Summer Seminars in Paleography and Archival Studies

Session I: 4 – 9 June 2018 / Deadline: 27 May 2018
Session II: 25 – 30 June 2018 / Deadline: 18 June 2018
Session III: 2 - 7 July 2018 / Deadline: 25 June 2018

The Medici Archive Project is pleased to announce the dates for the upcoming 2018 Summer seminars in paleography and archival studies: Session I (4-9 June), Session II (25-30 June) and Session III (2-7 July).
The principal aim of this seminar is to provide an introduction to Italian archives (with particular emphasis on Florentine archival collections); to examine in-depth various documentary typologies; to read diverse early modern scripts; and to learn how to plan research in Italian archives and libraries. Especially relevant for graduate students, university faculty, and museum curators working on Renaissance and early modern topics, this seminar is taught by a team of current and former MAP scholars, as well as university professors and other MAP-affiliated researchers. Participating students will be taught at the MAP headquarters at Palazzo Alberti in Via de’ Benci 10.

The seminar week is composed of the following classes, each lasting between 1 ½ to 2 ½ hours.

1) Introduction to Italian Archives and Archival Research in Italy (Alessio Assonitis)
2) Manuscripts & Documents: Language, Scripts, Conventions, Dating & Documentary Typologies (Alessio Assonitis)
3) The Archive of the Medici Bankers and Merchants in the ‘400 and early ‘500: Mediceo avanti il Principato (Marcello Simonetta)
4) The Archive of the Medici Grand Dukes, 1537 – 1743: Mediceo del Principato (Alessio Assonitis)
5) Medici Inventories, Payment Records and Material Culture: Guardaroba Medicea (Sheila Barker)
6) The Archive of the Strozzi: Carte Strozziane (Marcello Simonetta)
7) The Florentine Catasto & Notarial Archives in Florence (Nicoletta Baldini)
8) Religious Archives (taught at the library & archive of Santa Maria Novella) (Stefano Dall’Aglio)
9) Archival Sources for Vasari’s Corridoio (Francesca Funis)
10) Digital Renaissance: Survey of Primary Sources Online (Maurizio Arfaioli)
11) Minorities and Archives in Tuscany: The Construction of the Jewish Ghetto (Piergabriele Mancuso)
12) Avvisi & News Networks (Brendan Dooley/Paola Molino)
13) Archives in Mantua & the Gonzaga (Roberta Piccinelli)
14) Family Archives in Tuscany (Pasquale Focarile)
15) The Archive of the Accademia del Disegno (Carlotta Paltrinieri)

In addition, there will be six reading/transcription sessions led by a member of MAP Staff (Arfaioli, Assonitis, Dall’Aglio, Somenzi and Tripodi) and at least two visits to Florentine Archives (Santa Maria Novella and Capponi Archive).
Course Instructors: Maurizio Arfaioli, Alessio Assonitis, Nicoletta Baldini, Sheila Barker, Niccolò Capponi, Stefano Dall’Aglio, Brendan Dooley, Pasquale Focarile, Francesca Funis, Piergabriele Mancuso, Paola Molino, Roberta Piccinelli, Marcello Simonetta, and Claudia Tripodi.

A working knowledge of Italian is required. No previous archival and paleographic experience is required.

Students will be encouraged to develop and augment their research with archival approaches, meet with instructors individually in order to strategize future archival research in Italy, network with scholars in their field, and gain access to archives and libraries resources pertinent to their research.

Prospective applicants should send to educationmedici.org :
1) a one-page CV
2) a brief statement explaining how this course will benefit one’s current research.
The email should also state in the heading the Session (I, II or III) one wishes to attend. This same email address should also be used for queries on administrative details, course tuition and general information.