ARTH 390 - Wood, Flesh, Metal, Blood

FC ARHU WADV

4 credits
The early modern period in Europe saw an explosion in the production of “stuff”. This seminar explores the significance of materials at this time, when, for instance, wood was compared to the human body and metals to blood. Working with materials in workshops, laboratories, and marketplaces, artisans developed hands-on experience that paved the way for much of the “higher learning” of the Scientific Revolution. Cross-cultural exchange of, and appreciation for, materials will also be considered.

Prerequisites: one 200-level course in ARTH.