These seminars will cover the role of classical mythology, both Greek and Roman, in western art. They will explore questions such as how ancient stories were used in art to project the idea of virtue (both personal and political); how they could provide aetiological explanations and histories; how their interpretation and meaning changed according to social and cultural contexts; how they were conceived by the artist and patron, and how they were received by the viewer. The first seminar will introduce the literature of classical mythology, including texts in translation, by writers including Ovid. It will also address the use of mythological narratives in the art of Antiquity, including public sculpture and domestic architecture, where different narratives distinguished the functions of each space. The second seminar will introduce the idea of classical reception in the Renaissance, covering the reasons as to why there was a revival of interest in pagan iconography in particular from the 15th century. Some of the artists we will look at are Sandro Botticelli, Michelangelo and Titian, examining the different ways in which they approached religious and classical themes in relation to civic commissions as well as those for individual patrons. The final seminar will look at how mythological narratives and figures were presented in the Baroque period in Europe and used to maximum effect and affect, examining artists such as Gianlorenzo Bernini, Peter Paul Rubens and Nicholas Poussin.
Learning outcomes
- To become acquainted with a range of Greek and Roman myths, their texts in translation and interpretations over time;
- To explore the manifestation of myth in a number of specific artworks, including paintings and sculptures;
- To link classical narratives to their meaning within wider social and cultural contexts, including patronage and reception.
