CALL FOR APPLICATIONS
NEH Summer Institute
Leonardo da Vinci: Between Art and Science
University of Virginia / Kunsthistorisches Institut in Florenz

The NEH invites applications to participate in a collaborative, three-week Institute focused on the works of Leonardo da Vinci (1452-1519). The program is designed to encompass multiple disciplinary perspectives, including art and architectural history, Renaissance studies, the history of science, literature, philosophy and religious studies. This heterogeneous group, which reflects the interdisciplinary culture of the Renaissance, will explore dynamic relations between early modern art and science, engaging in a multifaceted analysis of Leonardo's many paintings, drawings and writings.

With this integrated approach, the Institute has two main aims. First, it focuses on a deep understanding of the interrelated activities of the artist, examining how Leonardo connected scientific investigation of the world with his activity as a painter, the interaction between word and image in his writings, and the significance of his unique legacy today. More broadly, the Institute will investigate the status of images in the construction and transmission of knowledge, the boundaries of observation and representation, and the articulation of these issues in sixteenth century philosophy and art theory.

A faculty of internationally renowned scholars will introduce the main topics of the Institute. The Kunsthistorisches Institut, one of the foremost intellectual centers in Florence, provides an ideal setting for our inquiry. Approximately 25 NEH Summer Scholars from different fields and career stages will be selected. Application is open to college and university faculty, graduate and postdoctoral students; see website for further details. Please address inquiries to the Director, Francesca Fiorani, Associate Professor, McIntire Department of Art, University of Virginia, P.O. Box 400130, Charlottesville, VA 22904-4130, email: ff6fvirginia.edu.