Call for Papers: Misericordia International Colloquium 2018: Choir Stalls & Their Patrons, Rijeka (Croatia), 13-16 September 2018
Deadline: Feb 15, 2018
Notification of  paper acceptance: March 15, 2018

Misericordia International is an internationally active multidisciplinary network dedicated to the study of choir stalls and their relation to other artistic manifestations during the Middle Ages and to the dissemination of results. The intensive exchange with researchers from neighboring disciplines reveals interfaces between disciplines and subjects of research and provides new impulses for the study of choir stalls. The platform for scholarly exchange is the international conference organized  every two years.

The next colloquium will be held in Rijeka (Croatia) in September 2018. The conference seeks to explore and discuss the relation between choir stalls and their patrons. It aims to present original research in this field as well as to establish productive dialogue between scholars with a particular research interest in choir stalls. Artworks and their patrons have raised and continue to raise many research questions. While choir stalls have been studied extensively for the misericords with profane carvings, less research has been done on the commissions for this type of church furniture. In recent years the focus of choir stall research has moved toward makers and patrons, hence  the previous colloquium’s topic was dedicated to the craftsmen and their workshops. The 2018 conference will focus on problems of ecclesiastical and secular patrons and questions such as who were the patrons of choir stalls and to what extent were they responsible for the final result, or are there differences or similarities between choir stalls considering different patrons – members of chapters, parishes, female and male monastic communities, confraternities and private persons.

We welcome academic papers that will approach this subject in an interdisciplinary and methodologically diverse way.

Acceptable topics may include, but are not limited to, the following:
– collaboration between patrons and craftsmen (carpenters, sculptors and painters)
– results of the archival research;
– inscriptions and used typography on choir stalls;
– migrations of craftsmen and migrations of stylistic features;
– center versus periphery;
– depiction of patrons on choir stalls.

Following the conference, a two-day excursion – visit to selected choir stalls of the region – is planned.
The conference language is English. A publication of the proceedings of this conference is forseen.
Papers should not exceed anticipated maximum time of 20 minutes and will be followed by a 10-minute discussion.

A paper proposal should contain the title and abstract (500 words maximum). Each proposal should be accompanied by full contact information (home and office mailing addresses, e-mail address, and phone number) and a short CV.

Paper proposals should be submitted electronically to: choir_stalls2018@uniri.hr

There is NO registration fee. Administration and organizational costs, working materials, lunch and
coffee breaks during conference are covered by the organizers. Travel expenses and accomodation ARE NOT COVERED.