Medieval Charm: Illuminated Manuscripts for Royal, Aristocratic, and Ecclesiastical Patronage // Fascino medievale: manoscritti miniati per i sovrani, l'aristocrazia e il clero
International Conference // Convegno Internazionale

Organized by Stefano U.Baldassarri, Francesca Marini, Florence Moly

Among the main goals of this conference at ISI Florence is increasing knowledge of medieval and Renaissance illuminated books, especially luxury manuscripts.

As part of investigating issues linked with the iconography, patronage, collection, production, exchange, and costs of illuminated manuscripts, the papers will focus on topics such as:
- The making of illuminated manuscripts and the collecting habits of European courts, including the Visconti-Sforza in Lombardy, Alfonso V of Aragon, and Charles V of France.
- Luxury books commissioned by either aristocrats or clergy in Catalonia, and those produced for such important ecclesiastical institutions as the Opera del Duomo in Florence.
- Iconographic themes that medieval and Renaissance culture considered crucial to religious ideology, such as Paradise from the Divine Comedy illustrated by the Sienese Giovanni di Paolo.
- Finally, an evaluation of female patronage of illustrated manuscripts through examples such as The Book of Hours of Joana of Castile, and the so-called «Alphabet» of Mary of Burgundy.

The conference will thus adopt a variety of scholarly approaches to promote a fruitful interdisciplinary exchange stimulating dialogue on the social and economic background of luxury manuscripts in medieval and Renaissance Europe.

To this purpose, particular attention will be given to the role played by the patrons who commissioned such works, their manner of choice for the artists and the iconographic programs used on the basis of the specific historic and geographic contexts for the splendid illuminated manuscripts of the period.


PROGRAM

Tuesday, October 20, 2015 / Martedì, 20 ottobre 2015

9.00
Welcome remarks
Stefano U. Baldassarri (Director, ISI Florence)

9.15
Keynote speech
Giovanna Lazzi (Biblioteca Riccardiana)
Session 1
Chair: Gert Jan van der Sman (Istituto Universitario Olandese)
9.45
Florence Moly (Université du Temps Libre, Perpignan)
La culture des élites: la collection Visconti-Sforza de Pavie et leurs grands connaisseurs, du chancelier ducal à l'historien moderne
10.15
Gennaro Toscano (Institut National du Patrimoine, Paris)
Una passione per i libri: la committenza di Alfonso V d'Aragona detto il Magnanimo (1396-1458)
10.45 Coffee break
11.30
Francesca Marini (ISI Florence)
«Larghi d'oro in oro per parte di miniatura»: i costi della miniatura tra '400 e '500 a partire da alcuni codici per l'Opera del Duomo di Firenze

12.00
Discussion

13.00 Lunch break


Session 2
Chair : Sonia Chiodo (Università degli Studi, Firenze)
15.00
Annette Hoffmann (Kunsthistorisches Institut in Florenz)
The Great Feast: Courtiers and Crusaders in Charles V's «Grandes Chroniques de France»
15.30
Josefina Planas (Universitat de Lleida)
Manoscritti miniati in Catalogna durante gli ultimi secoli del Medioevo: promotori, artisti e centri di creazione artistica

16.00
Bette Talvacchia (University of Oklahoma)
Paradise Emblazoned and Embodied in Giovanni di Paolo's Illumination of Dante's «Commedia»
16.30
Eberhard König (Freie Universität, Berlin)
Books for Women Made by Men? The Hours of Juana la Loca in London (Add. Ms. 18852) and the So-called «Alphabet» of Mary of Burgundy

17.00
Discussion

17.30
Concluding remarks


Partners:
International Studies Institute, Florence
Kunsthistorisches Institut in Florenz – Max-Planck-Institut
Istituto Universitario Olandese di Storia dell'Arte, Firenze
Biblioteca Riccardiana, Firenze
Universitat de Lleida
Crédit Agricole – France