Faculdade de Ciências Sociais e Humanas

History of Art: Late Antiquity - 1st semester

Code

711061013

Academic unit

Faculdade de Ciências Sociais e Humanas

Department

História da Arte

Credits

6

Teacher in charge

Jorge Manuel de Oliveira Rodrigues

Weekly hours

4

Teaching language

Portuguese

Objectives

To understand the relevance of art from the 5th century - with Suevi, Merovingians and Byzantines - to the end of the first millennium, through a series of thematic case studies ranging from Late Antiquity models to the changes – artistic, cultural , philosophical, economical, social and political - operated between the 5th and 10th centuries;
To cognize facts and case studies, from several European contexts, that help place the parameters of evolution of the Late Antiquity and Early Middle Ages art in its diversity, including the Iberian and Portuguese coeval artistic production;
To critically assay the subject’s essential bibliography, including some of the most recent scientific contributions, at a national and international level;
To approach some of the most recent contributions in history of art research, including the meaning of centralized plans, the rapports amidst the “classical” heritage and the “barbarian” contributions, or the contact/influences between West and East.

Prerequisites

Not applicable

Subject matter

1 - From Late Antiquity to Middle Ages
1.1 - Transformation and decline of the Empire
1.2 – Constantine and the Tetrarchs: Latin West and Greek East
1.3 – The \"invention\" of the Holy Sepulcher and Monotheism
1.4 – Christianity in the Roman world
2 – A transitional art:
2.1 – Influences of the Ancient world: classicism and Paleochristianity
2.2 – ´Barbaric´ contributions: from nomadism to conquest
2.3 – Byzantium: survival and evolving of Roman models in the East
3 - Emergence of rural primacy and the origins of monasticism
3.1 – Primitive Christian monasticism
3.2 – Benedict of Nursia and the Benedictines
4 – Christianization of the Barbaric Kingdoms and the formation of European art:
4.1 – The rural/shut European territory
4.2 – Irish and Anglo-Saxon monasticism
4.3 - Merovingians and Carolingians
4.4 – Hispania: Suevic, Visigoth and Asturian art
5 – The year 1000: from millenarianism to the ‘white mantle of churches´

Bibliography

- A.A.V.V., Monjes y monasterios hispanos en la Alta Edad Media, Aguilar de Campoo: Fund. Sª. Mª la Real, 2006
- ALMEIDA, C. A. F., Hist. Arte Portugal 2. Arte da Alta Idade Média, Lisboa: Alfa: 1986
- BANGO TORVISO, I., Alta Edad Media de la tradición Hispanogoda al Romànico, Madrid: Sílex, 1989
- BARRAL Y ALTET, Xavier, A Alta Idade Média, Colónia: Taschen, 1998
- BOWERSOCK, G. W., BROWN, Peter, GRABAR, Oleg(ed.), Late Antiquity: a guide to the postclassical world, Cambridge/London: Belknap Press/Harvard Univ. Press, 1999
- CASTRO VALDÉS, César G., Arte Prerrománico en Asturias, Oviedo: Ed. Nobel, 2002
- GRABAR, André, Le premier art chrétien, Paris: Gallimard, 1966
- JOHNSON, Mark J., The Roman Imperial Mausoleum in Late Antiquity, Cambridge: Cambridge Univ. Press, 2009
- KRAUTHEIMER, Richard, Early Christian and Byzantine Architecture, New Haven/London: Yale Univ. Press (4ª ed.), 1986
- MACIEL, M. Justino, Antiguidade tardia e paleocristianismo em Portugal, Lisboa: Ed. Autor, 1996

Teaching method

Theoretical-practical classes including presentation of slides, maps, plans, elevations, diagrams and other graphic materials related to the subject, discussion of texts of primordial relevance and related field trips to Late Antiquity and Early Middle Ages monuments or museums comprising works of art from this period, namely Santa Comba de Bande (Ourense), San Pedro de la Nave (Zamora) or São Frutuoso de Montélios (Braga).

Evaluation method

Reading record of an essential text on Late Antiquity and Early Middle Ages art (special rules, defined in the evaluation criteria document apply) (15%)
Written paper analyzing a Late Antiquity and Early Middle Ages artistic object, maximum 10 pages of text + images and documents with no page limit (45%)
Written image or text commentary in class, 30 minutes (15%)
Written test with bibliographical consultation, comprehensively answering 2 of 3 given questions (25%) [possible exemption if the average marks of the other 3 evaluation elements equals or exceeds 14/20]

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