The Afterlives of Medieval Art - MST00091M

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Module summary

This module will explore the reuse and repurposing of medieval art and architecture from the medieval period to the present day, questioning the agendas behind reuse, appropriation and resignification across cultural, geographical and temporal boundaries.

Module will run

Occurrence	Teaching period
A	Semester 1 2023-24

Module aims

From the medieval period itself to the present day, medieval art and architecture has been reused and repurposed by diverse cultures and for diverse reasons.

Adopting a thematic approach, we will critically consider how and why medieval art, architecture and imagery has been materially and symbolically reconfigured, exploring questions of misinterpretation, appropriation and resignification across a range of in a range of cultural, geographical and temporal contexts.

Grounding our exploration in a range of methodological frameworks, including relevant anthropological and postcolonial theories, we will consider case studies of the medieval reuse of artworks in Europe, the Middle East and the wider world; the collection and reuse of medieval art and architecture in the long nineteenth-century; the present-day use of medieval imagery by contemporary artists; and the appropriation of crusader and medieval European art by extremist groups/the alt right.

The module aims to introduce students to the widespread practice of the reuse of medieval art and architecture and to enable them to develop the critical apparatus to consider instances of reuse across a range of media, contexts and cultures.

Module learning outcomes

By the end of the module, Students will be able to:

• Have knowledge of the medieval and post-medieval significance of a range of relevant artworks and architecture

• Have a thorough understanding of the contextual and methodological issues relevant to analysis of the reuse of medieval art and architecture

• Have the ability to select and apply appropriate methodological frameworks

• Have the ability to select, critically analyse and synthesise evidence from a wide range of sources

• Have a critical awareness of the ways in which medieval art has been, and continues to be, reused and reshaped to suit specific agendas

Indicative assessment

Task	% of module mark
Essay/coursework	100

Special assessment rules

None

Indicative reassessment

Task	% of module mark
Essay/coursework	100

Module feedback

Students have the opportunity to submit a formative essay of up to 2,000 words and receive written or oral feedback, as appropriate, from a tutor. For the summative essay (3500-4000 words), students will receive their provisional mark and written feedback in line with the University's turnaround policy. The tutor will then be available during student hours for follow-up guidance if required.

Indicative reading

• Brilliant, Richard, and Dale Kinney. Reuse Value: Spolia and Appropriation in Art and Architecture from Constantine to Sherrie Levine. Farnham: Ashgate, 2011.
• Frojmovic, Eva, and Catherine E. Karkov, eds. Postcolonising the Medieval Image. London: Routledge, 2017.
• Nagel, Alexander. Medieval Modern: Art Out of Time. London: Thames & Hudson, 2012.
• Normore, Christina, ed. Re-Assessing the Global Turn in Medieval Art History. Leeds: Arc Humanities Press, 2018.