In 2013 Pieter Bruegel's Wedding Dance made headlines. As one of very few Bruegel paintings in the US and the work with the highest market value of any in the Detroit Institute of Art collections, it was front and center in efforts to save the museum's collections from sale during the city of Detroit's efforts to emerge from bankruptcy. In 2019-20, the DIA will put Bruegel back in the spotlight by hosting an exhibition on this spectacular painting to celebrate its importance and honor the 450th anniversary of the artist's death. In preparation, the DIA's conservation team is closely studying the materials, technique and history of the painting. This seminar will take students into the conservation lab to get to know Bruegel's picture close-up and in depth. Students will learn about the making and material history of the painting, its historical context, historical painting techniques, modern technologies of imaging and analyzing works of art, and the many historical and ethical dimensions of conservation science.

Textbooks/Other Materials: Required readings will be posted in PDF on Canvas.

Mini Seminar: 2 credits, 1st 7 weeks of semester

Course Requirements: Attendance, informed participation, substantive weekly posts on the assigned readings, and a final project presented in class and documented in a short paper.

Intended Audience: Undergraduates with an interest in History of Art or Museum Studies, material and technical art history and conservation.

Class Format: The seminar will meet weekly for seven 4-hour sessions. The first and last meetings will take place on campus, and the remaining sessions will be conducted at the DIA.

Estimated Cost of Materials: $0-50

HISTART Distribution Requirements: D. Europe and the US, 3. Early Modern

This course fulfils the LSA Humanities Distribution requirement