Course

Christian Art, East and West (II)

This course explores the developments in visual arts used in eastern and western Christian traditions from the fall of the Eastern Roman (Byzantine) Empire until the present time. Students will learn about how traditional Eastern/Byzantine iconography influenced western art and how the developments in the West in the post-Renaissance period influenced both the style and iconography of icons used in the Orthodox Church. Special attention will be paid to the developments in the twentieth century and the relationships between modern/avant-garde art and Orthodox icon painting.

By the end of the course, students are expected to be able to:

  • demonstrate knowledge of major themes, concepts and periods in the history of Christian art/visual representations in the post-Byzantine period
  • identify major stylistic properties of artworks from different periods
  • compare and contrast iconographic and stylistic/visual properties of artworks and individual artists from different periods
  • discuss the properties and meaning of individual artworks within the broader historical, social and cultural contexts

The course literature may be subject to revision.

All students will be required to read the following texts (or selected chapters):

Džalto, Davor (2019). “Icons: the Orthodox Understanding of Images and the Influence on Western Art” European History Online. http://ieg-ego.eu/en/threads/european-media/media-of-religious-transfer/davor-dzalto-icons/view (15 p.)

Gatrall, Jefferson J., Greenfield Douglas (2010). Alter Icons: The Russian Icon and Modernity. University Park: The Pennsylvania State University Press. (250 p.)

Honour, Hugh, Fleming, John (2018). A World History of Art. London: Laurence King (200 p.)

Spira, Andrew (2008). The Avant-Garde Icon: Russian Avant-Garde Art and The Icon Painting Tradition. Burlington: Lund Humphries. (213 p.)

Williamson, Beth (2004). Christian Art: A Very Short Introduction. Oxford: Oxford University Press (130 p.)

Additional texts/handouts may be assigned.

The schedule is available at the latest one month before the course starts. We do not recommend that you print the schedule as some changes may happen.

Open the Schedule

Davor Džalto

Professor in Religion, Art and Democracy

davor.dzalto@ehs.se

Grades

A = Excellent, B = Very good, C = Good, D = Satisfactory, E = Sufficient, Fx = Insufficient, F = Insufficient

Examination Format

  • Papers
  • Seminars
  • Take-home examination

Grundläggande behörighet.

Established by Subject Representative College at Enskilda Högskolan Stockholm on January 22, 2020.