Course Catalogue

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This course examines the visual and material culture of the Italian Renaissance, including traditional media (painting, sculpture, architecture) and lesser-studied forms (such as prints, fashion, majolica, reliquaries, and votive objects). The course challenges traditional narratives of Italian Renaissance art by engaging with recent historiographical developments in the field, such as feminist, ecological, queer, post-colonial, and material culture perspectives.

1 x 1hr Lecture; 1 x 1hr Seminar per week over 10 weeks, per semester, as scheduled on MyCampus.

Successful completion of Junior Honours History of Art.

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Examination (180 minutes duration) - 50%

Essay 1 (3,000 words) - 20%

Essay 2 (3,000 words) - 20%

Seminar presentation of 10 minutes accompanied by presentation notes or PowerPoint slides - 10%

Reassessments are normally available for all courses, except those which contribute to the Honours classification. Where, exceptionally, reassessment on Honours courses is required to satisfy professional/accreditation requirements, only the overall course grade achieved at the first attempt will contribute to the Honours classification. For non-Honours courses, students are offered reassessment in all or any of the components of assessment if the satisfactory (threshold) grade for the overall course is not achieved at the first attempt. This is normally grade D3 for undergraduate students and grade C3 for postgraduate students. Exceptionally it may not be possible to offer reassessment of some coursework items, in which case the mark achieved at the first attempt will be counted towards the final course grade. Any such exceptions for this course are described below. 

This course aims to:

■ familiarise students with a wide range of fifteenth- and sixteenth-century visual and material culture from across the Italian peninsula, including traditional media (painting, sculpture, architecture) and lesser-studied forms (such as prints, fashion, majolica, reliquaries, and votive objects)

■ analyse critically traditional narratives of the Italian Renaissance by examining the limitations and biases of the canonical view of the period, including issues of gender, race, class, and geographical boundaries

■ engage with new historiographical and methodological approaches to Italian Renaissance art, such as feminist, ecological, postcolonial, queer, and global art histories

■ evaluate the intersection of art and power during the Renaissance, exploring how political, religious, and social contexts shaped artistic production and patronage

■ develop students' abilities in dealing with primary source texts, so that they can discuss, evaluate, and use them appropriately and effectively

By the end of this course students will be able to:

■ critique long-established ideas about the Italian Renaissance, by considering a wide range of art objects and by engaging with marginalized voices and perspectives

■ integrate advanced analysis of primary and secondary sources, including artworks, texts, and scholarly articles, with newer methods and theories

■ formulate a coherent argument in both written and oral work that is supported by critical engagement with visual and textual evidence

Students must submit at least 75% by weight of the components (including examinations) of the course's summative assessment.