ICONOGRAPHY AND ICONOLOGY

Iconography and Iconology is one of the core educational activities of the Master's degree in History of Arts and Conservation of Artistic Heritage. The course aims to provide students with basic tools in order to understand iconographic and iconological approaches and the most recent debates about image theories.

Knowledge and understanding: deep knwoledge of the main concepts and terms of the discipline; kwnowledge in history of iconology and its principal scolars ; deep kwoledge on the case studies discussed during the course.
Ability to employ knowledge and understanding: good use of the main concepts and terms referring to iconography and iconology; capacity to elaborate a personal and critical speech based on the tools provided by the teacher.
Capacity of judgment: students will be able to develop a critical and personal point of view on the different iconological theories.
Communicative skills: students will be able to discuss specific subjects, respecting Italian syntax and enjoying the dialogue with teacher and other students.
Understanding skills: students’ understanding skills will be stimulate by seminar approach and discussions with teacher, scholars and other students.

Good knowledge of History of Modern Art, especially Italian Renaissance painting (XVIth century).

The course will be held in two sessions. The first part will be mainly theoretical, starting from the traditional iconografic and iconological approaches to the most recent debates about images (Bildwissenschaft, new icology by H. Belting, etc.)
The second part will be dedicated to the Venetian Renaissance painting. Students, together with the class and the teacher, will be required to take part actively in order to analyze and discuss the case study and bibliography.

BIBLIOGRAPHY
For the theoretical part:
- A. Warburg, La rinascita del paganesimo antico, Firenze 1966, in particolare l’introduzione a cura di G. Bing, pp. IX-XXXI e il saggio dedicato a Palazzo Schifanoia.
- E. Panofsky, « Introduzione », in Studi di iconologia. I temi umanistici nell’arte del Rinascimento, Torino 1975, pp. 3-38 e E. Panofsky, « Introduzione. La storia dell’arte come disciplina umanistica », in Il Significato delle arti visive, Torino 1962 e 1996, pp. 3-28.
- E. Gombrich, “La psicologia e l’enigma dello stile” in Arte e illusione, Torino 1965, pp. 3-35.
- M. A. Holly, Iconologia e iconografia : saggio sulla storia intellettuale, Milano, Jaca Book, 1993 (sta anche in L'Arte. Critica e Conservazione, Milano,Jaca Book, 1993, pp. 41-74).
- R. von Straten, Introduzione all’iconografia, Milano, Jaca Book, 2009, capp. 1-5, pp. 11-118.
- A. Pinotti, A. Somaini (a cura di), Teorie dell’immagine. Il dibattito contemporaneo, Roma, Raffaello Cortina Editore, Introduzione e capp. 1-4, pp. 9-154.

For the monographic section, the bibliography will be specified at the beginning of the course.

The oral exam will focus on the contents of the course and the bibliography, while the written one consists in a brief paper (term paper: 15 days before the date of the oral exam) that the student will discuss during the oral exam and/or in the classroom.

written and oral

Grades in the range 18-22 correspond to a sufficient level; grades in the range 23-26 correspond to a fair level; grades in the range 27-30 correspond to an excellent level and honours are awarded for excellent performance. The depth of knowledge acquired through compulsory reading, the use of appropriate language and specific terminology, and in particular critical and analytical skills will be assessed.

The course provides lectures for the theoretical part and seminars on Venetian Renaissance painting. Academic scholars will be invited to increase specific aspects.

The attendance at this course is strongly recommended.

This subject deals with topics related to the macro-area "Human capital, health, education" and contributes to the achievement of one or more goals of U. N. Agenda for Sustainable Development