From the video for The Carters’ song “APESHIT,” to The Da Vinci Code by Dan Brown, works of art from the Italian Renaissance continue to drive cultural expression today. This course, featuring the work of Leonardo da Vinci, Botticelli, Michelangelo, and Raphael, explores the artistic tradition in Italy between the years 1300–1550. Why was this period, the Renaissance, called a “rebirth”—a rebirth of what? How did artists become so famous, producing works like the Mona Lisa and the Sistine Chapel that are still widely known and referenced today? The objective of this course is to shed light on the factors that supported new developments in visual art and architecture during this period. These include the demands of powerful and varied patrons—from merchants to popes, princes to monastic orders—and a fascination with both the ancient world and the natural world. We will think critically about the institutions and individuals motivated to commission these works. The Italian Renaissance marks the beginning of a shift in the social status of artists and provides a basis for understanding the ways in which we think about art and artists that is still influential today.

HISTART Distribution Requirements: D. Europe and the US, 3. Early Modern

Course Requirements:

A 6-8 page paper and two slide-essay exams. Attendance of the lectures and weekly section is required.

Class Format:

Two 80-minute lectures and one 50-minute discussion section per week.