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HA4321 Themes in Northern Painting

Module Organisers: Dr Yvonne Scott, Dr. Peter Cherry
Duration of the Module: Michaelmas and Hilary term
Contact Hours: 1 lecture pw, and 1 seminar per fortnight
Weighting: 10 ECTS
Assessment: Coursework and summer examination

This module will focus on artistic achievements in northern Europe from the fifteenth to the seventeenth century, from the innovations of Jan van Eyck to the so-called �golden age� of Dutch and Flemish painting, and will consider these in the social, economic, political and cultural context of the age. It will examine the importance of the painted image in the creation of personal, civic, national and religious identity, in a dynamic period of dynastic alliances and religious conflict, of geographic discovery and scientific exploration. It will explore the complex reasons behind the specialization of artists in the thematic areas of landscape, religion, portraiture, genre, and still life, as well as the important changes in patronage and the market which affected the production of art. The thematic interests of a number of artists, and their contexts will be examined in order to gain insight into the ways in which art mirrored the society in which it was created. Contributors include Dr Peter Cherry, Dr Yvonne Scott, Dr Philip McEvansoneya, and Dr Angela Griffith.

Learning Outcomes

On successful completion of this module, students should be able to:

identify the major works of a selected number of painters and sculptors active in Northern Europe during the period c.1500��c.1700.
identify and explain key trends in style, artistic practice and patronage at different historical points and in different artistic centres over the period
explain the function and meaning of a range of types of visual art and imagery in different cultural contexts over the period
engage critically with texts, methodologies and scholarly debates which have shaped art-historical interpretations of the period
interpret visual and written evidence to formulate informed, contextual analyses of visual art of the period
defend an argument in response to a specific question in written and oral presentations, using concrete examples of works of art

The following files are password protected

Lecture List (PDF, 70kb)

Seminar List (PDF, 70kb)