Studying at York
An Introduction to Medieval Art - HOA00030I
- Department: History of Art
- Module co-ordinator: Information currently unavailable
- Credit value: 20 credits
- Credit level: I
- Academic year of delivery: 2022-23
Module summary
In the popular imagination the Middle Ages are perceived as a dull interlude in art history, characterised by drabness, violence and stifling piety. This module explodes these myths, excavating the material legacies of the Middle Ages in all their brilliant splendour: luminescent stained-glass windows, soaring vaults, vivid carvings and bejewelled reliquaries that betray a visceral intimacy between art and the body. This module introduces students to issues of critical importance, not just for medieval art, but also for our undersanding of the visual culture of the Early Modern and Modern periods: relationships between different media, materials and meanings, art and performance, the body and the image, and the religious and social functions of objects and spaces.
Module will run
| Occurrence | Teaching period |
|---|---|
| A | Autumn Term 2022-23 |
Module aims
In the popular imagination the Middle Ages are perceived as a dull interlude in art history, characterised by drabness, violence and stifling piety. This module explodes these myths, excavating the material legacies of the Middle Ages in all their brilliant splendour: luminescent stained-glass windows, soaring vaults, vivid carvings and bejewelled reliquaries that betray a visceral intimacy between art and the body. This module introduces students to issues of critical importance, not just for medieval art, but also for our undersanding of the visual culture of the Early Modern and Modern periods: relationships between different media, materials and meanings, art and performance, the body and the image, and the religious and social functions of objects and spaces.
Module learning outcomes
Students should have a good understanding of key terms, problems and methodologies in medieval art history. They will have a broad awareness of different cultural phenomena, as well as a familiarity with a small number of case studies.
Indicative assessment
| Task | Length | % of module mark |
|---|---|---|
| Essay/coursework An Introduction to Medieval Art |
N/A | 100 |
Special assessment rules
None
Indicative reassessment
| Task | Length | % of module mark |
|---|---|---|
| Essay/coursework An Introduction to Medieval Art |
N/A | 100 |
Module feedback
You will receive feedback on assessed work within the timeframes set out by the University - please check the Guide to Assessment, Standards, Marking and Feedback for more information.
The purpose of feedback is to help you to improve your future work. If you do not understand your feedback or want to talk about your ideas further, you are warmly encouraged to meet your Supervisor during their Office Hours.
Indicative reading
- Binski, P., Medieval death: ritual and representation (London, 1996)
- Camille, M., Gothic art (many eds)
- Coldstream, N., Medieval Architecture (Oxford, 2002)
- Holt, E. ed., A Documentary History of Art. Volume 1: the Middle Ages and the Renaissance (Princeton, 1981)
- Jacobus de Voragine, The Golden Legend (many eds)
- Rudolph, C., ed. A Companion to Medieval Art: Romanesque and Gothic in Northern Europe (Malden, MA, 2006)
- Sears, Thomas and Forsyth, eds, Reading medieval images: the art historian and the object, eds (Ann Arbor, MI, 2002)
- Williamson, P., Gothic sculpture 1140-1300 (New Haven; London, 1995)