Art History: Ancient Greece to the early Renaissance

This course addresses the Renaissance notion of 're-birth,' as participants learn about the renewed interest in classical Greco-Roman civilizations in the 15th and early 16th centuries through a careful grounding in the arts of antiquity.

Participants will examine the foundational architecture and sculpture that survives from the 5th century BCE through the Hellenistic period and into the Roman world as it changes from paganism to Christianity. Byzantium and the arts of the Middle Ages are explored as well, tracing the ways in which Christendom was glorified through light and colour in Gothic churches and sacred objects. With site visits to major museums and galleries, as well as guest speakers who will share their expertise, participants will explore these topics not only through lectures, but through on-site experiences and in conversation with industry leaders.

The broad cultural, political and economic developments are documented, leading to the birth of humanism and the search for agency in a world that was expanding geographically out of Europe. At the centre were the thinkers and theologians of the Italian Renaissance, and propelling these ideas were the merchants and bankers who employed a new breed of artists. Participants can expect to gain practical and intellectual skills, such how to conduct a visual analysis of an artwork, as well as transferable skills and a knowledge and understanding of art that is useful beyond the walls of the classroom.