ARTH 362/4 A Studies in Early Christian and Byzantine Art and Architecture

Dr. Margaret Hodges

Department of Art History, Faculty of Fine Arts, Concordia University
Class Time: Tuesday 9:00 – 11:30 Lecture Hall: EV-1.615
Office Hours: Thursday 1:30 – 3:30 Office: EV-3.782
E-mail Address for general questions: m_hodges17@hotmail.com
E-mail Address for Essay and Final Take-home Exam submissions: arthistory77@gmail.com
Late Paper Drop Box: EV-3.809
FADIS Login Christian Password student (case sensitive)

Expanded Course Description:

This course examines the art and architecture of the Mediterranean World beginning with the
development of Christianity during the Roman Empire in the 1st century, until the fall of the
Byzantine Empire in 1453. In the early phase we will explore the formation of Christian Art and
Architecture from the roots of Judaism and pagan Rome, and the Imperial Rulers of the day.
Our study begins in Rome and then we turn to the Byzantine or East Roman Empire of
Constantinople. Emphasis will be placed on the development of Christian architecture and the
decoration of religious buildings in the form of wall paintings, mosaics and sculpture. Also we
will examine the importance of the relationship between text and pictorial narrative. The
architectural forms that we will examine will include the earliest houses of worship based on
domestic architecture, to the vast domed spaces of worship where the relationship between
art, architecture and ritual is a central focus. Important topics will include archaeological sites
such as Dura Europos in Syria, the catacombs of Rome, the sacred spaces and mosaics of
Ravenna and the Hagia Sophia of Istanbul and the mosaics and Pala d’Oro of Saint Mark’s in
Venice.

Required Text:

Available at the Concordia Bookstore: Early Christian and Byzantine Architecture, Richard
Krautheimer and Slobodan Ćurčić, 4th edition, Yale University Press.
Images for the course are on FADIS (access the website through Google). Login Christian
Password student (case sensitive)

Formal Requirements:

1. A mid-term exam (15%); in-class based on identification and short answer questions. Date:
Tuesday, February 16th. Medical or other appropriate documentation is required for a make-up
exam. The format of the mid-term exam will be discussed in class.
2. A research paper (40%); topics will be assigned in class. Due Date: Tuesday, April 12th. A hard
copy of the essay must be submitted in class. Also, a copy must be sent by attachment to the
following e-mail address: arthistory77@gmail.com
Papers submitted after the due date will be penalized 2% per day unless medical or other
appropriate documentation is provided.
3. A final take-home exam (45%); an essay question to be answered using required readings
and class notes. The final exam questions will be distributed in class on Tuesday April 12th. Due
Date: Tuesday April 19th (between 1:00 and 2:00) (EV-3.782). A hard copy of the final exam
must be delivered to my office at EV-3.782 between 1:00 and 2:00. Also, a copy of the final
take-home exam must be sent by attachment to the following e-mail address:
arthistory77@gmail.com.
Final exams submitted after the due date/time will be penalized 5% per day unless medical or
other appropriate documentation is provided.
4. Attendance is important since visual material and information not covered in the course
material will be included.

Grades and the Bases for Assessment

"A+ - A-" - (80-100%)

"B+ - B-" - (70-79%)
"C+ - C-" - (60-69%)
"D+ - D-" - (50-59%)
"F" - (0-49%)

"A" indicates Exceptional Performance: comprehensive in-depth knowledge of

the principles and materials treated in the course, fluency in communicating
that knowledge and independence in applying material and principles.
"B" indicates Good Performance: thorough understanding of the breadth of
materials and principles treated in the course and ability to apply and
communicate that understanding effectively.
"C" indicates Satisfactory Performance: basic understanding of the breadth
of principles and materials treated in the course and an ability to apply
and communicate that understanding competently.
"D" indicates Minimally Competent Performance: adequate understanding of
most principles and materials treated in the course, but significant
weakness in some areas and in the ability to apply and communicate that
understanding.
"F" indicates Failure: inadequate or fragmentary knowledge of the principles
and materials treated in the course or failure to complete the work required
in the course.

Use of technology in the classroom:

The Department of Art History supports student use of technology in the classroom only when
that use is directly related to the lecture, such as using a laptop for the purpose of taking notes,
or using the Internet at the professor's request. Using technology to engage in e-mail, gaming,
text messaging, chatting or surfing the Internet is not permitted during lectures. Not only does
such use interfere with the user's own capacity to listen and learn it also disturbs students
sitting nearby. Any technology that captures images of other students without their permission
is also in violation of Canadian privacy laws. Using handheld technology during examinations is
considered an academic offence.

Special Conditions:

In the event of extraordinary circumstances beyond the University's control, the content and/or
evaluation scheme in this course is subject to change.

Written Assignments:

The research paper will be a 6-page (1,500-word) essay on a topic chosen from Essay Topics to
be distributed in class. Papers are typed and double-spaced with one-inch margins on one side
of 8-1/2 x 11 inch paper in 12-point type, Times Roman, in WORD format. Endnotes and a
bibliography are required (See the Chicago Manual of Style). Essays must have a thesis that is
supported in the text and it must be fully illustrated with images. Research beyond the lectures
and readings will be required. At least six research sources that are either books or journal
articles are required. (Full instructions for writing the essay will be given in class.) Essays will be
graded for evidence of research, historical knowledge and theoretical concepts, as well as style.

Delivering Assignments:

Please note: essays and final take-home exams must be delivered in hard copy and also
electronically at the following e-mail address: arthistory77@gmail.com . If you are unable to
deliver a hard copy of the essay or final take-home exam personally, you should arrange to
have a printed version delivered to the Department. Place the assignment in the Art History
drop box at EV-3.809: outside of the Art History Department doors. Never leave your essay or
final exam on or under your Professor’s door. It can be lost or stolen. Remember to put the
Professor’s name and your student number on the assignment. Your essay or exam will be
stamped with the date and time at the Art History office and it will be placed in my mailbox.

Late Policy on Essays and Exams:

Late essays will be penalized 2 marks each day. Final take-home exams will be penalized 5
marks each day.

Illness or Bereavement:

Please note that late essays and exams due to medical conditions or for compassionate reasons
must be supported by documentation. If you miss an exam or a deadline due to illness, you
must have a doctor’s certificate that covers the exam or essay date or deadline to prove it. In
the case of the loss of a family member, funeral homes provide certificates for ‘bereavement
leave’ from school or work that allow you to document your absence from the University.
Mid-Term Exam and Final Take-Home-Exam:

Both the Mid-Term Exam and the Final Take-Home Exam will cover key figures, monuments and
movements discussed in the lectures and readings. These topics will have been stressed in the
lectures, so regular attendance and note taking are strongly encouraged.

To assist preparation for the Mid-Term Exam, a list of images from the lectures will be placed
on FADIS before the exam.

The Final Take-Home Exam will be based on class lectures and assigned readings. It will not be
necessary for students to do additional research for the Final Take-Home Exam. In fact,
examples of architectural works used in the Exam essay must only be drawn from the course
material, not from other sources such as the Internet.

Language of Instruction:

Lectures, course materials, and assignments will be given in English. Students may write in
English or French. Structure, grammar, spelling, and writing style are graded, as well as research
and critical thinking. Writing assistance is available through Concordia Counseling and
Development: http://learning.concordia.ca

Research Assistance:

To learn how to make good use of the library – its holdings and electronic resources – go to:

http://library.concordia.ca/services/reference/#instr

Academic Integrity:

Students are reminded to review the Concordia Code of Conduct to be certain that they are not
guilty of plagiarism or other unethical practices. The Code of Conduct (Academic) is a University
policy that outlines the procedures by which academic honesty or integrity is enforced. It
outlines offenses, procedures for dealing with offenses and possible sanctions if charges are
upheld. The Code of Conduct (Academic) can be found in the University Calendar or on the
Concordia website at http://secretariat.concordia.ca/policies/academic/en/codeofconduct-
academic.shtml

Please pay particular attention to Section III, which outlines well-known offenses, such as
plagiarism, and some that you may not think are wrong, such as multiple-submission.

In Simple Words: Do not copy, paraphrase or translate anything from anywhere without
saying from where you obtained it!
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Tentative Syllabus:

Week One: January 12: Introduction and course overview.

Week Two: January 19: Pagan, Jewish, and Christian Art in the Roman Empire between the 1st
and 3rd Centuries
Required Reading:
Early Christian and Byzantine Architecture, Richard Krautheimer and Slobodan Ćurčić, Chapter
1, “The Beginnings of Christian Architecture”
Suggested Reading:
Jas Elsner, “Cultural Resistance and the Visual Image: The Case of Dura Europos,” Classical
Philology 95, no. 3 (2001), 269-304, Concordia University Library e-Journal.

Week Three: January 26: The Emperor Constantine and the Conversion of Rome in the 4 th
Century
Required Reading:
Krautheimer and Ćurčić, Chapter 2, “Constantinian Church Building”
Week Four: February 2: Christian Architecture and Decoration in the 4th Century Empire
Required Reading:
Krautheimer and Ćurčić, Chapter 3, “Christian Architecture in the Capitals”
Suggested Reading:
Susan Spain, "The Promised Blessing: The Iconography of the Mosaics of S. Maria Maggiore”
The Art Bulletin, Vol. 61, No. 4 (Dec., 1979), 518-540, Concordia University Library e-Journal.

Week Five: February 9: Christian Architecture and Decoration in the 5th Century
Required Reading:
Krautheimer and Ćurčić, Chapter 4, “Introduction,” Chapter 5, “The Aegean Coastlands,” and
Chapter 6, “The Inland Countries”

Week Six: February 16: Mid-term Exam (in class).

Reading Week: February 22-26

Week Seven: March 1: Christian Architecture in the Latin West

Required Reading:
Krautheimer and Ćurčić, Chapter 7, “The Latin West”
Suggested Reading:
Gillian Macie, “New Light on the So-Called Saint Lawrence Panel at the Mausoleum of Galla
Placidia, Ravenna,” Gesta, Vol. 29, No. 1 (1990), 54-60, Concordia University Library e-Journal.

Week Eight: March 8: Early Byzantine Building

Required Reading:
Krautheimer and Ćurčić, Chapter 8, “Introduction,” and Chapter 9, “The Hagia Sophia and Allied
Buildings”
Suggested Reading:
Bissera Pencheva, “Hagia Sophia and Multisensory Aesthetics,” Gesta 50 no. 2 (2011), 93-111,
Concordia University Library e-Journals.

Week Nine: March 15: Art, Architecture and Imperial Ritual in Constantinople during the Reign
of Justinian
Required Reading:
Krautheimer and Ćurčić, Chapter 10, “Standard Building in the Age of Justinian,” and Chapter
11, “The Architecture of the Age of Justinian in the Provinces”

Week Ten: March 22: Church Building after Justinian

Required Reading:
Krautheimer and Ćurčić, Chapter 12, “Introduction,” Chapter 13, “The Cross-Domed Church,”
and 14, “The Borderlands”
Week Eleven: March 29: Icons in Space: Middle Byzantine Church Building and Decoration
Required Reading:
Krautheimer and Ćurčić, Chapter 15, “Introduction,” and Chapter 16, “The New Building Types
and the ‘Middle Byzantine Renaissance’”
Suggested Reading:
C. Barber, “From Transformation to Desire: Art and Worship after Byzantine Iconoclasm,” Art
Bulletin 75 (1993), 7-18, Concordia University Library e-Journals.

Week Twelve: April 5: Appropriation and Adaptation in Medieval Venice

Required Reading:
Krautheimer and Ćurčić, Chapter 17, “Development and Regionals Styles of Middle Byzantine
Architecture ’”
Suggested Reading:
Thomas Dale, “Inventing a Sacred Past: Pictorial Narratives of St. Mark the Evangelist in Aquileia
and Venice, ca. 1000-1300,” Dumbarton Oaks Papers, Vol. 48 (1994), 53-104, Concordia
University Library e-Journals.

Week Thirteen: April 12: Crusader Art and Cultural Hybridity in the Holy Land
Required Reading:
Krautheimer and Ćurčić, Chapter 18, “Introduction,” and Chapter 19, “Late Byzantine
Architecture”
Suggested Reading:
Maria Georopoulou, “Orientalism and Crusader Art: Constructing a New Canon,” Medieval
Encounters 5 no. 3 (1999), 289-321, Concordia University Library e-Journals.
Essay Due.
The Final Take-Home Exam is distributed and discussed in class.
Due Date: Tuesday April 19: A paper copy of the completed final exam must be delivered to EV-
3.782 between 1:00 and 2:00. Also, a copy of the final take-home exam must be sent by
attachment to the following e-mail address: arthistory77@gmail.com.