Medieval Bodies In this seminar we will examine how medieval European thinkers and artists theorized and visualized the body in ways that are vastly different from the ways in which the body is conceptualized today. Indeed, the “medieval body” was not a monolithic entity, but rather a shifting constellation of ideas and practices that waxed, waned, and coexisted throughout the Middle Ages. A body could be understood as an earthly body — sexed, fleshly, corruptible — as well as a heavenly and divine body, including Christ’s own. Our considerations will further contextualize representations of gendered, racialized, clerical, monstrous, animal, virginal, non-Christian, heretical, resurrected, and uncircumscribable bodies. Readings of the secondary literature will broaden readings of primary source materials, and our discussions will remain cognizant of gender-, sexuality-, race-, and performance-critical methods. There are no prerequisites for this course, but students will find it helpful to have some familiarity with either the history of art or with medieval history. 3hrs sem.

Understanding Early Medieval and Romanesque Art: Seeing Ste. Foy This course is an introduction to key artworks and architectural monuments made and built in Europe during the eighth through twelfth centuries.  We will study such structures as Charlemagne's Palace Chapel and the reliquary statue of Ste. Foy at Conques to explore how these monuments were products of independent cultures that valued the creation of a visual fusion between the Judeo-Christian God and humankind.  Likely lines of inquiry include: the persistence of a Classical ideal and its myriad adaptations; the coordination of art objects to specific locations; and, not least, the self-conscious staging of political and ecclesiastical power. 3 hrs lect.

Medieval Bodies In this seminar we will examine how medieval European thinkers and artists theorized and visualized the body in ways that are vastly different from the ways in which the body is conceptualized today. Indeed, the “medieval body” was not a monolithic entity, but rather a shifting constellation of ideas and practices that waxed, waned, and coexisted throughout the Middle Ages. A body could be understood as an earthly body — sexed, fleshly, corruptible — as well as a heavenly and divine body, including Christ’s own. Our considerations will further contextualize representations of gendered, racialized, clerical, monstrous, animal, virginal, non-Christian, heretical, resurrected, and uncircumscribable bodies. Readings of the secondary literature will broaden readings of primary source materials, and our discussions will remain cognizant of gender-, sexuality-, race-, and performance-critical methods. There are no prerequisites for this course, but students will find it helpful to have some familiarity with either the history of art or with medieval history.  3hrs sem.

Models, Contexts, and Afterlives of the Bayeux Tapestry In this course we will look closely at the late eleventh-century Bayeux Tapestry (also known as the Bayeux Embroidery), examining its historical and literary sources, the details of its creation, and its reverberations throughout the arts of the medieval and modern eras. We will also consider how this embroidered textile entangled its medieval and modern viewers in the stories it tells and those it avoids. We will discover that it can tell us much about attitudes toward gender and masculinity, the taming of the natural world, and the terrors of war. Hands-on assignments will familiarize us with some of the techniques and materials used to create this monument of medieval European Art History.

Northern Renaissance Art: The Rhetoric of the Real This course will provide students with an overview of art objects created in a variety of media in Northern Europe between the 15th and 16th centuries.  We will analyze the changing uses of art in cultures where people defined themselves and the depths of their piety in relation to their material wealth and social standing.  During the last few weeks of the semester, the class will look at the emergence of genre painting and the representation of peasant life.  We will consider how these phenomena were tied to the histories and careers of individual artists and their workshops.  General questions will include: How does the convincing representation of "reality" make for a persuasive image?  What are the benefits of fusing secular and religious subject matter?  Is it valid to speak of a new artistic self-awareness?

Senior Thesis: Research and Writing This course is a continuation of HARC 0710 which consists of ongoing, supervised independent research, plus organizing, writing and presenting a senior thesis. (HARC 0301 and HARC 0710).

The Bayeux Tapestry: Models, Contexts, and Afterlives In this course we will take a close look at the late eleventh-century Bayeux Tapestry (also known as the Bayeux Embroidery), examining its historical and literary models, the details of its creation, and its varied reverberations throughout the arts of the medieval and modern eras. Along the way, we will consider how this 230-foot long embroidered textile entangled its medieval and modern viewers in the stories it tells and those it avoids. We will discover that it offers much food for thought in relation to issues of gender and masculinity in the European Middle Ages, the representation of the Other, the visualization of disability, the taming of the natural world, and the terrors and banalities of war. Hands-on assignments will familiarize us with some of the techniques and materials used to create this monument of medieval European Art History. No prerequisites. Some familiarity with art history and/or medieval history helpful but not required. (Not open to students who have taken FYSE 1032) 3 hours lct/disc.

Ways of Seeing In this course we will focus on the various methods and theories that can enrich and deepen our understanding of art, architecture, and visual culture. Students will hone their analytical skills, both verbal and written, often with recourse to objects from the College Museum and the campus at large. In general, this seminar will develop students’ awareness of objects of culture broadly construed, and sharpen their understanding of the scope and intellectual history of the field.  To be taken during the sophomore or junior year as a prerequisite for HARC 0710 and HARC 0711.

Court, Castle, and Cathedral: The Gothic World This survey course will consider closely the major architectural monuments of the Gothic period in Western Europe, using them as a point of departure in a larger consideration of the artistic culture of this time.  In looking at Gothic art and architecture, the class will ask some of the following questions: How were buildings embedded in the promotion of distinct political programs?  How do liturgical considerations determine the shapes of buildings and sites?  How can we track the emergence of a non-Christian "other" in art of all media?  How can we characterize the visual and intellectual culture of "courtly love"?

Materiality and Meaning in Medieval Manuscripts Before the invention of the printing press in the middle of the fifteenth century, all books were written by hand, a manual process that informed the term “manuscript.” The most luxurious of medieval manuscripts were illuminated with all manner of images, and these, along with the books themselves, were often understood as embodiments of divine wisdom. In this seminar we will consider medieval manuscripts as artworks and study the history of medieval manuscript illumination. Along the way, we will analyze the functions of various types of texts, learn about the rich relationships between text and image, consider the emergence of silent reading, and study the diverse audiences for medieval books. Over the course of the roughly one thousand years that we will cover in this course, we will see the book change from a mysterious receptacle of sacred wisdom to a commodity created for a mass market.

Senior Thesis Research Seminar In this course students will conceive, undertake research, and plan the organization of their senior thesis in art history or senior museum studies projects.  Seminar discussions and workshops will focus on research strategies, conventions in art historical writing, project design, and public presentation skills. (HARC 0301; Approval Required) 3 hr. sem.

An Introduction to Global Visual Culture This course is an introduction to the visual cultures of the world, with an emphasis on how images, objects, and monuments are made, experienced, exchanged, and used by groups of people with diverse religious, socio-economic, and cultural backgrounds. We will focus on themes that have been taken up by different cultures and adapted over time, such as monumentality, the sacred, embodiment, science, and technology. Through a close study of these themes, we will consider how materials, cultures, and histories are transformed and negotiated through making and viewing works of art. In the process, we will challenge the art historical canon by shedding light on marginalized periods, regions, and artworks.

Eliza Garrison

Reviews and ratings for Eliza Garrison at Middlebury College.Eliza Garrison teaches Medieval Bodies, Early Medieval &Romanesque Art, Bayeux Tapestry and more.  Explore top rated instructors and find the best for you.Is Eliza Garrison good ? Find out on MiddCourses.

Great course. I highly recommend taking for Harc majors and non majors alike. Super interesting material that allows you to actually dive into what Art History is all about. Expect to focus more on looking at art than history, although some research is definitely necessary for papers. She walks you through the process very well, and is very thoughtful about the readings she chooses. Total expert. 

Eliza Garrison is such an amazing professor and person but truly gets hard to love the class after the first three weeks. The Bayeux Tapestry is super interesting and its a lot of fun first learning about it but there is not a lot of academic work on it and everything is correct since we know absolutely nothing about it. Maybe thats good for you maybe thats bad. The papers progressively got easier as it becomes easier to understand how to make an argument on this niche topic and they are a lot of fun if you make it. 

One of my favorite courses I've taken at Middlebury. I absolutely recommend this class to anyone, even those with just a remote interest in art history. Professor Garrison's lectures are full of infectious enthusiasm and humor. Each class includes a discussion of the reading. The course includes two exams (one midterm and one final) and two writing assignments, one of which is a research paper. 