ARTH 6620 Gender and Sexuality in Art and Architecture: Witch Hunts in Early Modern Europe

• Instructor: Dr. Laurence Garneau

This seminar studies the representation of witches from the late 1400s to the mid-1600s, exploring the violent history of European witch hunts and the use of women’s bodies as a tool for political power. By employing art history theories and gender studies, it examines the role of women in maintaining social order and the persecution of “rebellious bodies” during the period shaped by religious, political, economic and health crises.

Gender and Sexuality in Art and Architecture: Witch Hunts in Early Modern Europe will highlight the role of prints in disseminating misogynistic ideas about women that shaped the concept of witches, such as Heinrich Kramer’s treatise Malleus Maleficarum (1487). Furthermore, the intricate relationship between power, gender and violence will be explored through the themes of printmaking; the scientific understanding of women’s anatomy; diabolical beliefs and witchcraft; sexuality, suffering and torture; caregiving witches; male witches and witches of the New World within the colonial enterprise. Students will be invited to discuss these topics in relation to current artistic practices and social events.

This class offers a chance to uncover new feminist viewpoints through a historical lens and gain a deeper understanding of the era’s complex ideas about women. Students will also develop their critical thinking skills and discover new areas of interest through discussions and interactions.