Art and Society in Pre-modern Europe
The course is intended as an introduction to the visual culture of pre-modern Europe. During each session, we will
analyse various types of images and discuss their social and religious background. The aim of the course is to
demonstrate connections between art and society in a wider anthropological perspective. The participants should
learn about the background of different pre-modern visual traditions, many of them also present in modern culture.
Moreover, they should learn how visual sources could be used to enrichen our understanding of society. Syllabus:
1) Medium is the message. Medieval "art", its transmission and functions
2) Christ's Body. Eucharistic cult and miraculous depictions of Christ
3) Jewish sow. The rise of anti-judaism and its visual representations
4) Everyday Hell. The depiction of Hell and everyday morality
5) In Praise of Folly. Fools and their function in visual art
6) Power of women. Gender in pre-modern society and images of strong women and weak men
7) Love hurts. The medieval concept of love and its visual representation
8) Medieval obscenities. Scatology and sexuality in pre-modern art and their function
9) The rise of the living dead. Ghosts and other revenants, the triumph of death
10) Naughty priests. Critics of the Church, reformation, anti-reformation and their propaganda
11) Good King. Wenceslas National saints and their role in pre-modern society
12) Diabolic Pope. Medieval Heretics and the Roman Church
Poslední úprava: Beranová Eva, Mgr. (17.01.2019)
The course is intended as an introduction to visual culture of pre-modern Europe. During each
session, we will analyse various types of images and discuss their social and religious
background. The aim of the course is to demonstrate connections between art and the society in wider anthropological perspective. The participants
should learn about the background of different pre-modern visual traditions, many of them also present in the
modern culture. Moreover, they should learn how visual sources could be used to enrichen our understandingof the society.
Syllabus:
1) Medium is the message
Medieval "art", its transmisssion and functions
2) Body of Christ
Eucharistic cult and miraculous depictions of Christ
3) Jewish sow
Rise of anti-judaism and its visual representations
4) Everyday Hell
Depiction of Hell and everyday morality
5) In Praise of Folly
Fools and their function in visual art
6) Power of women
Gender in pre-modern society and images of strong women and weak men
7) Love hurts
Medieval concept of love and its visual representation
8) Medieval obscenities
Scatology and sexuality in pre-modern art and their function
9) Rise of the living dead
Ghosts and other revenants, triumph of death
10) Naughty priests
Critics of church, reformation, antireformation and their propaganda
11) Good king Wenceslas
National saints and their role in pre-modern society
12) Baby Jesus
Changing depictions of Christmas story and Jesus' youth
13) Final test
Poslední úprava: Dienstbier Jan, Mgr. et Mgr., Ph.D., Ph.D. (02.10.2017)
