Learning objectives
The course aims to provide tools of analysis, knowledge, and ability to recognize stylistic and philological works of art. Topics and peculiar aspects of specific emergencies will be explored during the course in order to provide the tools to move from a particular case study to a more general framework. Moreover, great importance will be given to methods of analysis and construction of critical debate. Besides the course will gradually deepen, through seminar discussions, the readings provided during the regular course with the aim to improve student’s ability to learn and to expose.
Prerequisites
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Course unit content
The course will focus on the religious and secular architecture of the twelfth century both in Italy and Europe. Religious buildings Emilia will be firstly examined: the cathedral of Piacenza, Fidenza, Parma, Reggio Emilia, Modena, Bologna, Ferrara and abbey of Nonantola, Fontevivo, Chiaravalle della Colomba but also the most significant abbeys in other Italian (Chiaravalle di Fiastra Vezzolano Viboldone, etc..) and European regions (Fontenay, Cluny III, Pontigny, etc..). Also the baptismal structures in the northern Italy will be taken into consideration (Baptistery of Parma, Cremona, Verona, Florence, Pisa, etc..) as well as the transformations of the episcopal palaces. In the second phase the Palaces of the Government in Northern Italy will be analyzed (Novara, Como, Milan, Mantua, Parma, Cremona, etc..) as well as their location within the system of the new municipal cities.
Full programme
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Bibliography
A. M. Romanini, L’arte medievale in Italia, Firenze, Sansoni editore, 1988 ( o edizione successiva) dall’Arco di Costantino a Giotto compreso.
A.Peroni, Architettura e scultura: aggiornamenti, in Wiligelmo e Lanfranco nell’Europa romanica, atti del convegno (Modena, 24-27 ottobre 1985), Modena 1989, pp. 71-90.
S. Lomartire, “Inter Scultores”. La sculpture à la cathédrale de Modène (Italie) autour de 1100, in Hauts lieux romans dans le sud de l’Europe (XIe-XIIe siècles). Moissac, Saint-Jacques de Compostelle, Modène, Bari., Cahors. 2008.
A.M. Romanini, La cattedrale di Piacenza dal XI al XIII secolo, in «Bollettino Storico Piacentino», 101, 1956, p. 1-45.
G. Valenzano, Il duomo di Modena e la Basilica di San Zeno, Verona-Modena, 2000.
Nicholaus e l’arte del suo tempo, atti del seminario (Ferrara, 21-24 settembre), Ferrara, 1985
Benedetto Antelami e il Battistero di Parma, a cura di C. Frugoni, Torino, Einaudi, 1995.
Teaching methods
The teaching will mainly consist of lectures using an array of images prepared for each lesson. Besides the teacher will provide readings on the most relevant topics and will lead plenary discussions with the students referring to a series of articles and critical essays on particular issues for which will be organized weekly seminars.
Assessment methods and criteria
Students should be able to analyze the mediaeval architecture, with particular attention to its technical and stylistic peculiarities. At the same time, they should be able to understand the meanings in relation to the cultural context in which they have developed.
During the lectures an active participation is expected. The students are expected to deal with the case studies analyzed in the provided reading of essays and articles, thus sharpening their analytical skills and understanding the evolution of critical debate.
The final oral examination will consist of the analysis of the proposed works during the course, in light of the critical literature indicated in the bibliography. During the course students will also be asked to present a lecture on an emblematic case study on these topics through which students must demonstrate to be able to properly set up a personal study, the bibliographical research, the mind-net , thus putting at stake its capabilities in terms of independence of judgment and communication skills.
Other information
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