romanesque and Gothic)

Literature:

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  H.L. Kessler, Seeing Medieval Art. Peterborough, Ont.,
and Orchard Park, NY (Broadview Press) 2004,
Chapter 2: ‘Making’, pp. 45-64
 Relevant pages in the Handbook, The Thames &
Hudson Introduction to Art.

 6 (42) 12 - 18 October 2020 Lecture: Religious Art as Functional Art (ca. 1000 to 1400

CE)

Literature:

 ‘The Life of Jesus in Art’, from: Fred S. Kleiner,

Gardner's Art through the Ages: The Western
Perspective, 14th Edition, Wadsworth (Cengage
Learning) 2014, pp. 240-241
 Émile Mâle, Religious art in France. The thirteenth
century. A study of Medieval iconography and its
sources. Princeton, N.J. : Princeton University Press,
1984 (Tr. by M. Mathews. Originally: L'art religieux
du XIIIe siècle en France : étude sur l'iconographie du
moyen âge et sur ses sources d'inspiration, Paris
1919), pp. 3-15 and 267-292
 Relevant pages in the Handbook, The Thames &
Hudson Introduction to Art.

 7 (43) 19 - 25 October 2020 Lecture: 14th Century Arts in Italy

Literature:

 Bruce Cole, Giotto and Florentine Painting, 1280-

1375. New York (Harper & Row Publishers) 1976,
chapters 1 and 2: ‘Giotto di Bondone’ and ‘Giotto’s
Heritage’, pp. 1-39
 Relevant pages in the Handbook, The Thames &
Hudson Introduction to Art.

8 (44) 27 October 2020 Exam

2 (1) 13 January 2021 Resit

10. Copyright & plagiarism

All teaching material is protected by copyright. Students may not make photocopies of
teaching material, exams and lectures other than for their own study purposes. In addition,
teaching material may not be further distributed in any format.

Cheating and plagiarism are subject to the provisions set down in the OER (Article 7.18 of
Part A of the BA OER). The Board of Examiners is always informed in cases of suspected
cheating or plagiarism.

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11. Attendance & language

Due to the Corona virus, this course will be taught digitally. However, active participation
(attending the weekly digital lectures, answering the weekly questions) is expected.

The primary language for this course (digital lectures, information on the Nestor site, etc.) is
English. All written assignments (as well as e-mail correspondence with the instructor) may
be submitted in Dutch, English, German, French or Italian.