11382 - History of Medieval Art

Learning outcomes

The teaching introduces to the knowledge of European and especially Italian art between the fourth and fifteenth centuries. At the end of the course the student has the tools to read the work in terms of style and iconography, with particular attention to the historical context of reference.

Course contents

The course involves an overview of the basics of art history in Europe from the fourth to 1492.

Classes will be centered on the theme of mural decoration in painting and mosaic, analyzing the esthetic and cultural motivations of the changes happened in this field during the long course of the Middle Ages. 

This introduction to Medieval Art will be followed by a monographic part. It will be devoted to the possible presence of Giotto's works in Ravenna. This difficult topic, since it concerns works that no longer exist, has been the subject of recent philological and historical research by your lecturer; the ability to expound the problem in a sufficiently articulate manner requires a good knowledge of Giotto's painting, but also of the Rimini and Paduan culture of the first decades of the 14th century.

Readings/Bibliography

For the first part of the course, the reference book (specifically the chapters regarding the period between the fourth and the fifteenth century), one of the next:

• P.L. De Vecchi – E. Cerchiari, Arte nel tempo, edito da Bompiani;

• - C. Bertelli, Storia dell’arte. Edizione verde, edito da Scolastiche Bruno Mondadori;

  - N. Frapiccini, N. Giustozzi, Le storie dell’arte, edito da Hoepli Scuola;

For Giotto in Ravenna is required:

A. Volpe, Giotto a Ravenna. Una ricerca indiziaria, in “Ricche Minere”, 18, 2022, pp. 19-41.

In addition, the student is required to take an active and autonomous part in choosing two other texts, a book and an article from those mentioned in the above essay, so BUT FOR EXAMPLE PURPOSES ONLY

A book of your choice from:

L. Bellosi, La pecora di Giotto, Torino 1985;

Giotto. Bilancio critico di sessant’anni di studi e ricerche, catalogo della mostra (Firenze) a cura di A. Tartuferi, Firenze 2000

A. Volpe, Intorno alle cornici di Giotto, Roma, Campisano editore, 2021.

An article of your choice from:

S. Romano, Giotto e il paesaggio romano. La torre delle Milizie e la data dei dipinti Peruzzi, in “Ricche Minere”, 11, 2019, pp. 5-15.

F. Treré, Pietro da Rimini e il “Maestro di Santa Maria in Porto Fuori”, in “Ravenna Studi e Ricerche”, XVIII-XIX, 2011-2012, pp. 69-105.

G. Guazzini, A new Cycle by Giotto for the Scrovegni. The Chapel of Saint Catherine in the Basilica of Sant’Antonio in Padua, in “Mitteilungen des Kunsthistorischen Institutes in Florenz”, LXI, 2019, 2, pp. 169-201.

V. Camelliti, Gli affreschi del coro della Cappella Scrovegni: una nuova proposta, in “Mitteilungen des Kunsthistorischen Institutes in Florenz”, 2010-2012, 3, pp. 387-404.

Teaching methods

Lectures will take place in class with the aid of visual materials.

Assessment methods

The final examination will verify the fulfillment of the following learning objectives:

• knowledge of the topics and of the critical methodology discussed in class or studied in the literature;
• ability to use critical tools when examining a given image;
• ability to understand one's own critical opinion in relation to the historiographical debate. This ability is based on the assumption that our critical opinion is inevitably conditioned by our cultural views.

The exam will be exclusively in the form of an oral examination, which is evaluated in %30. It will be based on the images discussed in the books provided in the reading list or in class. Students should identify the works of art, demonstrate an understanding of their chronological, geographical and historical context, discuss their relationship with other works of art. For this reason, students are expected to bring their own books on the day of the exam.

Following the Alma Mater's guidelines, notably:

• the demonstration of an organic vision of the themes addressed in class or in books indicated in the reading list as well as of the critical use, command of oral expression and specific vocabulary, will be assessed with marks of excellence (28-30).
• mechanical and/or mnemonic knowledge of the subject, scarce ability of synthesis and analysis and/or the use of a correct but not always appropriate vocabulary will lead to discrete assessments (23-27).
• training gaps and/or inappropriate vocabulary - even in conjunction with a minimal knowledge of the subject - will lead to marks that will not exceed the minimum grade (18-22).
• training gaps, inappropriate vocabulary, lack of command of the bibliography discussed within the course will lead to negative evaluations.

Teaching tools

Exam materials and further readings can be found on VIRTUALE.

Students who are affected by learning disability (DSA) and in need of special strategies to compensate it, are kindly requested to contact the Teacher, in order to be referred to the colleagues in charge and get proper advice and instructions.

Office hours

See the website of Alessandro Volpe