Seminar in Classical Art

Taking the principal artistic achievements of Greek, Hellenistic and Roman civilizations as its obvious point of departure, this seminar course is also intended to highlight the manifold manifestations of the pivotal impact of the Classical tradition on European architecture, sculpture and painting of the later periods. The specific content of the course – to be announced in advance prior to the beginning of the pertinent semester – is variable. Within the time frame of one academic year, it shall accordingly focus on a more narrowly defined topic selected by the lecturer from among several alternatives; a single semester's course may thus examine: (A) a group of typologically, stylistically or iconographically related artifacts or architectural monuments; (B) a single outstanding artistic personality or workshop set against the background of its respective political, social and cultural contexts; (C) any distinctly classical or classicizing artistic genre; (D) any Greek or Latin (classical or postclassical) literary or non-literary source text (or a series of textual testimonies) which demonstrably left a lasting mark on the past and present reception and perception of the Classical tradition in Western Europe; (E) one or more outstanding patrons of the arts, antiquarian scholars or collectors of Graeco-Roman antiquities.