HA3A4-30 Giotto in Assisi and the Art of the Friars
Introductory description
This module focuses on the art, iconography and patronage of the Franciscan Order, arguably the most popular religious movement of the later middle ages. It investigates in detail how the cult of Francis of Assisi was promoted through images from its modest beginnings to the frescoed double church at Assisi painted in part by Giotto, the most important artist of late medieval Italy. Comparison is made with the other friars: Dominicans, Carmelites, Austin Hermits and the art of women religious.
Module aims
It will familiarise students with the culture of the late Middle Ages, and the place of imagery and art within that culture. The module aims to develop an awareness of the sources and methodologies used in the study of this period to encourage students to relate artistic production to religious belief, spiritual experience, and devotional practice in a sophisticated fashion.
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.
Setting the Scene: the Lives of Francis and Dominic
What comes First: the Picture or the Word?
The Cult of St Francis: Early Images
The Cult of St Francis: Assisi (the Lower & Upper Church)
Giotto and the ‘Assisi’ problem
Women Religious: the Art of the Poor Clares
Franciscan Responses to Assisi
The Other Friars: Dominic’s tomb in Bologna; paintings of St Dominic
The Other Friars: Carmelites and Austin Hermit
Learning outcomes
By the end of the module, students should be able to:
- Analyse medieval visual culture within an interdisciplinary framework
- Understand the relationship between text and image
- Demonstrate detailed knowledge of the monuments studied and their contexts
- Critically assess the role of artists vs. patrons within the context of artistic production in late medieval Italy
- 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
- Sophisticated visual analysis
- Bibliographical skills at an appropriate level
- Critical analysis of cultural artefacts in their context
Indicative reading list
Louise Bourdua, The Franciscans and Art Patronage in Late Medieval Italy, Cambridge: Cambridge, 2004 & 2011
Louise Bourdua & Anne Dunlop, Art and the Augustinian Order in Early Renaissance Italy, Aldershot & Burlington VT, 2007
William R. Cook, The Art of the Franciscan Order in Italy, Boston & Leiden: Brill, 2005
Joanna Cannon, Religious Poverty, Visual Riches: Art in the Dominican Churches of Central Italy in the Thirteenth and Fourteenth Centuries, New Haven & London, 2013
Donal Cooper & Janet Robson, The Making of Assisi: The Pope, the Franciscans and the Painting of the Basilica, New Haven & London, 2013
Anne Derbes & Mark Sandona eds., The Cambridge Companion to Giotto, Cambridge, 2003
Elvio Lunghi, The Basilica of St. Francis at Assisi: The frescoes by Giotto, his precursors and followers, London, 1996
Jeryldene Wood, Women, Art, and Spirituality: The Poor Clares of Early Modern Italy, Cambridge, 1996
View reading list on Talis Aspire
Subject specific skills
- analyse medieval visual culture within an interdisciplinary framework
- understand the relationship between text and image
- demonstrate detailed knowledge of the monuments studied and their contexts
- critically assess the role of artists vs. patrons within the context of artistic production in late medieval Italy
- sophisticated visual analysis
- critical analysis of cultural artefacts in their context
Transferable skills
- 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
- bibliographical skills at an appropriate level
Study time
Type | Required |
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Seminars | 10 sessions of 4 hours (13%) |
External visits | 1 session of 2 hours (1%) |
Private study | 258 hours (86%) |
Total | 300 hours |
Private study description
Required and recommended reading for seminar presentation, 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.
Assessment group A
Weighting | Study time | Eligible for self-certification | |
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Assessment component |
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2,000 word essay | 30% | No | |
Assessed Essay |
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Reassessment component is the same |
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Assessment component |
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Slide Test | 20% | No | |
Image Analysis Examination |
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Reassessment component is the same |
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Assessment component |
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Engagement | 10% | No | |
Reassessment component is the same |
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Assessment component |
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Online Examination (Open Book) | 40% | No | |
Summer Term Examination |
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Reassessment component is the same |
Feedback on assessment
Written feedback and dedicated feedback tutorials.
Courses
This module is Option list A for:
- Year 3 of UHAA-V3R3 Undergraduate History of Art with Italian
This module is Option list B for:
- Year 1 of THAA-V4P2 Postgraduate Taught History of Art
- Year 3 of UHAA-V401 Undergraduate History of Art
- Year 4 of UHAA-V3R1 Undergraduate History of Art and French