DSBcB32 Late Ancient and Early Christian Culture

Faculty of Arts
Spring 2024
Extent and Intensity
2/0/0. 4 credit(s). Type of Completion: z (credit).
Teacher(s)
PhDr. Marie Pardyová, CSc. (lecturer)
Guaranteed by
PhDr. Marie Pardyová, CSc.
Department of Classical Studies – Faculty of Arts
Contact Person: Jitka Erlebachová
Supplier department: Department of Classical Studies – Faculty of Arts
Timetable
Mon 14:00–15:40 A21, except Mon 15. 4.
Prerequisites
! DSBcB032 Late Antiq.&Early Christianity
Good orientation in Greek and Roman art would be welcome. The course is suitable for students of Ancient History, Classical philology, Classical archaeology, Medieval archaeology, History of religions, Art history and for those, who want to be acquainted with the transformation of Antiquity into Christianism in the field of arts. The course is accompanied by detailed e-learning support in English, so it is also suitable for foreign students.
Course Enrolment Limitations
The course is also offered to the students of the fields other than those the course is directly associated with.
fields of study / plans the course is directly associated with
Course objectives
The aim of this course is to make students acquainted with the principles of early Christian art, which had resulted from the context of previous art of Greek and Roman pagan Antiquity and of its language. They should understand principles of the early Christian iconography, the art of catacombs, the iconography of sarcophagi, architecture and mosaic decoration of early Christian churches to the seventh century A. D.
Learning outcomes
After the completion of this course, the students will be able to grasp the principles of early Christian art, which had resulted from the context of previous art of Greek and Roman pagan Antiquity and of its language. They will be versed in the early Christian iconography, the art of catacombs, the iconography of sarcophagi, architecture and mosaic decoration of early Christian churches to the seventh century A. D.
Syllabus
  • The origins of early Christian art and its specific formation based on the Greek and Roman pagan art.
  • Iconophobia of the early Church and its limits in the world of Antiquity, evidences at Dura Europos
  • The origins of specific iconography based upon pagan models; symbolic language of art in the Roman catacombs
  • The iconography of sarcophagi and the signification of their decorative style; technology of production of the sarcophagi
  • The architecture of Christian churches and their decoration; the typology of churches and their preservation; painting and mosaics in the churches of the 4th up to the 7th century
  • Early Christian art and its function as a testimony of the final romanisation of Christianity and integration of the pagan and the Christian civilization that formed at the turn of Antiquity and the Middle Ages as a basis for the culture of the following historical epoch
Literature
    required literature
  • GRABAR, André. Christian iconography : a study of its origins : the A.W. Mellon lectures in the fine arts, 1961, the National Gallery of Art, Washington, D.C. Princeton, N.J.: Princeton University Press, 1961, l, 174. info
  • LASSUS, Jean. Raně křesťanské a byzantské umění. Praha: Artia, 1971, 196 s. URL info
    recommended literature
  • VOLBACH, Wolfgang Fritz, Jacqueline LAFONTAINE-DOSOGNE and Milko BIČEV. Byzanz und der christliche Osten. Berlin: Propyläen Verlag, 1990, 424 s. ISBN 354951034. info
  • EFFENBERGER, Arne. Koptische Kunst : Ägypten in spätantiker, byzantinischer und frühislamischer Zeit. 1. Aufl. Leipzig: Koehler & Amelang, 1975, 277s. info
  • GRABAR, André. Les voies de la création en iconographie chrétienne : antiquité et moyen âge. Paris: Flammarion, 1994, 442 s. ISBN 2080816152. info
  • BRENK, B. Spätantike und frühes Christentum. In Propyläen Kunstgeschichte. Berlin, 1977. Suppl. I. info
  • GRABAR, A. L´age d´or de Justinien. Paris, 1966. info
  • GRABAR, A. Le premier art chrétien (200-395). Paris, 1966. info
  • EFFENBERGER, Arne. Frühchristliche Kunst und Kultur :von den Anfängen bis zum 7. Jahrhundert. Leipzig: Koehler & Amelang, 1986. ISBN 3-7338-0010-9. info
  • Repertorium der christlich-antiken Sarkophage. Edited by Thilo Ulbert - Brigitte Christern-Briesenick - Giuseppe Bovini - Hugo. Mainz am Rhein: Philipp von Zabern, 2003, xx, 303. ISBN 3805320086. info
Teaching methods
lectures with rich visual materials illustrating the iconographical varieties of early Christian art, explaining its forming and signification; e-learning presentations to the topics written in English.
Assessment methods
written test or oral exam
Language of instruction
Czech
Further Comments
Study Materials
The course is taught once in two years.
The course is also listed under the following terms Spring 2020, Spring 2022.
  • Enrolment Statistics (recent)
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