ARTH 364 Studies in Renaissance Art and Architecture

• Thursdays, 8:45-11:30 am
• Instructor: Dr. Laurence Garneau

This course examines the main artistic developments of the 14th, 15th, and 16th centuries, focusing on Italy and showing interest in the Netherlands, France, Spain, Britain, and their American colonies. The architecture, sculptures, paintings, and other artistic mediums such as engravings and textiles from the Renaissance will be examined within their respective contexts. Students will learn about historical methodology while engaging with sociologists, philosophers, anthropologists, decolonial and feminist thinkers who offer alternative perspectives. Each class provides an opportunity to challenge traditional approaches to history.

The course combines lectures, workshops, discussions, and a museum visit. Through these activities, students explore how technological innovations transformed artistic practices, how different styles emerged, the role of cultural exchange, the influence of humanist theory, and the advent of the intellectual artist. We will also attempt to answer questions such as “For whom was the Renaissance?” and discuss gender dynamics, the role of women artists, the cities’ access to books, and the colonial enterprise. At the end of the semester, students will have mastered the terminology and will be able to identify the main works of this period, conduct a thematic, contextual, and formal analysis of the works discussed in class, and apply these methods to comparable artworks.