ART 380 - Art and Iconoclasm from the Ancient World to Early Modern Era

From ancient Mesopotamia to modern Europe, people attacked, mutilated and smashed images with motivations influenced by religion, politics and other ideological agendas. This course will explore the dynamics of such iconoclastic attacks on images by examining case studies from ancient, medieval and early modern contexts in the Near East, Mediterranean world and Europe. How and why have images been perceived as a threat by monarchs, invading armies or religious zealots? What were the intended outcomes of image destruction? By focusing on these main questions, this course will explore the function and power of images in pre-modern and early modern societies. Alternate spring semesters. (4 Credits)