Course overview
This course reframes the traditional concept of the Renaissance as a Eurocentric construct dominated by classical antiquity in Florence and Rome by investigating how images and objects functioned as dynamic agents of cross-cultural exchange in a global context. The first module interrogates the monocultural framework applied to Italian Renaissance art and artists by Giorgio Vasari in sixteenth-century Italy. The second module examines the circulation of images and objects within the trade, commerce, and political networks between Venice and the Ottoman Empire. The third module explores the expanded geopolitical sphere of the Renaissance, focusing on representations of gender, race, and otherness.
Course learning outcomes
- Demonstrate understanding of the Renaissance as a dynamic period of cultural transformation facilitated by cross-cultural encounters and exchange within and beyond Europe
- Interpret primary sources and analyse images and objects visually and contextually
- Evaluate and synthesise secondary sources using critical and creative thinking to develop clear and insightful argumentative discussions orally and in writing
- Identity and use credible resources and digital technologies actively to generate a strong research foundation for writing analytic, argumentative essays
- Participate inclusively and contribute productively in peer-group discussions and peer-review learning activities to generate a collective knowledge foundation as part of research
Degree list
The following degrees include this course