Medieval Art Research

CFP: ‘Tractive Forces’ Potentials of Art in the Trecento Workshop of the DFG-Centre for Advanced Studies ‘Imaginaria of Force’, Warburg-Haus Hamburg (6-8 May 2026), deadline 15 December 2025 The DFG-Centre for Advanced Studies 'Imaginaria of Force' is calling for papers for a workshop on 'Tractive Forces' in fourteenth-century Italian art, exploring the dynamics of attraction and engagement between art and its viewers, to be held in May 2026. Deadline for submissions is 15 December 2025.

The DFG-Centre for Advanced Studies 'Imaginaria of Force' is calling for papers for a workshop on 'Tractive Forces' in fourteenth-century Italian art, exploring the dynamics of attraction and engagement between art and its viewers, to be held in May 2026. Deadline for submissions is 15 December 2025

Conference: ‘Sanguis Christi: Visual Culture / Visionary Culture (13th–18th Centuries)’, Université Catholique de Louvain, 3-5 December 2025 The conference ‘Sanguis Christi: Visual Culture / Visionary Culture (13th–18th Centuries)’ will be held from December 3 to 5, 2025, in Louvain-la-Neuve. It focuses on the relationship between devotion to the Holy Blood of Christ and the development of visual culture in Europe during the Middle Ages through the 18th century.

The conference ‘Sanguis Christi: Visual Culture / Visionary Culture (13th–18th Centuries)’ will be held from December 3 to 5, 2025, in Louvain-la-Neuve. It focuses on the relationship between devotion to the Holy Blood of Christ and the development of visual culture in Europe during the Middle Ages.

CFP: IX Congreso Internacional ‘O Camiño do Medievalista: ‘Ex labore fructus’, Santiago de Compostela, deadline for submission 1 December 2025 The IX Congreso Internacional ‘O Camiño do Medievalista’ in Santiago de Compostela invites submissions from PhD students and recent graduates on various aspects of Medieval Studies, with proposals due by December 1, 2025.

The IX Congreso Internacional ‘O Camiño do Medievalista’ in Santiago de Compostela invites submissions from PhD students and recent graduates on various aspects of Medieval Studies, with proposals due by December 1, 2025.

Peter Fergusson PhD Scholarship in English Medieval Architecture, Courtauld, statement of intent deadline 17 November 2025 The Courtauld is offering a a new fully funded Peter Fergusson PhD Scholarship in English Medieval Architecture for eligible projects focusing on England from the eleventh to the early sixteenth centuries. Statement of intents are due by 17 November 2025.

The Courtauld is offering a a new fully funded Peter Fergusson PhD Scholarship in English Medieval Architecture for eligible projects focusing on England from the eleventh to the early sixteenth centuries. Statement of intents are due by 17 November 2025.

Murray Seminar: ‘Imago Dei, Imago Mundi: Matthew Paris’s saints, relics, maps and wonders’ with Paul Binski, Birkbeck, 17 November 2025, 17:00-18:30 (GMT) Please join Birkbeck on 17 November, at Birkbeck and online, for the Murray Seminar by Paul Binski. In this seminar, Paul Binski will share his research on 'Imago Dei, Imago Mundi: Matthew Paris’s saints, relics, maps and wonders'.

Please join Birkbeck on 17 November, at Birkbeck and online, for the Murray Seminar by Paul Binski. In this seminar, Paul Binski will share his research on 'Imago Dei, Imago Mundi: Matthew Paris’s saints, relics, maps and wonders'.

📆 17 November 2025
⏰ 17:00-18:30 (GMT)

Online lecture: ‘Mediating Touch: Ivory Pyxides and the Eucharist’, with Evan Freeman, 17 November 2025, 12–1:30 pm (EST, UTC -5) In this lecture, Evan Freeman, Simon Fraser University, will consider the use of ivory pyxides for receiving Communion in church. A large body of these round ivory boxes survive from late antiquity. Several boxes display motifs associated with the Eucharist.

In this lecture, Evan Freeman, Simon Fraser University, will consider the use of ivory pyxides for receiving Communion in church. A large body of these round ivory boxes survive from late antiquity. Several boxes display motifs associated with the Eucharist.

📆 17 Nov 2025, 12–1:30 pm (EST, UTC-5)

Lecture: ‘A Spectrum of Desires: Queering Medieval Art at The Met Cloisters’, with Nancy Thebaut, 17 Dec 2025, 17:30-19:00 (GMT), Courtauld Institute of Art In this lecture, Dr Nancy Thebaut will discuss their co-curated exhibition "Spectrum of Desire" at The Met Cloisters, which explores medieval perspectives on love, sex, and gender, with a focus on a tapestry of the Queen of Sheba and Solomon.

In this lecture, Dr Nancy Thebaut will discuss their co-curated exhibition "Spectrum of Desire" at The Met Cloisters, which explores medieval perspectives on love, sex, and gender, with a focus on a tapestry of the Queen of Sheba and Solomon.

📆 17 Dec 2025, 17:30-19:00 (GMT)
📍Courtauld Institute

CFP: ‘Memory and Medieval Material Culture’, Courtauld Medieval Postgraduate Colloquium, deadline 14 December 2025 The Courtauld Medieval Postgraduate Colloquium invites PhD candidates to submit proposals exploring the intricate relationship between memory and medieval material culture, with a focus on artworks, buildings, and the socio-political agendas surrounding them, by December 14, 2025.

The Courtauld Medieval Postgraduate Colloquium invites PhD candidates to submit proposals exploring the intricate relationship between memory and medieval material culture, with a focus on artworks, buildings, and the socio-political agendas surrounding them, by December 14, 2025.

Online Lecture: ‘Creating Christian Sacred Spaces: The Armenian Case (4th–7th Centuries)’, with Nazénie Garibia, 4 November 2025, 12:00 PM (EST, UTC -5) The Mary Jaharis Center for Byzantine Art and Culture and the Mashtot Chair of Armenian Studies at Harvard University are pleased to announce the first lecture in the 2025–2026 East of Byzantium lecture series.

The Mary Jaharis Center for Byzantine Art and Culture and the Mashtot Chair of Armenian Studies at Harvard University are pleased to announce the first lecture in the 2025–2026 East of Byzantium lecture series.

Conference: ‘Zooming In and Out: Reconsidering Hans Memling’, Musea Brugge, Bruges, 20-21 November 2025 To celebrate its opening in 2025, BRON Research Centre (Musea Brugge), in collaboration with the Royal Institute for Cultural Heritage (KIK-IRPA, Brussels), is organising a two-day conference on new and ongoing research on the oeuvre of Early Netherlandish painter Hans Memling.

To celebrate its opening in 2025, BRON Research Centre (Musea Brugge), in collaboration with the Royal Institute for Cultural Heritage (KIK-IRPA, Brussels), is organising a two-day conference on new and ongoing research on the oeuvre of Early Netherlandish painter Hans Memling.

📆 20-21 Nov 2025

New Publication: ‘The Social Lives of Medieval Rings’, edited by Jitske Jasperse "The Social Lives of Medieval Rings," edited by Jitske Jasperse, explores the intricate roles of medieval rings as social artifacts that connect people, places, and cultural practices from 1100 to 1500 across Europe, revealing their significance in historical and contemporary contexts.

"The Social Lives of Medieval Rings," edited by Jitske Jasperse, explores the intricate roles of medieval rings as social artifacts that connect people, places, and cultural practices from 1100 to 1500 across Europe, revealing their significance in historical and contemporary contexts.

In-person/online conference: ‘The Challenge of Historical Distance Historicism and Anachronism in the Study of Art’, 6-7 November 2025 Join the international conference "The Challenge of Historical Distance: Historicism and Anachronism in the Study of Art" to honour Prof. Gervase Rosser.

Join the international conference "The Challenge of Historical Distance: Historicism and Anachronism in the Study of Art" to honour Prof. Gervase Rosser.

📆 6-7 November 2025
📍 Online & Nederlands Interuniversitair Kunsthistorisch Instituut (NIKI), Florence, Italy

Online Lecture Series: ‘Participation through Prayer in the Late Medieval and Early Modern World’, 21 October 2025 – 10 February 2026, Tuesdays, 4–6 pm (CET) Join PRAYTICIPYTE for this lecture series on prayer in the Late Medieval and Early Modern World, which takes place online.

Join PRAYTICIPYTE for this lecture series on prayer in the Late Medieval and Early Modern World, which takes place online.

📆 21 October 2025 - 10 February 2026, Tuesdays
⏰ 4–6 pm (CET)

Lecture Series: Oxford Medieval Visual Culture Seminar series 2025-2026 Check out the upcoming Oxford Medieval Visual Culture Seminar series. Please note all lectures take place in person.

Check out the upcoming Oxford Medieval Visual Culture Seminar series. Please note all lectures take place in person.

CFP: ‘Materialising the Holy. Matter, Senses, and Spiritual Experience in the Middle Ages (12th-15th century)’, University of Padua (6-8 May 2026), deadline 31 October 2025 The University of Padua is hosting the 4th International Multidisciplinary Conference on "Materialising the Holy," exploring the interplay of materiality, sensory experience, and spiritual practices in the Middle Ages from 6-8 May 2026, with proposals due by 31 October 2025.

The University of Padua is hosting the 4th International Multidisciplinary Conference on "Materialising the Holy," exploring the interplay of materiality, sensory experience, and spiritual practices in the Middle Ages from 6-8 May 2026, with proposals due by 31 October 2025.

CFP: ‘Elevating the Word. Bimah – Ambo – Minbar – Pulpit as Spaces of Sacred Speech’, deadline 31 October 2025 The international conference seeks paper proposals, focusing on the acoustic and architectural dimensions of the Bimah, Ambo, and Minbar.

The international conference seeks paper proposals by October 31, 2025, focusing on the acoustic and architectural dimensions of the Bimah, Ambo, and Minbar.

CFP: ‘Carrying Across: Translation as Material Practice in the Pre/Early Modern World,’ AAH 2026 Annual Conference (8–10 April 2026), deadline 2 November 2025 This session at the AAH 2026 Annual Conference invites papers exploring how portable objects function as means of translation across cultural and temporal boundaries.

This session at the AAH 2026 Annual Conference invites papers exploring how portable objects function as means of translation across cultural and temporal boundaries.

Deadline for submissions is 2 November 2025.

Call for Contributions: ‘The Medieval in Museums’, deadline 3 November 2025 The edited volume "The Medieval in Museums" seeks short abstracts for contributions that explore the presentation and interpretation of medieval objects, texts, and histories in museums and related institutions, emphasising global perspectives and the cultural implications of these representations.

The edited volume "The Medieval in Museums" seeks short abstracts for contributions that explore the presentation and interpretation of medieval objects, texts, and histories in museums and related institutions, emphasising global perspectives and the cultural implications of these representations.

Murray Seminar: ‘The artist’s new body, burle, and the praise of caricature in early modern Italy’, with Katarzyna Murawska-Muthesius, Birkbeck, 20 October 2025, 17:00-18:30 (GMT) Please join Birkbeck for the first Murray Seminar of this academic year. Katarzyna Murawska-Muthesius will share her research on 'The artist’s new body, burle, and the praise of caricature in early modern Italy'.

Please join Birkbeck for the first Murray Seminar of this academic year. Katarzyna Murawska-Muthesius will share her research on 'The artist’s new body, burle, and the praise of caricature in early modern Italy'.

📆 20 October 2025, 17:00-18:30 (GMT)
📍Online & Birkbeck University, London

Conference: ‘Boundaries and Encounters in Medieval Art and Architecture: A Conference in Memory of John McNeill’, Oxford, 12-14 December 2025 (Scholarship deadline 16 October) In memory of our much-missed friend and inspiration, the British Archaeological Association will be holding a conference to celebrate our former secretary, John McNeill, on 12-14 December 2025.

In memory of our much-missed friend and inspiration, the British Archaeological Association will be holding a conference to celebrate our former secretary, John McNeill, on 12-14 December 2025.

Lecture: ‘Episcopal display and the English crozier around the time of the Norman Conquest’, with Sophie Kelly, 22 Oct 2025, 17:30-19:00 (BST), Courtauld Institute of Art Join Dr Sophie Kelly for a lecture that explores the evolving design and significance of croziers in the context of ecclesiastical authority and political change in England during the 11th century.

Join Dr Sophie Kelly for a lecture that explores the evolving design and significance of croziers in the context of ecclesiastical authority and political change in England during the 11th century.

📆 22 Oct 2025, 17:30-19:00 (BST)
📍 Courtauld Institute of Art

Conference: ‘Communication – Cooperation – Confrontation: Queens, Noblewomen and Burgher Women in the Middle Ages’, 16-17 October 2025, Prague The conference titled "Communication – Cooperation – Confrontation: Queens, Noblewomen and Burgher Women in the Middle Ages" will be held in Prague on 16-17 October 2025, focusing on the influence and roles of medieval women within various societal networks and exploring themes of patronage, social standing, and material culture.

The conference titled "Communication – Cooperation – Confrontation: Queens, Noblewomen and Burgher Women in the Middle Ages" will be held in Prague on 16-17 October 2025, focusing on the influence and roles of medieval women within various societal networks.

📆 16-17 October 2025

Lecture: ‘Video Games & the Work of Medieval Art History: Possibilities for Public Impact Through Industry Collaborations’, with Dr Glaire Anderson, University of York, 12 Nov 2025, 5.30-7pm (GMT) Join the University of York's Centre for Medieval Studies for this lecture on medieval art and video games.

Join the University of York's Centre for Medieval Studies for this lecture on medieval art and video games with Dr Glaire Anderson (The University of Edinburgh).

📆 12 Nov 2025, 5.30-7pm (GMT)
📍 University of York

CFP: ‘Animal Representation in the Global Middle Ages: Bridging the Natural and Social Worlds’ (AAH Conference Panel), deadline 2 November 2025 Abstracts are invited for the session ‘Animal Representation in the Global Middle Ages: Bridging the Natural and Social Worlds’, which will take place at the next Association for Art History Conference.

Abstracts are invited for the session ‘Animal Representation in the Global Middle Ages: Bridging the Natural and Social Worlds’, which will take place at the next Association for Art History Conference.

Deadline for submissions is 2 November 2025

Online lecture: ‘Grünewald Remediating Wood from the Panel’ with Gregory Bryda, 8 October 2025, 5pm (CEST) Gregory Bryda will present an online lecture on October 8, 2025, examining how Matthias Grünewald utilised wood's dual nature in his altarpieces to intertwine the medicinal properties of Christ and saints with those of trees and plants.

Gregory Bryda will present an online lecture on October 8, 2025, examining how Matthias Grünewald utilised wood's dual nature in his altarpieces to intertwine the medicinal properties of Christ and saints with those of trees and plants.

📆 8 October 2025, 5pm (CEST)
📍Online

New Publication: ‘The Digital Medieval Manuscript: Material Approaches to Digital Codicology’ by Suzette van Haaren This new book explores the digital medieval manuscript as a unique cultural artifact, not just a copy of its physical counterpart.

This new book explores the digital medieval manuscript as a unique cultural artifact, not just a copy of its physical counterpart.

CFP: ‘Confounding Images: Frustration as Art Historical Method’, Association for Art History 2026 Annual Conference, University of Cambridge (8-10 April 2026), deadline 2 November 2025 Submissions are invited for the session ‘Confounding Images: Frustration as Art Historical Method’, which will take place at the Association for Art History 2026 Annual Conference.

Submissions are invited for the session ‘Confounding Images: Frustration as Art Historical Method’, which will take place at the Association for Art History 2026 Annual Conference.

Deadline for submissions is 2 November 2025.

Conference: 18th International Complutense Conference on Medieval Art, Madrid, 7–8 October 2025 This year’s conference International Complutense Conference on Medieval Art, titled Transculturality and Medieval Art in Dialogue: Negotiating New Identities, will once again offer a specialised forum for scholarly exchange. The conference organisers invite all members of the academic community to attend.

This year’s conference International Complutense Conference on Medieval Art, titled Transculturality and Medieval Art in Dialogue: Negotiating New Identities, will once again offer a specialised forum for scholarly exchange.

📆 7–8 October 2025
📍Universidad Complutense de Madrid

New Publication: ‘American Gothic: Reflections on Gothic Scholarship in America 1925–2025’ edited by Robert Bork AVISTA are excited to announce the publication of the 18th volume in our Brill series, AVISTA Studies in the History of Medieval Technology, Science, and Art, with American Gothic: Reflections on Gothic Scholarship in America 1925–2025, edited by Robert Bork.

AVISTA are excited to announce the publication of the 18th volume in our Brill series, AVISTA Studies in the History of Medieval Technology, Science, and Art, with American Gothic: Reflections on Gothic Scholarship in America 1925–2025, edited by Robert Bork.

CFP: ‘WORK: Traces, Constallations, Valuations’, 8th Forum Kunst des Mittelalters (Bochum/ Dortmund 2026), deadline 15 October 2025 Papers are invited for submission for this year's Forum Kunst des Mittelalters, on the theme: ‘WORK: Traces, Constallations, Valuations.’

Papers are invited for submission for this year's Forum Kunst des Mittelalters, on the theme: ‘WORK: Traces, Constallations, Valuations.’

Deadline 15 October 2025