MAKING AND REMAKING RENAISSANCE ART

This course introduces students to the history of techniques and the characteristics of specific techniques, in the Early Renaissance and Renaissance periods. Through the analysis of works of art as well as through practical workshops, the course covers Renaissance artistic methods and highlights the importance of painting, drawing, and sculpture for artists in the fourteenth, fifteenth and sixteenth centuries. It examines the ways in which artists were trained and acquired their skills, and also how artists’ workshops and academies functioned. Furthermore, this course explores the impact that the conservation and cleaning of Renaissance artworks have had on art-historical studies, and it introduces students to some of the controversies and ethical issues surrounding current debates about conservation and restoration. Students develop a sensitivity to the question of condition and become equipped with basic knowledge of Renaissance artist techniques and workshop practices, and this consolidates and enhances their understanding of Renaissance artworks.