HISTORY OF MEDIEVAL ART

The course is scheduled among the affine/integrative art-historical disciplines in the Master’s Degree Programme in Economics and administration of arts and culture.

The course aims to develop:
1) In-depth knowledge of medieval objects and their original context (materials, techniques, functions, patronage, religious and social uses).
2) Ability to analyze and contextualize historically and artistically: interpreting artworks within their historical, political, economic, and cultural environments.
3) Critical awareness of the reception of the Middle Ages: understanding how medieval art has been reinterpreted, collected, and exhibited over time.
4) Knowledge of musealization processes and exhibition strategies applied to medieval art, including their limits and ethical considerations.
5) Critical understanding of curatorial challenges: recognizing the main issues involved in exhibiting medieval art, such as decontextualization, conservation, legibility of religious meanings, narrative construction, and public communication.
6) Communication skills: effectively and rigorously describing and presenting an artwork.

No expected prerequisites for attending the course.

The course is organized into two main parts, combining a seminar approach with lectures, guided discussions, and practical activities.
PART I: Society, Institutions, and Medieval Objects
In this first phase, the course will examine the main actors, institutions, and concepts that shaped medieval society (religious and civic institutions, aristocratic and urban patronage, devotional and cultural practices). Once necessary contextual knowledge has been acquired, the analysis will focus to a detailed examination of objects produced during the Middle Ages, including icons, reliquaries, manuscripts, architecture, painting, and sculpture, investigating both their original meaning and their later reception.
PART II: Collections, Museums, and Exhibitions of Medieval Art
The second part of the course will focus on the musealization, collections, and exhibitions of medieval art. Exemplary cases of collections, museums, and exhibitions will be analyzed, with particular attention to the challenges posed by the display of devotional objects, including decontextualization, the loss or transformation of religious meanings, conservation and ethical issues, and strategies for public communication. This part of the course will have a strong seminar component, including student presentations and in-class discussions of their research. When possible, the course will also include field lessons at museums, collections, or exhibitions of medieval art, as well as lectures by international scholars.

Lecture Notes
- Kleiner, Fred S. Gardner’s Art through the Ages: A Global History. 13th ed. Cengage Learning, 2009, Intro; ch. 12-14 (pp.1-13; 347-442);
- Belting, Hans. Likeness and presence: a history of the image before the era of art. The University of Chicago Press, 1994, Intro; ch. 16-17 (pp. 1-15; 330-376);
- D. Freedberg, The Power of Images. Studies in the History and Theory of Response, The University of Chicago Press, Chicago and London, 1989, ch. 1.;
- Montanari, Tomaso, and Vincenzo Trione. Contro le mostre. Einaudi, 2017. Ch. 1: Business Art (pp. 11-38);
- Brown, Michelle P. “The Modern Medieval Museum.” In A Companion to Medieval Art, edited by Rudolph Conrad. Blackwell, 2019 (pp. 957-976).

Bibliographical updates concerning the specific lectures and/or topics covered will be provided during the course.

PDF Lessons will be uploaded in MOODLE.

- Class participation (10%)
Assessment will consider attendance and, above all, the quality of student contributions. This includes the ability to ask pertinent questions, offer critical observations, and connect assigned readings to the topics discussed in class.
- Presentation of the students (20%)
Each student will give a presentation of approximately fifteen minutes, supported by visual materials, on a topic agreed upon with the instructor. The topic may concern a single medieval artwork or a group of works, a production context, an episode of collecting, a museum, or an exhibition. Evaluation will focus on analytical ability, clarity of exposition, appropriate use of historical-artistic terminology, and the ability to engage in discussion with peers.
- Individual written research paper (30%)
The paper should be a maximum of fifteen pages (excluding bibliography and illustrations) and must be submitted at least fifteen days before the exam. The paper should include an introduction, a critical discussion of sources and scholarship, a conclusion, a structured bibliography, and an illustrated appendix with a list of illustrations. Assessment will consider the coherence of argumentation, critical thinking, accurate use of bibliography, formal correctness, and clarity of writing. Formatting guidelines: Times New Roman, size 12, 1.5 line spacing; footnotes according to thesis standards; illustrations at the end of the text with a list of figures; complete bibliography at the end.
- Final oral exam (40%)
The oral exam will cover course content, bibliography, and topics addressed in lectures and presentations. Students are expected to demonstrate solid knowledge of medieval artworks and their contexts, the ability to discuss issues related to reception and musealization, and proficiency in specialized terminology. The exam will also include discussion of the individual research paper.

oral

Class Participation (10%)
Presentations (20%)
Individual Written Research Paper (30%)
Final Oral Exam (40%)

Grading Scale
28–30 cum laude: the student demonstrates full mastery of the topics covered in class and in the provided bibliography, with the ability to prioritize and structure information effectively. Technical terminology is used appropriately. Oral presentation is clear, fluent, and well-structured, while written work is correct, articulate, and methodologically rigorous.
26–27: good knowledge of the topics covered in class and, to a lesser extent, in the provided bibliography. Ability to organize information and present it orally with reasonable clarity and demonstrate familiarity with technical terminology; written work is correct and orderly but may be less critically developed.
24–25: knowledge of the topics is not always thorough. Oral presentation is generally organized, but the use of technical terminology is not always correct; written work is understandable but mainly descriptive and minimally problematized.
22–23: knowledge of topics is often superficial. Oral presentation is unclear and lacks proper use of technical terminology; written work shows weaknesses in logical structure and argumentation.
18–21: knowledge of the topics is fragmented and incomplete. Oral presentation is confused, with little or improper use of technical terminology; written work is inadequate, with issues in clarity, structure, and formal accuracy.

The course is organized on a seminar basis and includes lectures, visits to collections, museums, sites, or exhibitions of medieval art (when possible), and in-class discussions of assigned readings. Students are required to present their research in class, which will serve as the basis for collegial discussion. The research will then be submitted in written form to the instructor and will constitute part of the final assessment.