Empires of Faith: Imagining the Divine

A Workshop at the University of Edinburgh

The papers in this day workshop convened by Dr Yuthika Sharma, co-hosted by the Empires of Faith project and the Department of the History of Art, Edinburgh College of Art, explore the theme of the materiality of religion from India to Iberia in a ‘long Late Antiquity’ of c. AD 200 - 800. and discuss the difficulties in presenting such a narrative in a forthcoming exhibition in the Ashmolean Museum, Oxford, from 19th October 2017 - 18th February 2018 entitled Imagining the divine: art and the rise of world religions.

ALL WELCOME

9 – 9.30 AM: Tea
9.30 AM: Welcome

9.40 – 10.30
Yuthika Sharma (Edinburgh) - Situating Vishnu: Displaying an enigmatic deity from medieval India
Respondent: Paul Dundas, Sanskrit Studies, School of Literatures, Languages and Cultures, University of Edinburgh.

10.30 – 11.20
Robert Bracey (British Museum) - The first Buddha images and European imperialism
Respondent: Halle O’Neal, Buddhist Art, History of Art, Edinburgh College of Art.

Break: Tea (Hunter Lecture Theatre Foyer)

11.30- 12.20
Rachel Wood (Oxford) - Afterlives of Sasanian sacred iconographies
Respondent: Jaakko Hameen-Antilla, Arabic and Islamic Studies, IMES, School of Literatures, Languages and Cultures.

12.20 – 14.20
Sandwich Take-away Lunch [ Followed by 15 min to Walk to Main Library]
Viewing of Medieval Objects in Special Collections, 6th Floor, Main Library
[Session Runs from 13.00-14.00: with a short introduction by Dr Heather Pulliam to the Celtic Psalter]

14.20-15.10
Maria Lidova (Oxford) - Old Ways, New Faith: Shaping the Image of Christ in Late Roman World
Respondent: Niels Gaul, Byzantine Studies, School of History, Classics and Archaeology, University of Edinburgh.

15.10 – 16.00
Nadia Ali (Oxford) - Qusayr 'Amra and the Continuity of Post-classical Art in Early Islam
Respondent: Alain George, Islamic Art, History of Art, Edinburgh College of Art.

16.00 Closing Remarks followed by Tea/Coffee and Drinks and Nibbles Reception in Higgit Gallery [Until 17.30].