Study Abroad

Art and the Church: Catacombs to Counter Reformation

A thematic and historical examination of the changing uses of and attitudes towards the visual arts in the Christian church. Beginning with paintings in the Roman catacombs and continuing through the present, this course considers how theological and socio-political concerns have shaped the ways in which the Church has understood the role of art in both public and private religious contexts. Three hours. No prerequisite. Fulfills Fine Arts Requirement.

Based out of the Trastevere neighborhood in Rome, the class primarily takes place on site at churches or archaeological sites. We also travel to Padua and Florence for several days. Short videos or readings are assigned throughout the week, typically with a “pre” and “post” site visit journal prompt. Class begins after breakfast, whether that be a lecture on the terrace or traveling to a site visit. Students also choose a site from a provided list and spend three weeks researching the site and the iconography of that particular artwork. Students serve as each others' tour guides for the last two days of class.

Week 1: Early Church - Medieval 

• Catacombs of Peter and Marcellinus, Santa Clemente, Santa Pudenziana, Santa Prassede, Santa Maria Maggiore, and more! 

Week 2: Proto-Renaissance - Italian Renaissance

• Giotto’s Scrovegni Chapel in Padova; Duomo, Brancacci Chapel, and Uffizi Gallery in Florence

Week 3: Northern Renaissance - Counter Reformation 

• Vatican Museums, Sistine Chapel, and St. Peter’s Basilica, Il Gesu, Caravaggio paintings in situ, Bernini sculptures in the Borghese