Courses

The Middle Ages have been romantically revived many times over the past 200 years, most notably by Sir Walter Scott and William Morris in Great Britain and by Eugène Emmanuel Viollet-le-Duc in France. While not dismissing their portraits of the medieval period, we will look closely at the findings of recent archaeology in order to reach a nuanced assessment of what must be considered one of the most dazzling pinnacles of European cultural achievement. We will examine the treasure trove of artistic, architectural, and archaeological materials from the Middle Ages that has survived to the present day and that helps to illuminate the immensely rich cultural heritage of that period. The course will move from stunningly ambitious architectural projects (cathedrals and castles) to delicate handwork (ivory carvings and jewelry and reliquaries of gold and silver); and from sacred art (manuscript illumination) to the secular arts of war (chased armor and heraldry) and luxurious textiles (tapestries). In the so-called Age of Faith, many artists and artisans were creating for churches and seeking to evoke religious themes. Some believed their work was thus called to a higher standard; a desire to give their best to God may have deepened these artists’ dedication to their work and elevated its quality.