080061 UE Medieval Polychrome Sculpture: History of its Reception (2017W)

Contents: Medieval polychrome sculptures that haven’t get renewed their polychrome coat over the past centuries are rare. Due to their continuous liturgical usage in medieval times they usually needed continuous adaptation to changing liturgical needs by means of partial or total surface repaint. Later, some of the sculptures even received surface remodeling by substantial additions or subtractions which resulted in intended reinterpretations of these sculptures, while environments hostile to color caused complete removals of polychrome surface paint. The "recycling" of medieval polychrome sculptures within modern architectural settings, such as baroque altars, displays different aspects of historical treatment of these objects. This particular history of reception takes another turn during the 19th century when a growing historical interest in polychromy and techniques of medieval sculpture meets restoration standards aiming for the so-called “original”, but resulting in modern imitations and reconstructions of medieval polychrome sculpture surfaces.
Based on in-depth knowledge about selected medieval polychrome sculptures within their context of production, this course aims to study the cultural background and motivation that caused many different substantial, iconographic and functional changes these sculptures underwent until today. In this context, the influence of e.g., theological, political, (art) theoretical, and conservation ethics concepts will be discussed. This course will also try to understand the influence of art theoretical devaluation of polychrome sculpture – as found in Renaissance treatises – for the study of medieval polychrome sculpture, largely neglected within the discipline of art history itself.

Methods: In the first part, the contents of the course and its essential basics are being discussed. Students are expected to prepare for the respective meetings by means of home exercises (e.g., readings + questions, to be answered in writing). In the second part of the course, students are expected to present a short talk on a selected object. By the ending of the course, a term paper is due. Contributions in English are welcome.

Aims: Based on in-depth knowledge about selected medieval polychrome sculptures during the time of their production, students should get an insight into the various possible ways of historical changes that these sculptures and their polychromies can undergo until today. This particular history of reception also sheds light on the history of study, of restoration and of conservation treatment of medieval polychrome sculpture. Students should learn how to read these historical changes as being related to – among others – theological, political, (art-) theoretical, and conservation ethics concepts.