[1] and [2] Philip the Good and Isabella of Portugal – New Research on Late Medieval Art and Culture in Burgundy and Beyond.

From: Gerhard Lutz, glutzclevelandart.org
Date: Jul 24, 2023
Deadline: Sep 15, 2023

The sessions will present: In-Person

2 Sessions sponsored by The Cleveland Museum of Art
Session organizers: Gerhard Lutz (Robert P. Bergman Curator of Medieval Art, Cleveland Museum of Art)
Till-Holger Borchert (Director, Suermondt-Ludwig Museums Aachen)

Philip the Good (* July 31, 1396 in Dijon; † June 15, 1467 in Bruges), Duke of Burgundy since 1419, is among the most illustrious rulers of the 15th century. In addition to the Burgundian and Netherlandish territories that he inherited from his father, he was able to extent his rule over Brabant, Holland, the Hainault and various other prosperous territories – roughly Northern France and today’s kingdoms of the Netherlands, Belgium and Luxembourg – which he governed through efficient centralized administrations. His reign marked periods of unprecedented economic prosperity and cultural flowering and the need to legitimize his rule among his subjects and his peers prompted a conspicuous demonstration of courtly magnificence with the Duke and the Duchess as public performers. Their widespread territories required them to maintain itinerant courts and many residences. When they travelled through their lands, they were accompanied by a substantial entourage (the household) and wagons of tapestries, jewelry and precious silverware that formed the stage on which Philipp and Isabella presented themselves to their subjects.
In the prosperous Low Countries, however, the ducal power regularly was challenged by powerful cities like Ghent and Bruges where local elites traditionally tried to act as independent from princely rule as possible. While the wealth of those cities provided the economic and cultural foundations for much of the ducal splendor and artistic innovation at large, the constant tensions between court and cities often erupted in violent conflicts throughout Philipp’s reign. At the same time, innovations that are commonly associated with the Italian Renaissance and cities such as Florence and Venice, were established at the same time in the centers north of the Alps.
Assessing “Burgundy” and its illustrious ducal couple from different points of view, the session would like to challenge the traditional image that has often been limited to the "great men" of history and purely art-historical questions. Research in recent years has already contributed to a significant diversification of our understanding of this era. Building on this, contributions that go beyond individual disciplines or challenge traditional perspectives and views are particularly welcome. The sessions are related to an exhibition project at the Cleveland Museum of Art.

Please contact Gerhard Lutz (glutzclevelandart.org) with any questions.