The Sistine Chapel and its Decoration, C.1480-C.1540(VS1) (U03074)

? Credit Points : 20 ? SCQF Level : 10 ? Acronym : ACE-4-HSistine

This course will consider the relation between function and decoration in the Chapel. In particular it will take into account works by Botticelli, Ghirlandaio, Perugino, Cosimo Rosselli, Signorelli, Michelangelo and Raphael. These were among the greatest artists of the Italian Renaissance and their contributions to the Chapel have always been seen as among the most important achievements of European art of any period. The reasons for the employment of these artists and the meanings of their works will be examined. Particular emphasis will be placed on defining the place of the Sistine Chapel within the liturgy and ceremonial of the papal court, as well as its physical location within the Vatican complex. The wider aspects of the artistic patronage of the Popes who were mainly responsible for its building and decoration - in particular Sixtus IV, Julius II, Leo X and Paul III - will be explored in order to understand more clearly their distinctive individual approaches to the chapel itself.

Entry Requirements

? This course is only available to part year visiting students.

? This course is a variant of the following course : U00926

? Pre-requisites : Equivalent of History of Art 1 and 2

Subject Areas

Home subject area

History of Art, (School of Arts, Culture and Environment, Schedule A)

Delivery Information

? Normal year taken : 4th year

? Delivery Period : Not being delivered

? Contact Teaching Time : 2 hour(s) per week for 11 weeks

? Additional Class Information : Seminars will take place on Tuesdays 2-3.50pm and 4.10-6pm. Students will attend one of these.

Summary of Intended Learning Outcomes

The importance of the Sistine chapel and its decoration hardly needs any comment and the students will gain a detailed acquaintance with, among other things, Michelangelo's vault paintings, his Last Judgement and Raphael's Tapestries.
On top of that, the students will come to see these great artistic achievements in the context of the needs and functioning of the papal court. The dual aspect of papal power and authority - spiritual and temporal - can be explored through the chapel. The contributions of different Popes can be seen as inflecting this dualism in revealing ways.
The Chapel can thus be seen as a document of papal history as well as the artistic product of a particular set of circumstances. Students will learn how works of art can illuminate our understanding of political and social issues as well as being themselves illuminated by knowledge of the circumstances within which they were produced.
There is a very considerable literature on the Chapel and students will therefore develop their critical skills through having to compare very different and often contradictory interpretations before making their own judgements.
It will be taught exclusively by seminars.