WORK | ARBEIT
Spuren, Konstellationen, Wertungen
Traces, Constellations, Valuations

October 23–26, 2026

Organised together with Prof. Dr. Ulrich Rehm, Ruhr-Universität Bochum
in cooperation with Prof. Dr. Kirsten Lee Bierbaum, Technische Universität Dortmund

The analysis of medieval artefacts provides insights into the material traces of contemporary work processes by examining traces of work and material characteristics on the artworks. The preservation of materials and working tools also allows conclusions to be drawn about the technical practices and availability of resources in the respective era. The examination of work routines reveals the collaborations and hierarchies between different actors, for example in corporate contract awards or collaborative manufacturing processes. The social environment plays a decisive role here – whether in a monastic or courtly context – as do the integration of gender relations and the origins of migrant artists or workshops. In addition, the social standing of the producers is considered. Evidence for this is provided by signatures, inscriptions or depictions themselves, which reflect the appreciation of their work. Overall, it can be said that artistic production in the Middle Ages reflects not only technological aspects, but also social structures, social roles and values in an integrative way. From an art history perspective, we are interested in the following questions:

First, what information can be gleaned from medieval artefacts? What traces of workmanship have been preserved in the artworks themselves, and what can be deduced from them? What about the transmission of contemporary materials and tools?

Second, we ask about specific work routines and processes. What was the relationship between the various actors involved in art production, and what can be said, for example, about corporate commissioning and collaborative or collective production processes? And in what social constellations were these processes embedded (for example, in a monastic or courtly context)? What role did gender relations or the origins of migrant artists or workshops play in this?

Thirdly, it is necessary to examine the social position of the producers and the esteem in which they were held. What claims did the artists themselves make, whether through signatures or inscriptions, or in their own representations of artistic work and its producers?

Against the backdrop of the corresponding findings, we can finally ask once again whether the persistently asserted epochal difference between the Middle Ages and the early modern period, “craftsmanship there, art here”, can be upheld.

Proposals that go beyond this brief outline are of course welcome, and we would also like to see the breadth of our professional fields represented. We would like to expressly encourage younger researchers who are still in the process of qualifying to apply with a presentation.

Please apply for one of the sessions by 15 October 2025 using the form on our website and submitting an abstract (max. 350 words). The presentations are scheduled to last 20 minutes. The results of the selection process and the programme are expected to be published by the end of 2025 at www.dvfk-berlin.de and through other relevant online channels.

Please note that only one person is scheduled per presentation at a time. Applications can only be submitted via the online form.