The Medici Archive Project is pleased to announce the dates for the 2019 Summer seminars in paleography and archival studies: Session I (3-8 June) and Session II (1-6 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.

This year’s list of lecturers include:
– MAP staff: Maurizio Arfaioli, Alessio Assonitis, Sheila Barker, Stefano Dall’Aglio, Pasquale Focarile, Piergabriele Mancuso, Carlotta Paltrinieri
– Guest lecturers: Nicoletta Baldini (Bocconi), Brendan Dooley (Cork), Francesca Funis (Università degli Studi di Firenze), Alessandro Lo Bartolo (Università di Pisa), Paola Molino (Università degli Studi di Padova), Marcello Simonetta (Science Po Paris).

The seminar week is composed of lectures and transcription sessions, lasting between 1 ½ to 2 ½ hours.

A tentative list of lectures include:

- Manuscripts & Documents: Language, Scripts, Conventions, Dating; Documentary Typologies
- The Archive of the Medici Bankers and Merchants in the ‘400 and early ‘500: the Mediceo avanti il Principato
- The Archive of the Grand Ducal Medici (1537-1743): the Mediceo del Principato
- Medici Inventories, Payment Records and Material Culture Records: the Guardaroba medicea
- The Archive of the Strozzi Family: Carte Strozziane
- Catasto & Notarial Archives in Florence
- Family and Private Archives
- Religious Archives: Structure & Organization
- Florentine Magistracies and their Archives
- The Archive(s) of the Accademia del Disegno
- History of Medicine: Main Archival Sources
- Minorities & Archives in Tuscany: The Construction of the Jewish Ghetto
- Avvisi & News Networks

In addition, MAP staff will organize a one-day visit to Venice or Rome archives.

A working knowledge of Italian is recommended. 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
3) the preferred session

This same email address should also be used for queries on administrative details, and general information.

Tuition fee: $1000