VISIONS FROM ITALY

JULY 7 - JULY 19, 2013

Throughout their history, Romans and Florentines struggled to find the proper relationship of man to his God(s) and to his community, both in times of political and cultural domination and in times of societal collapse and civic despair.  This course will investigate critical aspects of this struggle from Ancient Rome to Renaissance Florence and then explore their material expression in the artistic and architectural treasures of these two fascinating cities.  We shall search out what role the contemporary cultural demands regarding man’s place in the world had in producing such majestic structures as the Pantheon, Forum, Colosseum, St. Peter’s, the Duomo and the Palazzo Vecchio.  As we admire the sublime artistry in the public works of masters such as Brunelleschi, Michelangelo, Raphael, Botticelli and Bernini, we shall consider the cultural pressures that helped direct their efforts.  Our goal is to leave Italy not only having surveyed some of the finest cultural achievements, but also having marked their place in the unfolding of the Western heritage.

Lectures will be presented by:

• Professor David Jones, Edward Reid Chair of Classical Studies, Chairman and Professor of Classical Studies; Ph.D., University of California, Santa Barbara.  Dr. Jones teaches Latin, Roman Civilization and Roman Literature.  Outside his scholarly specialization in Roman poetry, his areas of interest have been centered on his summer study programs.

• Professor Joseph Garnjobst, Associate Professor of Classical Studies; Ph.D., University of California, Santa Barbara.  Dr. Garnjobst teaches Latin, Greek Civilization; Greek Literature and Homeric Greek.  In addition, he excavated for four seasons at the ancient agora in Athens through the American School of Classical Studies.