This course investigates the intersections of art, magic, and early modern science in Italian and broader Mediterranean contexts. While objects like the fabled Philosopher’s Stone, formerly believed to turn base metals to gold or cure the sick, are now relegated to the pages of fiction, Italian alchemists, princes, and artists once searched desperately for their secrets in ancient tomes and Renaissance recipes. Similarly, while disciplines like astrology are now considered a pseudo-science, the very same people relied upon the stars to plan everything from their next business venture to their bodily health. In turn, each of these disciplines utilized the visual arts to realize their goals, using painting, print, and other media to chart their way through the vast and tangled webs of arcane knowledge. Through the contextual studies of alchemy, astrology, and tarot, among other disciplines, we will uncover how early modern artists like Giotto, Leonardo, and Parmigianino believed they could manipulate their very lives using visual materials as a primary conduit to the occult.
This course has an associated course fee. See the Course Fees webpage for more information.
Department: History of Art
Location: Florence
Semesters: Fall, Spring
Credits: 3