The British Archaeological Association will hold the fifth in its series of biennial International Romanesque conferences in association with the Centre d’Etudes Supérieures de Civilisation Médiévale in Poitiers on 4-6 April, 2018.
The theme is The Regional and Transregional in Romanesque Art and Architecture, and the aim is to examine the extent to which regional styles and preferences were important in the material culture of the 11th and 12th centuries. The categorization of Romanesque by region was a cornerstone of 20th-century scholarship, and the subject is ripe for reappraisal, particularly in relation to transregional and pan-European artistic styles and approaches. How might we describe the cultural geography of the Latin West between c.1000 and c.1200? Proposals for papers concerned with the strength, durability, mutability and geographical scope of regional styles are welcome, as are those that review how, if at all, artistic ‘regions’ are aligned with political regions or initiatives. The extent to which media play a role will also be considered. Does portability make a difference – enhancing the potential for artistic exchange? What are the conditions that give rise to the development of transregional styles? Is identification by ‘gens’ rather than locality significant, particularly in areas where political change is effected through conquest? Are regional styles ever extinguished, and if so how and why? Is it appropriate to talk of centres and peripheries? Are materials – marble, brick, bronze – the dissemination and celebration of saints (particularly episcopal saints) – the emergence of civic patronage – the adoption of myths or legends – the assumption of imported motifs – important in affirming regional identity? How effective are the agencies that cut across territorial boundaries?
Proposals for papers of up to 30 minutes in length should be sent to the convenors, John McNeill and Marcello Angheben, on romanesque2018@thebaa.org by 31 May, 2017. Papers should be in English. Decisions on acceptance will be made by 15 June.
The Conference will be held with the CESCM in the historic centre of Poitiers from 4-6 April, with the opportunity to stay on for two days of visits to buildings in the Poitou on 7-8 April.
This conference is hosted by The Medieval Parish Churches of Norwich Research Project (undertaken at the University of East Anglia and funded by The Leverhulme Trust). All 58 churches, whether existing, ruined or lost, are included in the scope of the project, which seeks insight into how the medieval city developed topographically, architecturally and socially. The Project is intended to reveal the interdependent relationship between city, community and architecture showing how people and places shaped each other during the middle ages. The conference (supported by the Paul Mellon Centre for British Art and Purcell) will present the medieval parish churches of Norwich in their immediate local context and in the broader framework of urban churches in Britain and northern Europe. The subject range will include documentary history, the architectural fabric of the buildings themselves and their place in the topography of Norwich, the development of the churches’ architecture and furnishings, the representation of the churches and their post-Reformation history.
Collecting Ancient and Medieval art attracts both academic and public curiosity because the objects (and structures) in question are not only often extremely rare, but also have fascinating histories. The ability to possess a piece of our past has allowed collectors throughout the centuries to create a continuity between that past and their present. This conference will explore the history of Ancient, Byzantine and Medieval collections, how they were originally formed, how objects survive and in what contexts, and how certain collections themselves live on. It will also address how the collections of the past may be reflected in the way that we approach collecting today, the theoretical and the historical framework of collections, how they are currently presented, as well as some of the controversies in the field. Equally, the problems and issues underlying the collecting of Ancient and Medieval art, and the knowledge required to authenticate them will be discussed. Speakers include: Maeve O’Donnell-Morales, Zoe Opacic, Emily Guerry, Amy Smith, Peter Toth, Amy Jeffs, Anna Kelley, Michael Carter, Naomi Speakman, and Claudio Corsi.
Important Update
This International conference will be devoted to Medieval Pantheons. The main aim is to promote a broad and innovative debate on the concept of “pantheon” throughout the Middle Ages, as well as their underlying intentions. It is also intended to address the specificity of themes that are intertwined with the construction, ornamentation and everyday uses of these spaces by the communities that host them.
What is the study of the church interior?
Medieval Art Research 