Duration
30h SEM, 5d FT Tr. Pr.
Number of credits
Lecturer
Language(s) of instruction
French language
Organisation and examination
Teaching in the first semester, review in January
Schedule
Units courses prerequisite and corequisite
Prerequisite or corequisite units are presented within each program
Learning unit contents
Histoire de l'art gréco-romain / partim ROME (2026-2027) :
Vegetalised "monsters" in Roman décors. Art & Society
The "monstrous" is culturally constructed category linked to a particular definition of normativity and its transgression. In all human societies, moral, physical and fantastical monsters thus embody particular conceptions of the world, nature and the "other". Hybrid beings in particular (physically constituted, in the very substance of their bodies, through the blending of different species or natural kingdoms) feature prominently in the narratives and visual arts of Roman Antiquity. Centaurs, gorgons, sirens and griffins are well known and have been the subject of extensive scholarly research, but one category of composite monsters remains comparatively understudied, probably in part because of the absence of explicit references to them in ancient textual sources: vegetalised figures, whether animal or human, whose bodies are partly composed of vegetal elements. These creatures take a variety of forms and fulfil diverse functions. They appear in all spheres of everyday life and throughout the Roman world, from the 1st century BC to the end of Late Antiquity in the 6th century AD. But how can such a vast corpus be approached, and how can it be interpreted when the textual sources seem, at first sight, to offer little assistance? Through a transmedial and contextualised analysis of the material, the course will explore the origins of these motifs in Roman décors, their forms and functions in different contexts of use, and the processes through which they were disseminated and appropriated in the provinces. It will also consider what these half-vegetal monsters reveal about Roman society, particularly its relationship with alterity and the forces of nature. Finally, the course will provide an opportunity for collective reflection on the role of art history in addressing contemporary societal issues.
The methodological dimension is a central pillar of the course. Particular emphasis will be placed on helping students develop the skills required for a research project such as a TFE, including selecting an appropriate methodology in relation to a research question, reviewing the existing scholarship, constructing a corpus and developing a typology through practical exercises, approaching images as historical documents, and adopting an emic perspective when interpreting the material.
Learning outcomes of the learning unit
The MASTERS courses (HAAR0122-2 et HAAR0123-2) are presented as occasional studies on a particular theme for which students' active participation is desired.Ces cours seront donnés en alternant les thématiques grecque et romaine, d'un cours à l'autre, d'une année à l'autre. This consists of developing the fundamental knowledge and methodologies acquired during the three years of the Baccalaureat.
The aims of learning are research: thorough presentation and critical discussion of an object or argument.
Prerequisite knowledge and skills
None - bearing in mind that the History of Art and Archaeology of Greek-Roman Antiquity is only one element of the indissociable whole of the Sciences of Antiquity (history, philology and the history of religion).
Planned learning activities and teaching methods
For MASTERS students, other than the good habits developed during the years of the Baccalaureat (regular presence in class, analytical work and verification in the library, research of the images), it is necessary to take a critical approach to the material presented in class. This involves prior preparation of the issues being studied in order to be able to contribute to the discussion and exchange information which has been collated. In some cases, students should also produce regular research and present it to the class. At this level of study, it is indispensable to produce, either individually or in groups, a blibliographical and iconographical database.
An educational trip of one day will be organised in a museum to acquire knowledge through contact with the artworks.
Students will be required to produce (and present, as part of the oral examination) a short critical review of a scientific article, drawing on the course material and the critical appraisal tools covered during the course.
Mode of delivery (face to face, distance learning, hybrid learning)
Face-to-face course
Further information:
Face-to-face course
Further information:
Lectures (illustrated by slides) for which students' active participation is required (critical discussion).
Course materials and recommended or required readings
Given in the reading list provided at the start of the course
Exam(s) in session
Any session
- In-person
oral exam
Written work / report
Further information:
Exam(s) in session
Any session
- In-person
oral exam + short written work to be submitted and presented on the day of the examination (critical review of a scientific article)
Additional information:
Oral Exam (first and second sessions)
Work placement(s)
No placements are planned during this course.
Organisational remarks and main changes to the course
The course will take place every week from Tuesday 22 September, 2026, in line with the schedule which has been established (Tuesdays 9am to noon / S50). A break is planned in the second half of the session.
Contacts
Meetings upon appointment at the History of Art and Archaeology of Greek and Roman Antiquity Department.
Lecturer
Stéphanie DERWAEL, chercheuse qualifiée FNRS and maîtresse de conférence
Department of Historical Sciences
Quai Roosevelt 1b (Building A4) at B-4000 Liège
Email : s.derwael@uliege.be
http://web.philo.ulg.ac.be/shaaragr/
Secretariat
Josiane DERULLIEUR
Tél. 04.366.53.41