Death In The Visual Arts

The visual arts have been used to contrast the fleeting realities of life with the permanence of death, and to explore the themes of loss, sadness, and grief, as well as hopes for immortality. 

We will consider representations of the afterlife, the Last Judgment, personifications of death, how cultures and individuals memorialize the dead, and the ways in which wars and plagues influenced attitudes toward death and dying. Topics will range from the ancient world to the present. Some artists who will be considered are: Holbein, Durer, Michelangelo, Goya, Munch, Picasso, and Andy Warhol.