Last modified: 10 Nov 2025 15:46
This course focuses on the in-depth exploration of a specific topic in the history of art and archaeology of the classical world and its afterlives in later art history. We will explore the reception and influence of classical art and culture in the early modern world, with a particular focus on how female figures from classical art, history and mythology were reimag(in)ed and reanimated in this later period to construct - and contest - ideas about gender.
| Study Type | Undergraduate | Level | 4 |
|---|---|---|---|
| Term | Second Term | Credit Points | 30 credits (15 ECTS credits) |
| Campus | Aberdeen | Sustained Study | No |
| Co-ordinators |
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One or more of these courses have a limited number of places. Priority access will be given to students for whom this course is compulsory. Please refer to the Frequently Asked Questions for more details on this process.
This course focuses on the in-depth exploration of a specific topic in the history of art and archaeology of the classical world and its afterlives in later art history. We will explore the reception and influence of classical art and culture in the early modern world, with a particular focus on how female figures from classical art, history and mythology were reimag(in)ed and reanimated in this later period to construct - and contest - ideas about gender. Drawing from a range of visual and material sources, from print culture, to the painted portrait, to coinage and jewellery, we will analyse how art and ideas from the Ancient Mediterranean were put to use in the early modern world and figured in debates about the role of women, race, sexuality and the body.
Feminine figures emerged from the art, literature, histories and mythologies of antiquity to become archetypes in classical culture(s). Each week, we will take one of these archetypes, from divine goddesses such Venus and Artemis and Athena/Minerva to the malevolent tragic heroine Medea, civic-minded Roman matronae, mystic sibyls and alluring nymphs, as our starting point. Together we will explore the invention of these figures not only in Classical Greece and Rome but in the Ancient East and North Africa, and explore their enduring appeal in later art histories, charting how they became related to a range of questions related to women’s social, political, cultural and artistic agency.
This course coincides with the residency of the Geddes-Harrower Chair of Greek Art and Archaeology: a visiting professorship that brings a leading international expert in their field to Aberdeen. Students on this course will have the exciting opportunity to attend the Geddes-Harrower Chair lecture series, which provides a unique opportunity to discuss current work-in-progress with an international authority in their field. No prior knowledge of ancient art or ancient languages are required.
Information on contact teaching time is available from the course guide.
| Assessment Type | Summative | Weighting | 20 | |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Assessment Weeks | Feedback Weeks | |||
| Feedback |
Written feedback for presentation; in-person feedback on request |
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| Knowledge Level | Thinking Skill | Outcome |
|---|---|---|
| Conceptual | Apply | Demonstrate a detailed and integrated understanding of an area in the history of ancient art and culture |
| Procedural | Analyse | Demonstrate confidence in researching, organising, delivering and debating written and oral academic work in a class presentation on a defined topic, and an essay on a self-defined topic. |
| Reflection | Analyse | To critically evaluate recent methodological debates in the field of ancient art history and cultural studies. |
| Assessment Type | Summative | Weighting | 50 | |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Assessment Weeks | Feedback Weeks | |||
| Feedback |
Written feedback; in-person feedback on request |
Word Count | 3500 | |
| Knowledge Level | Thinking Skill | Outcome |
|---|---|---|
| Conceptual | Apply | Demonstrate a detailed and integrated understanding of an area in the history of ancient art and culture |
| Procedural | Analyse | Demonstrate confidence in researching, organising, delivering and debating written and oral academic work in a class presentation on a defined topic, and an essay on a self-defined topic. |
| Reflection | Analyse | To critically evaluate recent methodological debates in the field of ancient art history and cultural studies. |
| Assessment Type | Summative | Weighting | 30 | |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Assessment Weeks | Feedback Weeks | |||
| Feedback |
Written feedback; in-person feedback on request |
|||
| Knowledge Level | Thinking Skill | Outcome |
|---|---|---|
| Conceptual | Apply | Demonstrate a detailed and integrated understanding of an area in the history of ancient art and culture |
| Procedural | Analyse | Demonstrate confidence in researching, organising, delivering and debating written and oral academic work in a class presentation on a defined topic, and an essay on a self-defined topic. |
| Reflection | Analyse | To critically evaluate recent methodological debates in the field of ancient art history and cultural studies. |
There are no assessments for this course.
| Knowledge Level | Thinking Skill | Outcome |
|---|---|---|
| Procedural | Analyse | Demonstrate confidence in researching, organising, delivering and debating written and oral academic work in a class presentation on a defined topic, and an essay on a self-defined topic. |
| Reflection | Analyse | To critically evaluate recent methodological debates in the field of ancient art history and cultural studies. |
| Conceptual | Apply | Demonstrate a detailed and integrated understanding of an area in the history of ancient art and culture |
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