REL-269 Art and Religion in Turkey

This course has two foci: aesthetic and religious. The aesthetic focus will be on the art of Byzantine (Eastern Christian) and Islamic sites in Turkey. Particular emphasis will be given to church architecture and icons, both of these being central features of Eastern Christian liturgy; and to the architecture of mosques. Because Eastern Christian and Islamic art did not (and does not) exist apart from religious life, the relationship between art and religion (i.e., between aesthetics, on the one hand, and, on the other hand, religious orthodoxy and orthopraxy) will be the other central focus. Some attention will also be given to Greek and Roman architectural forms, since they form the basis for developments in both Byzantine and Islamic architectural styles. May Experience ONLY. 2 credits.