Fall Term 2001
Professor Joe Byrne (Fidelity 311 / 460-5418)
Mondays 5:30 - 8:00
Leu Auditorium
Belmont University, Nashville, Tennessee

This is a course devoted to the study of the artistic culture of the early Christian Church and its continuation in the Eastern Orthodox traditions. We meet in the Leu Multi-Media Auditorium, which will provide us a perfect venue for examining and discussing the pictorial remains of these cultures, which often seem alien to Western Christians. I will emphasize an analysis of these works of painting, sculpture, mosaic work, jewelry, textiles and architecture that relates them to the Asian, African and European expressions of Christianity from which they sprung. This is thus a course largely engaged with the history of Eastern Christianity and its iconographic manifestations. The linkage of the divine and the imperial that defined the political basis of the Byzantine Empire will lead us to consider the broader scope of imagery: the power of God and the power of his Emperors. But the Byzantine tradition transcended the boundaries of the Empire, and we will trace it in the Christian communities dominated by Islam, in Italy up to the Renaissance, and in Russia and South-Eastern Europe well into modern times.

********************
BOOKS

REQUIRED:
John Lowden, Early Christian and Byzantine Art (Phaidon, 1997)
Our basic textbook. This is a work in a new series of art historical
monographs that emphasizes cultural context as well as artistic
properties of the works studied. It is well illustrated in color, and
covers the gamut of artistic media, with a glossary and chronology.

Cyril Mango, The Art of the Byzantine Empire: 312-1453 (Prentice-Hall, 1972)
This collection of original source documents provides us a wonderful
set of written arguments, descriptions, recollections, narratives and
references regarding Christian art in the Eastern Empire from
Constantine to the fall of his city, Constantinople, in 1453.

Timothy Ware, The Orthodox Church (New Edition, Penguin Books, 1993)
Timothy (Kallistos) Ware is an Englishman who converted to the Orthodox
Church and became both priest and monk. His classic text presents us with
a clear framework for understanding Eastern Christian history, tradition,
beliefs, practices and thus the art that embodies these. It is divided thus:
about two-thirds history and one-third faith and worship.

Paul Corby Finney, The Invisible God: The Earliest Christians on Art (Oxford, 1994)
I hope that all students choose to purchase this very valuable study of
Early Christian art and writings about art. Finney places these in the
context of Roman imperial art and pagan art and worship. It is extremely
useful for students interested in the Roman catacombs, the first Christian
art galleries.

PROJECTS AND  GRADING*

COURSE PROJECT:
You will develop and post to the web a website on a particular course topic that you will choose in consultation with me. You may use any platform you wish, or, if you have no website construction skills, I can tutor you in the use of Netscape Composer. You can download this to your computer for free.  Your site must be analytical, and not merely constitute a catalogue of pretty pictures. You will be provided with full instructions and guidelines. Grading will take into account your artistic or technological backgrounds and experience, as well as basic construction criteria that will be explained fully.

JOURNAL:
As you meet this art and learn about it through reading and lecture, you will maintain a journal of factual information and your reactions (emotional, aesthetic, intellectual, artistic, etc.) to it. I want to encourage in you a sensitivity to this art that is both affective and intellectual; I am hoping that you will grow in this as the term progresses, and that this growth is reflected in your writing. Those with little artistic background or experience may find this awkward at first, but grading will reflect your growth rather than any absolute standard. It may be collected weekly, and a week’s work and reflection should involve at least several (4-7) pages of writing. Please have a photocopy of your accumulated work at each class session for potential collection.

EXAMINATIONS:
There will be two midterm exams during the term, and one during finals week. Each will cover roughly one-third of the course. Of the first two, part will be take-home essay, and part will be slide identification and discussion. The final will have both of these parts in class as scheduled. Quizzes will be given in WebCT at announced points weeks without exams. The exams are worth 83 points (8.3% each), and quizzes are worth 84 points, or 8.4% of your final grade.

ATTENDANCE AND PARTICIPATION:
I expect that every student will be present at the beginning of class on each class day. Missing one day means missing the equivalent of one week of contact time. I expect that every student will be prepared to discuss the works assigned for the day, and will do so when the time comes. I expect that all students will participate actively in the on-line elements of the course to the best of their abilities. Failures in any of these areas will be discussed with the student, and if performance does not improve, this portion of the final grade will be adversely affected.

FIELD TRIPS:
The Frist Gallery will have a display of Byzantine Art during our class term, and I hope to arrange a field trip during class time. I will also arrange for a visit during a Sunday liturgy to the local Greek Orthodox church, and perhaps to the Ethiopian Orthodox church as well.

A = 930 – 1000  A- = 900 – 929  B+ = 870 – 899  B = 830 – 869
B- = 800 – 829  C+ = 770 – 799  C= 730 – 769  C- = 700 – 729 etc.

Joe Byrne, Honors Program, Fidelity Hall 311

E-MAIL ME!