Course detail

The Aesthetics of Middleages and Renaissance

FaVU-2ESARAcad. year: 2026/2027

The course introduces the history of aesthetics of the Middle Ages and Renaissance, taking into account the continuity with antiquity and inspiration for later periods. After a general introduction to medieval aesthetics, we will focus on three key figures in medieval aesthetics - Abbot Suger, Hugo of St. Victor, and Thomas Aquinas and their works and ideas. Texts by medievalists such as Eco, Huizinga, and others will be used to supplement. In the section on the aesthetics of the Renaissance, after a general introduction, we will focus mainly on the personality of Albrecht Dürer. 

Language of instruction

Czech

Number of ECTS credits

3

Mode of study

Not applicable.

Guarantor

doc. Mgr. Václav Magid, Ph.D.

Department

Department of Art History and Theory (KTDU)

Entry knowledge

Basic orientation in history of culture(s).

Rules for evaluation and completion of the course

Activity during lessons, presentations. An oral examination focused on the material covered and the assigned texts. Students are examined in pairs, both for transparency and to develop possible discussion. 

Aims

Upon completion of the course, the student will have an in-depth knowledge of the basic themes, personalities, ideas and works of medieval and Renaissance aesthetics. 

Study aids

Not applicable.

Prerequisites and corequisites

Not applicable.

Basic literature

ECO, Umberto. Umění a krása ve středověké estetice. Translated by Zdeněk Frýbort. Vydání druhé. Praha: Argo, 2007, 227 s. ISBN 9788072038923.
SUGER. Skutky opata Sugera. Bernard z Clairvaux opatu Sugerovi ; Nač je v chrámu zlato? Edited by Erwin Panofsky - Bernard - Guillaume de Saint-Denis. Praha: Triáda, 2003, 178 s. ISBN 8086138348.
SUGER. Spisy o Saint-Denis. Translated by Iva Adámková. 1. vyd. Praha: Oikoymenh, 2006, 423 s. ISBN 8072981552.

Recommended reading

ADÁMKOVÁ, Iva. (rec.), Hugo ze Svatého Viktora De tribus diebus (překlad, úvod a poznámky L. Karfíková), Praha, Oikuméné 1997. SPFFMU. Brno, 1999, roč. 1998/99, 3-4, s. 123-123. ISSN 1211-6335.
BOËTHIUS, Anitius Manlius Torquatus. Boëthius, poslední Říman. Edited by Anežka Vidmanová, Translated by Václav Bahník. Vyd. 1. Praha: Vyšehrad, 1981, 205 s.
JOYCE, James. Portrét umělce v jinošských letech. Edited by Miroslav Jindra, Translated by Aloys Skoumal. 3. vyd. Praha: Odeon, 1997, 268 s. ISBN 8020705325.
PANOFSKY, Erwin. Význam ve výtvarném umění. Translated by Lubomír Konečný. Vyd. 2., rev. Praha: Academia, 2013, 399 s. ISBN 9788020022363.
TATARKIEWICZ, Władysław. Dejiny estetiky. Bratislava: Tatran, 1988, 456 s.
TATARKIEWICZ, Władysław. History of aesthetics. Edited by C. Barrett. Hague: Mouton, 1970, 315 s.

Classification of course in study plans

  • Programme VUM_M Master's 1 year of study, winter semester, elective
    2 year of study, winter semester, elective
    1 year of study, winter semester, elective
    2 year of study, winter semester, elective
    1 year of study, winter semester, elective
    2 year of study, winter semester, elective
    1 year of study, winter semester, elective
    2 year of study, winter semester, elective
    1 year of study, winter semester, elective
    2 year of study, winter semester, elective
    1 year of study, winter semester, elective
    2 year of study, winter semester, elective
    1 year of study, winter semester, elective
    2 year of study, winter semester, elective
    1 year of study, winter semester, elective
    2 year of study, winter semester, elective
    1 year of study, winter semester, elective
    2 year of study, winter semester, elective
    1 year of study, winter semester, elective
    2 year of study, winter semester, elective
    1 year of study, winter semester, elective
    2 year of study, winter semester, elective
    1 year of study, winter semester, elective
    2 year of study, winter semester, elective

Type of course unit

 

Lecture

13 hours, compulsory

Teacher / Lecturer

doc. Mgr. Václav Magid, Ph.D.

Syllabus

  • Introduction to Medieval Aesthetics
  • Overview of the basic secondary literature on the topic
  • Hugo of St. Victor
  • Abbot Suger and the Abbey of Saint-Denis and its history
  • The writings of Abbot Suger
  • Abbot Suger's correspondence with Bernard of Clairvaux
  • Albert the Great
  • Thomas Aquinas
  • Introduction to the Aesthetics of the Renaissance
  • Albrecht Dürer as an emblematic figure of Renaissance aesthetics
 

Seminar

13 hours, compulsory

Teacher / Lecturer

doc. Mgr. Václav Magid, Ph.D.

Individual preparation - study of technical texts

20 hours, compulsory

Teacher / Lecturer

doc. Mgr. Václav Magid, Ph.D.

Individual preparation - creating a presentation

10 hours, compulsory

Teacher / Lecturer

doc. Mgr. Václav Magid, Ph.D.

Syllabus

Úvod do estetiky středověku

Přehled základní sekundární literatury k tématu

Hugo ze Svatého Viktora

Opat Suger a opatství Saint Denis a jeho historie

Spisy opata Sugera

Korespondence opata Sugera s Bernardem z Clairvaux

Albert Veliký

Tomáš Akvinský & Úvod do estetiky renesance

Albrecht Dürer jako emblematická postava renesanční estetiky

 

Individual preparation for a final exam

20 hours, compulsory

Teacher / Lecturer

doc. Mgr. Václav Magid, Ph.D.