In 1943, following the bombing of Exeter Cathedral, a trove of wax votive objects was found at the tomb of Bishop Edmund Lacey. Many were in small fragments, but one whole figure remained – a unique survival of what was once a vibrant religious practice. In this seminar, Dr Naomi Howell and Graham Fereday from Exeter University will discuss the history, study and ongoing conservation of these extremely rare, fragile objects using a combination of high-definition photography, 360-degree videos and 3D-printed models. Combining medieval history and digital humanities, this seminar offers students and others who are interested an opportunity to discover more about this important archaeological find. Presented in conjunction with Exeter Cathedral Library and Archives.
This event is part of the A Material World: Devotion events series, which brings together academics and heritage professionals from a wide range of disciplines to discuss issues concerning historical devotional materials, their conservation, presentation, display, and reconstruction.
Organisers: Rembrandt Duits (Acting Curator, The Photographic Collection, The Warburg Institute) and Louisa McKenzie (PhD student, The Warburg Institute).
Online Lecture: ‘The Exeter Cathedral Wax Votives’ by Dr Naomi Howell and Graham Fereday, The Warburg Institute, 22 March 2021, 15:30-17:00 (GMT)
Medieval Art Research 