Art in Medieval Southern Italy: The Normans and the Romanesque



Overview

In the eleventh century there was a building boom across western Europe. The Romanesque style spread and transformed cities and monasteries. Large and imposing stone churches multiplied and became destinations for pilgrimage and devotion, as well as stages for political and social changes. In southern Italy this coincided with the Norman conquest and the first crusade, two events which shook society. In this course we will explore the art and architecture of mainland southern Italy, looking mainly at architecture, stone sculpture and carved ivories, but also touching on bronzes and manuscripts. Monuments such as the abbey of Montecassino, the cathedral of Salerno and the basilica of St Nicholas in Bari are some of the most enigmatic and intriguing works of Italian art history.

Over ten weeks, we will explore the answers to the following questions:

How did artists respond to the political upheaval of the Norman conquest? 

What was the artistic relationship between southern and northern Italy?

How did artists and patrons respond to Italy’s classical heritage?

In what ways did southern Italian art absorb influences from around the Mediterranean? 

To what extent can southern Italian art and architecture be considered part of the international Romanesque style?

Programme details

Courses starts: 16 Apr 2024

Week 0: Course Orientation 

Week 1: Introduction: What is Romanesque? 

Week 2: Southern Italian Architecture and Sculpture: Diverse Influences

Week 3: Montecassino: Rebirth?

Week 4: Salerno and Gregorian Reform

Week 5: The Salerno ivories

Week 6: Bari I: Before St Nicholas

Week 7: Bari II: The Basilica of St Nicholas

Week 8: Ivories: Horns, Boxes and Chess Sets

Week 9: Bronzes and Manuscripts

Week 10 Pathways of Portability: Italy and the Mediterranean

Digital Certification

To complete the course and receive a certificate, you will be required to attend and participate in at least 80% of the live sessions on the course and pass your final assignment. Upon successful completion, you will receive a link to download a University of Oxford digital certificate. Information on how to access this digital certificate will be emailed to you after the end of the course. The certificate will show your name, the course title and the dates of the course you attended. You will be able to download your certificate or share it on social media if you choose to do so.

Fees

Description Costs
Course Fee £257.00
Take this course for CATS points £10.00

Funding

If you are in receipt of a UK state benefit, you are a full-time student in the UK or a student on a low income, you may be eligible for a reduction of 50% of tuition fees. Please see the below link for full details:

Concessionary fees for short courses

Tutor

Dr Clare Vernon

Dr Clare Vernon is a specialist in the Mediterranean world in the central middle ages. She has a PhD from the University of Cambridge and has taught at Birkbeck, University of London and the universities of Manchester and Southampton. Her publications focus on the art of  southern Italy in the eleventh and twelfth centuries, including a  book, From Byzantine to Norman Italy: Mediterranean Art and Architecture in Medieval Bari.

Course aims

To explore the art and architecture of medieval southern Italy.

Course objectives:

  • To look in depth at artistic centres such as Bari, Salerno and Montecassino.
  • To develop students’ understanding of the breadth of Medieval art history.
  • To encourage critical reflection on the debates in the field.

Teaching methods

Each week students will watch a recorded lecture. Then there will be a live seminar where we will discuss the images, objects and buildings that were introduced during the lecture. 

Learning outcomes

By the end of the course, students will:

  • be familiar with the broad overview of art and architecture of mainland southern Italy in the eleventh century;
  • feel confident in looking at and analysing Romanesque buildings and objects;
  • understand the diverse influences that shaped medieval southern Italian culture.

Assessment methods

Students will write a 1,500 word critical analysis on a building or object of their choice. Guidance on how to complete the assessment will be given during the course. 

Students must submit a completed Declaration of Authorship form at the end of term when submitting your final piece of work. CATS points cannot be awarded without the aforementioned form - Declaration of Authorship form

Application

We will close for enrolments 7 days prior to the start date to allow us to complete the course set up. We will email you at that time (7 days before the course begins) with further information and joining instructions. As always, students will want to check spam and junk folders during this period to ensure that these emails are received.

To earn credit (CATS points) for your course you will need to register and pay an additional £10 fee per course. You can do this by ticking the relevant box at the bottom of the enrolment form or when enrolling online.

Please use the 'Book' or 'Apply' button on this page. Alternatively, please complete an enrolment form (Word) or enrolment form (Pdf).

Level and demands

No prior knowledge of medieval Art History is needed for this course.

Students who register for CATS points will receive a Record of CATS points on successful completion of their course assessment.

To earn credit (CATS points) you will need to register and pay an additional £10 fee per course. You can do this by ticking the relevant box at the bottom of the enrolment form or when enrolling online.

Coursework is an integral part of all weekly classes and everyone enrolled will be expected to do coursework in order to benefit fully from the course. Only those who have registered for credit will be awarded CATS points for completing work at the required standard.

Students who do not register for CATS points during the enrolment process can either register for CATS points prior to the start of their course or retrospectively from the January 1st after the current full academic year has been completed. If you are enrolled on the Certificate of Higher Education you need to indicate this on the enrolment form but there is no additional registration fee.

Most of the Department's weekly classes have 10 or 20 CATS points assigned to them. 10 CATS points at FHEQ Level 4 usually consist of ten 2-hour sessions. 20 CATS points at FHEQ Level 4 usually consist of twenty 2-hour sessions. It is expected that, for every 2 hours of tuition you are given, you will engage in eight hours of private study.

Credit Accumulation and Transfer Scheme (CATS)

Terms & conditions for applicants and students

Information on financial support