Row of art hanging in a museum with man looking at frame on the end

“Medieval Monsters: Far and Near”

The Department of Art History and Art will host a lecture in conjunction with the Cleveland Museum of Art’s exhibition “Medieval Monsters: Terrors, Aliens. Wonders.”

Sherry Lindquist and Asa Simon Mittman, co-curators of the exhibition, will present a lecture titled “Medieval Monsters: Far and Near” Sept. 27 at 5:30 p.m. in the Thwing Center second-floor ballroom.

A reception will follow the lecture.

About the talk

Medieval artists used visual cues of monstrosity to depict both foreigners and people who did not conform to restrictive social norms, and who therefore seemed alien in some way. Attitudes reflected in medieval art betray complex feelings of fear, loathing, curiosity and desire of the other. Analysis of such imagery demonstrates long-lasting consequences for interactions between peoples and the development of racial thinking.