[1]
From: Matthew Landrus <matthew.landrushistory.ox.ac.uk>
Date: Sep 3, 2013
Subject: CFP: Early Modern Proportional Analogies in Visual Art

Sense as a Ratio: Early Modern Proportional Analogies in Visual Art

This session addresses early modern uses of proportional analogies,
theories and systems for representations of sensory information or
ideas. With the rise in art treatises, along with technical assessments
of the body and its sensory judgments, there was a shift away from
traditional Neo-Platonic and Neo-Pythagorean concepts of universal truth
in quadrivium and humanistic studies. Increasing interests in the
‘beauty’ of phenomena or ideas (analogia, αναλογια) expanded the
discourse on the predominantly sense-oriented beauty of proportio,
symmetria, pulchritude, and harmonia. Often addressing the human
condition, this period of work involved clever developments of visceral
and intellectual contrasts, paradoxes, and concettismi. An opportunity
to discuss this history of ideas, analogies and contrasts, this session
considers differences between systematic and intuitive applications of
proportional sensory content in visual art, with particular interest in
correspondences between technical and demonstrative/suggestive aspects
of an object.
Generally at issue is the role of proportional methodologies for
technical and sensory assessments of the human condition. Topics could
cover, for example, approaches to proportional systems and analogies in
landscape, figural arrangements, printmaking, still-lifes, grotesques,
mechanical drawings, architectural representations, anatomical studies,
visual rhetoric, botanical collections, natural philosophy, cabinets of
curiosities, draughting mechanisms, art treatises, paint chemistry,
pietra dura, intarsia, design, hybridity, rhythmos, rilievo, colour
theory, fragrance, taste, festivals, religious reform, European
expansion, political discourses, etc.

Abstracts of less than 250 words may be sent to Matthew Landrus
(convenor) at matthew.landrushistory.ox.ac.uk before 11 November 2013.

http://www.aah.org.uk/media/docs/AAH%25202014%2520Conference%2520Session%2520Listings.pdf