98798 - Decorative Arts in the Western Middle Ages (1) (LM)

Learning outcomes

By the end of this course students will know the specific issues of the history of decorative arts (ivories, metalwork, textiles, lavish books) during the Western Middle Ages (4th–15th centuries); acquire maturity and freedom of judgement learn to critically analyze the iconographical, technical, material and stylistic aspects of artworks and to historically interpret them by reconstructing the connections with their artistic, social and cultural context; learn a specific critical language to properly and effectively communicate contents on this category of medieval artworks.

Course contents

The course will focus on the western medieval production of those artifacts that have been gathered for several reasons (utilitarian function, importance of manual work, dimensions, use of precious materials) under the categories of applied, decorative, industrial, minor, precious or sumptuary arts in order to distinguish from and also originally subordinate them to the ‘major’ arts, architecture, painting, and sculpture. Indeed, this distinction appears to be arbitrary and, especially during the Middle Ages, these objects should be considered indeed as an integral and often pivotal part of the wider pictorial tradition.

The course will consist of two parts, the first one general and the second one monographic:

• 1. The controversial position of the precious arts in the studies of Art History; significant episodes of the decorative arts (ivories, metalworks, embroideries) during the western Middle Ages, from Late Antiquity to International Gothic.

• 2. Monographic focus on book covers in precious materials and their role in the Christian liturgy in connection with book illumination.

Readings/Bibliography

Alongside notes taken in class, attending students should study:

As for point 1.

• Castelfranchi, Liana. 2005. Lo splendore nascosto del Medioevo. Arti minori V - XIV secolo. Milan: Jaca Book.
• Collareta, Marco. 2003. “Arredi, suppellettili, decorazioni mobili.” In Arti e storia nel Medioevo, edited by Enrico Castelnuovo and Giuseppe Sergi, vol. 2. Del costruire: tecniche, artisti, artigiani, committenti, 303–328. Turin: G. Einaudi.

As for point 2.

• Mazal, Otto and Jean Vezin. 1996. “Legatura.” In Enciclopedia dell’Arte Medievale, vol. 7, 596–609. Rome: Treccani. https://www.treccani.it/enciclopedia/legatura_%28Enciclopedia-dell%27-Arte-Medievale%29/ [accessed 21 September 2022].

a couple of readings to be chosen between:

• Gaborit-Chopin, Danielle. 1991. “Avorio.” In Enciclopedia dell’Arte Medievale, vol. 2, 780–796. Rome: Treccani. https://www.treccani.it/enciclopedia/avorio_%28Enciclopedia-dell%27-Arte-Medievale%29/ [accessed 21 September 2022] (exclusively for the passages on book covers).
• Tomasi, Michele. 2003. “Avori.” In Arti e storia nel Medioevo, edited by Enrico Castelnuovo and Giuseppe Sergi, vol. 2. Del costruire: tecniche, artisti, artigiani, committenti, 453–467. Turin: G. Einaudi.

 

• Calderoni Masetti, Rosa and Victor H. Elber. 1997. “Oreficeria.” In Enciclopedia dell’Arte Medievale, vol. 8, 833–860. https://www.treccani.it/enciclopedia/oreficeria_%28Enciclopedia-dell%27-Arte-Medievale%29/ [accessed 21 September 2022]. Rome: Treccani (exclusively for the passages on book covers).
• Collareta, Marco. 2003. “Oreficeria e tecniche orafe.” In Arti e storia nel Medioevo, edited by Enrico Castelnuovo and Giuseppe Sergi, vol. 2. Del costruire: tecniche, artisti, artigiani, committenti, 549–560. Turin: G. Einaudi.

one reading to be chosen among:

• del Monaco, Gianluca. 2022. “Libri e spazi liturgici in epoca medievale.” In Gli spazi del sacro nell’Italia medievale, edited by Fabio Massaccesi and Giovanna Valenzano, 117–133. Bologna: Bologna University Press.
• Lowden, John. 2007. “The Word Made Visible: The Exterior of the Early Christian Book as Visual Argument.” In The Early Christian Book, edited by William E. Klingshirn and Linda Safran, 13–47. Washington, DC: The Catholic University of America Press.
• Zanichelli, Giuseppa Z. 2007. “Codici e arredo liturgico nel Medioevo.” In Arredi liturgici e architettura, edited by Arturo Carlo Quintavalle, 86–98. Milan: Electa.

 

Non-attending students should study:

As for point 1.

• Bologna, Ferdinando, 1972. Dalle arti minori all’industrial design: Storia di una ideologia. Bari: Laterza (and later editions).
• Castelfranchi, Liana. 2005. Lo splendore nascosto del Medioevo. Arti minori V - XIV secolo. Milan: Jaca Book.
• Collareta, Marco. 2003. “Arredi, suppellettili, decorazioni mobili.” In Arti e storia nel Medioevo, edited by Enrico Castelnuovo and Giuseppe Sergi, vol. 2. Del costruire: tecniche, artisti, artigiani, committenti, 303–328. Turin: G. Einaudi.

As for point 2.

• Mazal, Otto and Jean Vezin. 1996. “Legatura.” In Enciclopedia dell’Arte Medievale, vol. 7, 596–609. Rome: Treccani. https://www.treccani.it/enciclopedia/legatura_%28Enciclopedia-dell%27-Arte-Medievale%29/ [accessed 21 September 2022].

a couple of readings to be chosen between:

• Gaborit-Chopin, Danielle. 1991. “Avorio.” In Enciclopedia dell’Arte Medievale, vol. 2, 780–796. Rome: Treccani. https://www.treccani.it/enciclopedia/avorio_%28Enciclopedia-dell%27-Arte-Medievale%29/ [accessed 21 September 2022] (exclusively for the passages on book covers).
• Tomasi, Michele. 2003. “Avori.” In Arti e storia nel Medioevo, edited by Enrico Castelnuovo and Giuseppe Sergi, vol. 2. Del costruire: tecniche, artisti, artigiani, committenti, 453–467. Turin: G. Einaudi.

 

• Calderoni Masetti, Rosa and Victor H. Elber. 1997. “Oreficeria.” In Enciclopedia dell’Arte Medievale, vol. 8, 833–860. https://www.treccani.it/enciclopedia/oreficeria_%28Enciclopedia-dell%27-Arte-Medievale%29/ [accessed 21 September 2022]. Rome: Treccani (exclusively for the passages on book covers).
• Collareta, Marco. 2003. “Oreficeria e tecniche orafe.” In Arti e storia nel Medioevo, edited by Enrico Castelnuovo and Giuseppe Sergi, vol. 2. Del costruire: tecniche, artisti, artigiani, committenti, 549–560. Turin: G. Einaudi.

two readings to be chosen among:

• del Monaco, Gianluca. 2022. “Libri e spazi liturgici in epoca medievale.” In Gli spazi del sacro nell’Italia medievale, edited by Fabio Massaccesi and Giovanna Valenzano, 117–133. Bologna: Bologna University Press.
• Lowden, John. 2007. “The Word Made Visible: The Exterior of the Early Christian Book as Visual Argument.” In The Early Christian Book, edited by William E. Klingshirn and Linda Safran, 13–47. Washington, DC: The Catholic University of America Press.
• Zanichelli, Giuseppa Z. 2007. “Codici e arredo liturgico nel Medioevo.” In Arredi liturgici e architettura, edited by Arturo Carlo Quintavalle, 86–98. Milan: Electa.

Teaching methods

Frontal teaching lessons, supported by PPT images, accompanied by interactive teaching, visits to collections in Bologna and/or other Italian cities.

Assessment methods

Oral exam with three questions: for attending students the first question will focus on point 1. and consist in the identification of and brief comment with reference to the notes taken in class and the suggested readings on three artworks (ivories, metalworks, embroideries) among those discussed in class and reproduced in Liana Castelfranchi’s book, this question can be passed with at least two artworks identified, the second question will focus on the notes taken in class and the PPT slides without captions of the lesson related to point 2., the third question will focus on one of the readings suggested for point 2., for non-attending students all three questions will focus on the readings suggested for point 1. and 2.

Teaching tools

PPT presentations.

Office hours

See the website of Gianluca Del Monaco