Welcome to this post-viewing discussion of Civilisations, Episode 5 (‘The Triumph of Art'). This episode was presented by Simon Schama, and addresses ‘cultural flowering’ across the globe, in the period we know as the Renaissance.
I’m delighted to be leading this discussion, as this episode brings out many of the issues Kathleen Christian (one of the academic consultants on the series) and I addressed in our textbook, European Art and the Wider World, 1350-1550, written for A344, Art and its Global Histories.
What does it mean when we use the term ‘Renaissance’? This is a term still hotly debated in the field of Art History. The period in European history between c. 1400- 1600 is traditionally understood as 'the Renaissance', often celebrated as a high point in the European tradition, associated with creativity, and new inventions inspired by the revival of Europe's classical past. Recently, however, the Renaissance has become 'globalised', as alternative readings of the art of the period take into account of the interdependencies that bound Europe to the rest of the world.
In this episode Simon Schama looks at a wide range of art, architecture, and material culture, to think about how different types of ‘Renaissances’ were taking part all over the world, creating some astonishing works of art and architecture. This was a time when objects, commodities, ideas, designs, and technologies circulated over long distances, crossed boundaries and travelled between cultures, with significant consequences for the visual arts.
Which brings us to the discussion (which I'll be moderating live between 10-11pm on Thursday 29 March). Join in the discussion by posting a response in the Comments section below.
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I'm bit lost in terms of the goals regarding debates of civilizations. It's to wide for general discussion and it not enough human life for episodical or incrimental type of debates..
Regards,
Destria Sumantri | freesitemaker.net
Chris Williams - 3 April 2018 11:53am
I'm the OU's media fellow for Arts, so I got to watch these 'in draft'. This episode, um, I'm still not sure I'm convinced by. On the other hand, I'm not an art historian...
Leah Clark - 3 April 2018 1:04pm
Hi Chris, what in particular weren't you convinced by?