Imαgo Dei: Sacred Art And Devotion In The Middle AgesSaturday, March 1, 2025 2:00 - 4:00pm CT
Location: The Art Institute of Chicago (meet at Michigan Ave. entrance lobby) Limited Attendance (15 max)
Join Calvert House, the University of Chicago’s Catholic Center, for an inquiry into the complex relationship between sacred art and devotion in the Middle Ages and beyond. Even more so than today, the medieval period was filled with images and artwork that played an enormous role in Catholic life and spirituality. Indeed, the saints shaped (and were shaped by!) the many images that surrounded them on a daily basis, so there is much that we can learn today from medieval devotional life. We will look at questions such as: What is the role of art in faith and worship? When does a sacred object become a work of art, and vice versa? Why does medieval art look so different, and can we call it beautiful? Finally, how can medieval art still inspire and speak to us in the 21st century? Aidan and Lauren will each speak on two artworks/objects from the medieval gallery at the Art Institute, with room for questions and discussion throughout.
Speakers:
Aidan Valente Art historian, University of Chicago
Aidan Valente holds a BA and an MPhil in Art History and is a PhD candidate in the same subject at the University of Chicago. His academic interests focus on pre-Tridentine art and architecture in Italy and especially the role spatial context plays in viewing and understanding artworks from the period.
Lauren BeversluisHistorian of Christianity, University of Chicago
Lauren Beversluis studies early Christian art and its role in the rise of Christianity in late antiquity. She is particularly interested in the cult of the martyrs, and artistic approaches to the paradox of death and rebirth at the heart of Christian faith. She holds a BA from Yale in political philosophy and an MA in religion from the University of Chicago.