The course gives a comprehensive overview of European art history from Ancient Greek and Roman inspirations to the present times. Stress is placed on the way European art development is reflected in the art and architecture of Central Europe and on the art and architectural resources of Central Europe and Prague.

Most of the course lectures take place outside of classroom at various historical sites, in museums, and galleries. During 21 excursions, Prague artistic history is presented as a succession of crossroads of influences coming from/to different parts of Europe. The course takes advantage of Prague as a unique city where development in art and architecture from the Middle Ages until modern times is discernible. In metropolis like Paris, Vienna or London the tumultuous growth in the last two centuries practically erased their Romanesque, Gothic, Renaissance or Baroque past. In Prague these epochs can be observed not only on solitary monuments but also on the entire layout of streets and gardens. Prague is also notorious for its 19th century architecture inspired by the Czech National Revival. Last but not least, there are 20th century experiments like Cubist Prague (the original Czech contribution to the history of architecture) or the famous Dancing House of 1996. An integral part of the course are excursions to historical towns in the Czech Republic (Kutná Hora, Český Krumlov, Znojmo and Karlovy Vary).

In descriptions of architectural monuments, parks, sculptures, paintings and decorative arts, the emphasis is placed upon the way European art evolved and how innovations were transmitted from one cultural center to another. Prague was the spearhead of Church reformation creating Protestantism which was later thoroughly recatholicised and therefore religious influences on art and architecture are always analyzed together with political, economic, national and social aspects.

The course meets for three hours per week and is not exclusively intended for art history students. Course requirements: active class participation, reading (100 pages per week), homeworks based on reading, midterm and final essays (1500 and 3000 words respectively) and midterm and final tests (consisting in identification of painting and/or architectural monument and its analysis, explanation of basic art concepts, questions based on reading, lectures and excursions).

Jan Bažant

Professor of Classical Archaeology at Charles University, Prague; Senior Research Fellow and Head of the Department of Classical Studies, Institute of Classical Studies of the Academy of Sciences of the Czech Republic. Prof. Bažant belongs among the most prominent and internationally renowned Czech classical archaeologists. His scholarly interests range from issues of Classical studies to Art history, semiotics of art to iconology. He has lectured at various scholarly institutions throughout Europe and participated in major international Classical Studies publishing and research projects. He is Editor-in-Chief of the International journal EIRENE.