Classicism: Antiquity to Christianity

The civilisations of Ancient Greece and Rome have provided a seemingly inexhaustible source of inspiration for European art, design and architecture.  This course explores the key elements of Classicism, and their subsequent re-interpretation and revival in later times.  It examines the cultural highlights of the Classical world, including Homeric myths and their representation in sculpture and vase-painting, the architecture of Athens and Rome, and the rich decoration and furnishings revealed at Herculaneum and Pompeii.  The course then investigates the afterlife of the classical era, exploring the ways in which classical themes, motifs and styles were re-discovered and interpreted.   It emphasizes that classicism is a living tradition, re-invented to meet the needs and interests of each new age.  The classical world has proved to be an endless source of inspiration for painters, sculptors and architects, as well as providing a set of standards or ideals to be adopted or renounced.  This art history course offers a unique perspective on western art by revealing the many faces of the classical world and tracing the ways in which European artists responded to it in later periods.