Tabernacle-shrine from Mule,
Iceland, now in the Nationalmuseet
in Conpenhagen; c.1250.
Photo: Justin Kroesen

Almost every Medieval church had one or more sculptures of saints, many of which were placed on altars, in wall niches or in so-called tabernacle-altarpieces. This last category refers to three-dimensional, canopied structures, embellished with bright colours and equipped with movable wings that housed cult images of the Virgin and Child or saints. This early type of altarpiece became widespread in Europe between c.1150 and 1400. Nowadays, examples are scarce and often fragmented, overpainted and reconstructed. Most of them come from the geographical periphery of Europe and almost all of them are now without their original context, as they hang on museum walls or in churches as isolated relics.

The purpose of this international symposium is to explore and discuss early tabernacle-altarpieces in different regions of Europe: their provenance, patronage, function, and role in popular piety. We invite speakers to submit proposals for 15-minute papers to be presented during the symposium. Proposals should go beyond case studies and look at such topics as the use and re-use of tabernacle-altarpieces, media involved in their creation, regional differences, etc.

How to Submit: Proposals of c.300 words should be submitted to Fernando Gutiérrez Baños, fbanos@fyl.uva.es.

Deadline: Friday 18th of January 2019.

All proposals will be examined by the Scientific Committee. It is hoped that an edited volume of the symposium proceedings will be published. Successful candidates will be offered free registration.

SCIENTIFIC COMMITTEE: Fernando Gutiérrez Baños, Universidad de Valladolid; Justin Kroesen, Universitetsmuseet i Bergen; Elisabeth Andersen, Norsk institutt for kulturminneforskning.

KEYNOTE SPEAKERS: These will include members of the Scientific Committee; Stephan Kemperdick, Staatliche Museen zu Berlin, Gemäldegalerie; Teresa Laguna Paúl, Universidad de Sevilla; Cristiana Pasqualetti, Università degli Studi dell’Aquila; and Alberto Velasco Gonzàlez, Museu de Lleida: diocesà i comarcal.

PROGRAM (PROVISIONAL): Friday 7th  of June, session held in the Universidad de Valladolid (Facultad de Filosofía y Letras, Sala de Juntas); Saturday 8th  of June, field trip to sites in the Diocese of Vitoria.