Call for papers – International Medieval Congress, Leeds, 11-14 July, 2011

Something for Nothing: Pictorial and Material Austerity in the Visual
Arts of the Middle Ages

The use of lavish materials to manifest invisible spiritual truths has
long been a prominent theme in discussions of medieval art, but
medieval artists and patrons also turned to visual austerity and
representations of poverty in order to convey their spiritual ideals,
and an emphasis on forsaking worldly goods for the greater riches of
salvation played a significant role in defining the subject matter and
shaping the pictorial strategies of the visual arts. Objects,
paintings and other visual arts were skillfully used to promote ideals
of poverty, to mediate tensions between earthly and spiritual wealth,
or to manipulate the perception of wealth. The papers in this session
will offer new perspectives on how artists, patrons and viewers
understood and used austerity as a tool in visual communication.

Please send abstracts of not more 250 words to Kathryn Gerry by
Friday, 24 September, 2010 – email (preferred): kbgerrygmail.com or
post: K. Gerry, Dept. Medieval Art, The Walters Art Museum, 600 North
Charles Street, Baltimore, Maryland, 21218 USA.

Papers should be 20 minutes in length, to be delivered in English.

This has also been posted on H-Net:
http://www.h-net.org/announce/show.cgi?ID=178310 - please note
extended deadline: Friday 24 September