The goal of this course is to survey the major works of ecclesiastical
architecture, sculpture and stained glass produced in France between
approximately 1050 and 1400. These works were not created in isolation from
their surroundings; thus we will attempt to understand them not only
stylistically, but also in their original functional, social, and sometimes even
political settings. The course will emphasize the abbey church and the cathedral,
the two major ecclesiastical buildings of this period, as heterogeneous entities
that used architecture, sculpture, stained glass and other media, in conjunction
with church ritual, to render their sacred spaces distinct from, and elevated
above, the world outside. We will furthermore try to appreciate the special
centrality of the abbey church and the cathedral in high medieval society. Sites
for contact with God and for the development of advanced learning, they could
also serve as critical determinants of local economic and political life, and as
focuses of pilgrimage, trade, and international cultural exchange.
Requirements: midterm, final, three to four short papers.
No prerequisites. Enrollment limit: 30.
Satisfies the pre-1400 and pre-1800 requirements.