Early Christian and medieval iconography WNHS-HS-IWCHiŚ

The lecture focuses on understanding the "language of images" of the era: on ways of presenting truths of faith, biblical narratives and theological ideas in the visual arts, and on the symbolic mechanisms through which an image becomes a vehicle for doctrinal, liturgical and devotional content. The course centres on the analysis of the most important iconographic themes present in medieval art in terms of their sources (the Holy Scriptures, exegetical tradition, liturgical texts), functions, and formal and semantic changes.

The lectures discuss, among other things, representations of the universe and the creation of the world, with particular emphasis on the scenes of the creation of Adam and Eve and the iconographic consequences of the narratives of the Book of Genesis. Next, Marian iconography is analysed in the scenes of the Annunciation, the Visitation, the Nativity and the Adoration of the Magi, with an emphasis on the attributes, gestures, props and compositional solutions that construct the theological meaning of the representations. An important thematic block is the iconography of the Eucharist – understood both as representations directly related to the sacrament and as images expressing the theology of sacrifice, presence and community.

An important part of the course is devoted to Passion themes: from the Crucifixion through the Lamentation, Pietà and Christ in Agony, to sophisticated devotional and allegorical themes such as Christ in the Mystical Press, the Man of Sorrows and the Arma Christi motifs. These representations are discussed as images of memory, empathy and meditation, as well as tools for catechesis and religious formation. A natural complement to the Passion block is the iconography of the Resurrection, shown in various variants and theological emphases.

The lecture also covers apocalyptic themes – including the Last Judgement, Deesis and visions of Heavenly Jerusalem – considered in the context of eschatology, medieval imagination and monumental decoration programmes. For a fuller understanding of the images, the medieval "symbolic code" is also discussed: the symbolism of numbers and colours, as well as the symbolism of the human body (gestures, posture, wounds, the relationship between the body and meaning). A separate segment concerns the symbolism of architecture and spatial structures: such as Noah's Ark, Solomon's Temple, the Tower of Babel, the labyrinth, and issues of mystical geometry as a tool for organising meaning and building the sacred.

The course also analyses the iconography of the Holy Trinity in the light of emerging dogmas and conciliar decisions, which allows us to grasp the relationship between theology and imagery. The whole is complemented by a block devoted to the iconography of angels – their types, hierarchies, attributes and functions in biblical narratives and in liturgical and devotional art. As a result, the lecture provides students with structured, comprehensive tools for identifying themes, understanding their sources, and interpreting medieval representations as coherent and multi-layered cultural messages.

An important element of the course is the presentation of the tools of an art historian's work: the basics of iconography and iconology, the principles of describing representations, identifying attributes and compositional schemes, as well as ways of reading medieval pictorial programmes in relation to the theology, liturgy and material culture of the era. The classes include examples from both European centres and Polish lands (where preserved material allows) in order to show common sources and local variants of imagery.

The aim of the lecture is to develop the ability to "read" medieval works of art as carriers of meaning: from recognising the theme and motif, through interpreting symbolism and sources, to understanding the role of images in the religious and social life of the Middle Ages.

The course programme includes several field trips:
Medieval Collection Storage Facility of the National Museum in Warsaw
Medieval Art Gallery at the National Museum in Warsaw
Royal Castle in Warsaw