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HA1A7-15 Sacred Art

Department
SCAPVC - History of Art
Level
Undergraduate Level 1
Module leader
Louise Bourdua
Credit value
15
Module duration
10 weeks
Assessment
60% coursework, 40% exam
Study location
University of Warwick main campus, Coventry

Introductory description

Much of the world's visual culture is faith-based: buildings and their decoration (painterly, sculptural, large and small scale), and the production of countless artefacts still on site or preserved in museums owe their existence (and sometimes destruction) to religious beliefs. The world is also becoming more religious; however, art history students are increasingly unfamiliar with the basic beliefs and narratives of the major world religions, the practices and rituals of believers, and the roles that sacred art and architecture play. This module aims to de-mystify ‘sacred art/architecture’ and introduce students to the characteristics and functions of religious imagery predominantly in the medieval and early modern periods, but not exclusively.

Module aims

This module will familiarise students with visual imagery and spatial settings common to many religions, explore how they came about, their links to textual sources and some doctrinal aspects, and how they were used and abused. We will explore this via themes such as the origins/borrowings of religious images, miracle-working images/statues, the importance of art for death and commemoration, and iconoclasm. Although we will focus primarily on Christian art (since Christians form the largest religious group in the world), we will encounter the visual culture of other religions (in the ancient world and later)such as Judaism, Islam, Buddhism. Ultimately, the module will make you aware of the religious dimension to much art and architecture, but also ask you to think critically about the frequent conflicts between art and belief.

Outline syllabus

This is an indicative module outline only to give an indication of the sort of topics that may be covered. Actual sessions held may differ.

From Pagan to Christian Art
Jesus: From Symbol to Crucified Man
Holy Persons/Principal Deities (Saints, Moses, Muhammad, the Buddha, Vishnu)
Relics and Reliquaries
Pilgrimages (Buildings)
Art & Death
Field Trip (Religious art on site)
Sacred Books
Iconoclasm

Learning outcomes

By the end of the module, students should be able to:

  • show understanding of diverse viewpoints
  • find, select, organize and synthesize evidence
  • formulate a sustained argument
  • think conceptually and independently at an appropriate level
  • gain proficiency in visual analysis
  • demonstrate bibliographical skills at an appropriate level
  • demonstrate critical analysis of cultural artefacts in their context
  • demonstrate an awareness of various manifestations of religious art
  • discuss critically the tensions between devotional imagery/objects and concepts of art
  • explain why faith often leads to the systematic destruction of imagery
  • present an argument, initiate and sustain group discussion through intelligent questioning and debate at an appropriate level
  • undertake research and to write up the results in the form of a well-structured argument at an appropriate level
  • become familiar with basic ICT skills
  • able to collaborate effectively with others

Indicative reading list

Kalman P. Bland, The Artless Jew: Medieval and Modern Affirmations and Denials of the Visual (Princeton, NJ: Princeton University Press, 2001), introduction.
Cynthia Hahn, ‘The Voices of the Saints: Speaking Reliquaries’, Gesta, 36 (1997), 20-31.
Wu Hung, “The Invisible Miniature: Framing the Soul in Chinese Art and Architecture,” Art History, 38, 2 (2015): 286-303.
R.M. Jensen, The cross: history, art, and controversy (Cambridge Ma.: Harvard University Press, 2017)
Aviad Kleinberg, The sensual God: how the Senses make the almighty senseless (Columbia University Press, 2015), Chapter 4
Richard McClary, Rum Selijuk Architecture, 1170 – 1220. The Patronage of Sultans (Edinburgh: Edinburgh University Press, 2017), Chapter 2
George Michell, The Hindu Temple. An Introduction to Its Meaning and Form (Chicago : University of Chicago Press, 1988)

View reading list on Talis Aspire

Subject specific skills

  • demonstrate an awareness of the principal genres of religious art: icons, altarpieces, crucifixes etc.
  • discuss critically the tensions between devotional imagery/objects and concepts of art
  • explain why faith often leads to the systematic destruction of imagery
  • Demonstrate sophisticated visual analysis
  • Demonstrate critical analysis of cultural artefacts in their context

Transferable skills

  • present an argument, initiate and sustain group discussion through intelligent questioning and debate at an appropriate level
  • ability to undertake research and to write up the results in the form of a well-structured argument at an appropriate level
  • familiarity with essential ICT skills
  • ability to collaborate effectively with others
  • show understanding of diverse viewpoints
  • ability to find, select, organize and synthesize evidence
  • ability to formulate a sustained argument
  • think conceptually and independently at an appropriate level
  • Demonstrate bibliographical skills at an appropriate level

Study time

Type Required
Seminars 10 sessions of 2 hours (13%)
Fieldwork 1 session of 2 hours (1%)
Private study 128 hours (85%)
Total 150 hours

Private study description

Required and recommended reading for seminar preparation, research for written assessments and revision for examinations.

Costs

No further costs have been identified for this module.

You do not need to pass all assessment components to pass the module.

Students can register for this module without taking any assessment.

Assessment group D1
Weighting Study time Eligible for self-certification
Assessment component
1500 word essay 40% No

Assessed Essay

Reassessment component is the same
Assessment component
Engagement 20% No
Reassessment component is the same
Assessment component
Online Written Assignment (Open Book) 40% No

Summer Term Exam Assignment

~Platforms - WAS


  • Online examination: No Answerbook required
Reassessment component is the same
Feedback on assessment

Written feedback and dedicated feedback tutorials.

Past exam papers for HA1A7

Courses

This module is Option list A for:

  • Year 1 of UHAA-V401 Undergraduate History of Art

This module is Option list B for:

  • Year 1 of UHAA-V3R3 Undergraduate History of Art with Italian

All Systems Operational