From Antiquity until the 15th century, Spain was an incredible meeting place of peoples and cultures, from Phoenicians, Romans and Visigoths to Christians, Jews and Moslems. This lecture examines some of its greatest artistic expressions – the imposing Roman remains of Merida, the great Cordoban basilica/mosque/cathedral, the cool water gardens and interiors of the Alhambra, its synagogues, the chapels and cathedrals of the Camino de Santiago de Compostela, the frescoes, sculptures and cloisters of its Romanesque and Gothic churches and the vibrant illuminated manuscripts of the three religions of the Word.
Biography:
Holds a BA in History and History of Art, Westfield College, and a PhD in History, UCL. Professor Emerita of Medieval Manuscript Studies, SAS, University of London, Visiting Professor at UCL and Senior Researcher at the University of Oslo. Formerly a Course Tutor in History of the Book (SAS), Curator of Illuminated Manuscripts at the British Library, and lecturer at Birkbeck and Morley Colleges. Recent publications include Art of the Islands: Celtic, Pictish and Anglo-Saxon Visual Culture (2016), Bede and the Theory of Everything(2023), Illumino:a History of Medieval Britain in 12 Illuminated Manuscripts (2025). Michelle is happy to provide study days on any of her subject areas, especially making medieval illuminated manuscripts and also art of the islands.
