ARTH 315 - Medieval Treasuries

FC ARHU

4 credits
Treasuries were the main venue for collecting objects during the Middle Ages. Established by churches or individuals, treasuries could hold relics, reliquaries, antiquities, gems, metalwork, books, and natural rarities. Incorporating objects old and new, near and far, they were a meeting ground for diverse materials, like the crystal vase that traveled from Cairo through Muslim Spain to Paris. Treasuries thus offer fertile ground for studying how people made, adapted, understood, and (sometimes) destroyed objects. Embracing Europe and the Mediterranean, we will consider Christian, Jewish, and Muslim treasuries, and study the Cleveland Museum of Art’s collection. Field trip(s) required. Recommended Preparation: one intermediate (200-level, formerly 300-level) course in art history.