Katherine M. Boivin, Associate Professor of Art History and Visual Culture, Bard College

Despite its many uses, the term “medieval” often conjures visions of fortified walls, towering
churches, and dark winding streets. In this talk, Professor Katherine Boivin considers how gothic art
and architecture in late medieval Europe addressed its viewers and ushered them through a dramatic
experience of religious materials. Looking particularly at the work of Germany’s most famous
sculptor Tilman Riemenschneider, it tells a story of how political, religious, and artistic
considerations came to shape the medieval city.