Call for Papers: ‘Choir stalls and its workshops’, Misericordia internationale kolloquium 2016, deadline 31 October 2015

Session organisers: Anja Seliger, Humboldt-University of Berlin, Cluster of Excellence Image Knowledge Gestaltung; Prof. Dr. Gerhardt Weilandt, Ernst-Moritz-Arndt-University of Greifswald, Department of Art History

Misericordia International is an international multidisciplinary network for broad-based research on choir stalls. Starting from the artistic design the studies dedicate to the relationship with other
artistic elaborations and their proliferation in the Middle Ages and more recent times. The intensive exchange with scientists of neighboring disciplines shows interfaces between disciplines and subjects of investigation and give new impetus to the exploration of the choir stalls. The basis for scientific exchange is the bi-annual international conference.

The next colloquium taking place in Greifswald in June 2016 focusses on the medieval artistic production and all questions related to the working practice in workshops for choir stalls. In addition to monographic studies which seek to identify a master-workshop relation by means of stilistic analysis we welcome papers that explore further questions on medieval workshop practice.

The organisers particularly welcome papers that:
– examine collaboration between carpenters, sculptors and painters during work in progress;
– present new archival research;
– deal with inscriptions and used typography on choir stalls;
– answer businessrelated questions;
– discuss mechanisms for the spread of new styles and techniques, e.g. marquetry, and which workshops they mediated;
– investigate the merger of regional characteristics because of migrant craftsmen;
– illuminate the problem of art center and periphery or
– discuss the phenomenon monastery workshop.

Also welcome are contributions regarding recent eras, as well as papers that deal with sample books and/or the phenomenon of church decorator in the late 19th century.

Participants from different fields are welcome, including, but not limited to art history and technical history, material studies, restoration and conservation studies, and sociology. Following the lecture days a full day excursion to selected choir stalls of the region is planned.

The conference language is English. A timely publication of contributions in the series Profane Arts of the Middle Ages is provided. The organisers are seeking funding to cover the travel expenses for speakers.

Please submit your abstract to seliger@chorgestuehl.de
Paper proposals should consist of the following:
1. Abstract of proposed paper (500 words maximum)
2. CV with home and office mailing addresses, e-mail address, and phone number
Deadline for paper proposals submission: October 31, 2015
Notification of paper acceptance: December 15, 2015

Suggestion for young scholars: The Association Misericordia International has a limited number of Travel Bursaries for students and postgraduate doctoral students.