Power, Presence, Permanence: The History of Sculpture in Six Short Strokes
with Dr. Elizabeth Lev
In this course, Dr. Elizabeth Lev presents the history of sculpture, once the medium par excellence for representing the sacred, now often a vehicle for anodyne images of Christianity’s most powerful intercessors, relegated to gardens or displayed once a year for its relative feast.
Historically, sculpture evoked wonder, the human conquest of marble or metal considered the highest form of aesthetic honor. These six classes will cover the major eras and developments in sculpture over the centuries, from Ancient Egypt to Tracey Emin.
Power, Presence, Permanence: The History of Sculpture in Six Short Strokes is a visually rich, fast-moving survey of sculpture as the Church’s most enduring art form—from ancient sacred images to modern works.
Examining the principal material for sculpture, will reveal how “media matters” in art, whether for expense, durability, pliability, while studying some of the most famous examples of each. Most importantly, this course will present a parade of breathtaking art, from Classical Greece, to the cathedrals of France, to Renaissance masterpieces and Baroque wonders.
The course will close with a glance at the modern era with its challenging forms but with an eye towards artistic hope on the horizon. This is a chance to learn about Michelangelo and Bernini in the context of a larger current of art, in the medium that has always been associated with the divine.
Pastoral Ministry Online Courses
Power, Presence, Permanence: The History of Sculpture in Six Short Strokes" with Elizabeth Lev
First Session: February 24, 2026 - (7:30 pm – 9:00 pm)
Class I: February 24, 2026 - (7:30 pm – 9:00 pm)
What is sculpture?
Media and History
This class looks at the most popular media for sculpture and the special characteristics that have been exploited by artists through the centuries. Exploring the ancient history of sculpture, from the Gravettian Venuses to Roman portraits, we’ll look at how excellence was achieved in this art, alongside the spectre of idolatry.
Class II: March 03, 2026 - (7:30 pm – 9:00 pm)
Christians and the Graven Image
This class looks at how Christians engaged with the art sculpture in dialogue with the Roman Empire, and its mastery of the medium. Looking at the carved sarcophaghi made with references to pagan subjects infused with new Christian meaning, we can see how the Good Shepherd, Jonah, and Daniel were transformed to evangelize a world saturated with art. The fall of the Roman Empire saw sculptural production grind almost to a halt, only to be revived during the Romanesque era in the wake of the crusades. We’ll see the re-emergence of the art form in the extraordinary architecture of this age.
Class III: March 10, 2026 - (7:30 pm – 9:00 pm)
Sculpture Soars
The dense artistic decoration of cathedral facades led to a dramatic rise in sculptural prowess resulting in the breathtaking decoration of churches like Reims or Chartres. Increased interest in ancient Roman models saw the development of elaborate tomb monuments and pulpits carved by innovators such as Nicola Pisano and his studio. This class closes with an exploration of the unsung genius of Medieval sculpture, Arnolfo di Cambio.
Class IV: March 17, 2026 - (7:30 pm – 9:00 pm)
The Rise of the Renaissance
The Renaissance era was kickstarted by the Florentine competition between Ghiberti and Brunelleschi over a sculptural commission. Despite flashes of sculptural brilliance in other centers, (particularly Burgundy), Florence would become the “New Athens” of statuary with creative geniuses vying for the attention of an increasingly demanding public. Lorenzo the Magnificent’s predilection for sculpture would see the formation of an academy searching for young talent, which would ultimately produce sculpture’s greatest icon, Michelangelo Buonarroti.
Class V: March 24, 2026 - (7:30 pm – 9:00 pm)
Sculpture goes viral
By the 17th century sculpture graced palaces, churches, gardens and piazzas across Europe. This class will examine the Baroque style of sculpture – its origins in Rome, and its manifestations in Spain, France, Austria, and beyond. Technical virtuosity skyrocketed in this era, challenging artists to coax the media to produce more complicated effects. This lecture will discuss the bel composto of Bernini, the polychrome statues of Spain, and the creations of the Grand Siécle in France. Arguably the zenith of statuary, this era broke every artistic boundary by making stone seem to float, flutter, or fly.
Class VI: March 31, 2026 - (7:30 pm – 9:00 pm)
The Hardened Modern He(art)
The utter rejection of the Baroque by the Enlightenment era wrought great changes in sculpture. While Canova ushered in the Neo-Classical era and the purchase of the Elgin marbles transformed the taste of a generation, sculpture was fossilizing into new academic rigidity that hastened the decline of the art. Along the way, however, the New World took an interest in the medium, and American sculptors appeared on the artistic stage. The backlash against the stagnant art of the academy however, led to new methods of manipulating the medium as in the art of Rodin, Brancusi, and Giacometti. The class closes with a look at contemporary sculpture, contrasting the most famous names in art today to the more promising Catholic artists.
About Dr. Elizabeth Lev
Dr. Elizabeth Lev is an American-born art historian who has lived and worked in Rome since 1997, driven by a mission to make the city’s art accessible and meaningful through expert scholarship and compelling storytelling. A graduate of the University of Chicago and the University of Bologna, she has taught art history at institutions including Duquesne University’s Italian campus, John Cabot University, the Pontifical University of St. Thomas Aquinas (Angelicum), and Christendom College, and has guided countless pilgrims through Rome’s artistic and spiritual heritage.
Pastoral Ministry Online Courses