- Switzerland
Michele Tomasi
University of Lausanne, Section d'histoire de l'art, Faculty Member
- Medieval Art, Ivory Carving, Medieval Goldsmith`s Art, Late Medieval French Art History, Italian Gothic Art, Medieval Artists, and 23 moreHistory of Art History, Medieval Sculpture (XIII-XVth Century), Art at the courts of France c. 1400, Saints' Cults, Mediaeval Cult of Relics and Saints, The Medieval Cult of Relics, International Gothic, French and Burgundian Court Art, Embriachi, Medieval Secular Iconography, St Mark's Basilica Venice, Venitian Gothic Sculpture, History of Exhibitions, Historiography of Art History, Church Treasuries, Medieval History, Rock Crystal, Medieval jewellery, Medieval Materiality, Venice and the Veneto, Gothic Sculpture, Jean Froissart, and Medieval Chroniclesedit
- Michele Tomasi received his Ph.D. from the Scuola Normale Superiore di Pisa and his habilitation from Sorbonne Univer... moreMichele Tomasi received his Ph.D. from the Scuola Normale Superiore di Pisa and his habilitation from Sorbonne University in Paris. He was a fellow of the Institut National d’Histoire de l’Art (Paris) and of the Getty Grant Program. He’s professor of medieval art history at Lausanne University where he’s been teaching since 2006. He specializes in Italian and French sculpture and sumptuary arts from the 13th to the early 15th century, with a focus on materials, production methods, patronage and marketing. He is also interested in the history of art history. He enjoys exploring border territories where art history meets religious, political, literary, economic or social history.edit
L’enluminure occupe une place centrale dans le système des arts du Moyen Âge et de la première époque moderne. Dotée de caractères propres par son intégration dans cet organisme complexe qu’est le codex, elle dialogue néanmoins avec les... more
L’enluminure occupe une place centrale dans le système des arts du Moyen Âge et de la première époque moderne. Dotée de caractères propres par son intégration dans cet organisme complexe qu’est le codex, elle dialogue néanmoins avec les autres domaines de la création.
Cet ouvrage explore justement les rapports entre l’enluminure et d’autres arts – que ce soient les textiles, l’orfèvrerie, la sculpture, la gravure ou encore la peinture sur panneau et la peinture monumentale – en considérant des cas significatifs de l’époque carolingienne à la Renaissance, passant de Paris à Bologne, des Alpes à la Méditerranée. Une vingtaine d’autrices et d’auteurs d’Allemagne, de France, d’Italie et de Suisse interrogent les conditions institutionnelles, les formes et les significations des échanges entre les techniques dans et en dehors du manuscrit, entre polyvalence des artistes, collaboration entre les métiers, circulation de modèles, stratégies représentatives.
Cet ouvrage explore justement les rapports entre l’enluminure et d’autres arts – que ce soient les textiles, l’orfèvrerie, la sculpture, la gravure ou encore la peinture sur panneau et la peinture monumentale – en considérant des cas significatifs de l’époque carolingienne à la Renaissance, passant de Paris à Bologne, des Alpes à la Méditerranée. Une vingtaine d’autrices et d’auteurs d’Allemagne, de France, d’Italie et de Suisse interrogent les conditions institutionnelles, les formes et les significations des échanges entre les techniques dans et en dehors du manuscrit, entre polyvalence des artistes, collaboration entre les métiers, circulation de modèles, stratégies représentatives.
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During the reigns of Kings Charles V (1364-1380) and Charles VI (1380-1422), the arts flourished in France, particularly in court circles. The sculptures, precious objects and manuscripts of this period still fascinate us. But how did the... more
During the reigns of Kings Charles V (1364-1380) and Charles VI (1380-1422), the arts flourished in France, particularly in court circles. The sculptures, precious objects and manuscripts of this period still fascinate us. But how did the aristocrats of the time view these stunning creations? Careful reading of the most important historical works of the time - the famous chronicles of Jean Froissart, the official account of the reign of Charles VI written by the monk Michel Pintoin, the Grandes Chroniques de France - offers answers to this question. These privileged witnesses tell us that princes and nobles gave more importance and attention to goldsmiths, textiles and tapestries than to painting or sculpture, reveal the taste for multi-sensory spectacles, show the complicity of powerful people who adored what was rare and exotic, and show us how the arts were at the heart of social relations but also the object of a true aesthetic pleasure. A detailed analysis of the chroniclers' texts and their words provides access to the representations and reveals the practices, expectations and hierarchies of the French elites in the 14th and 15th centuries. This book thus makes a contribution to the history of the reception of the arts at a key period in their history, but also outlines a protohistory of the discourse on the arts north of the Alps and sheds light on the values and customs of the nobility at the end of the Middle Ages.
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This volume invites us to cross disciplinary boundaries and to venture into a field that is still too little explored for the 14th century, one of the greatest centuries of European art. The contributions gathered here shed light on the... more
This volume invites us to cross disciplinary boundaries and to venture into a field that is still too little explored for the 14th century, one of the greatest centuries of European art.
The contributions gathered here shed light on the relationship between art, economy and society with the help of a few case studies, by adopting
different approaches: from the microanalysis of the production of a single artist to the discussion on the organization of the whole chain of
value, from manufacturing to trade and exchange networks of artistic
goods. From Giotto to the Parisian goldsmith Jean le Braelier, from Avignon to Naples via Mallorca, by approaching paintings, funeral monuments, frescoes, precious wood panelling and even a royal faldistoire, the authors question the impact of economic factors on the
artistic creation.
These articles thus open the debate by showing the interest of investigations who dare to cross the boundaries between art history, social history, and economic history, in order to better understand the conditions of elaboration and reception of the works.
The contributions gathered here shed light on the relationship between art, economy and society with the help of a few case studies, by adopting
different approaches: from the microanalysis of the production of a single artist to the discussion on the organization of the whole chain of
value, from manufacturing to trade and exchange networks of artistic
goods. From Giotto to the Parisian goldsmith Jean le Braelier, from Avignon to Naples via Mallorca, by approaching paintings, funeral monuments, frescoes, precious wood panelling and even a royal faldistoire, the authors question the impact of economic factors on the
artistic creation.
These articles thus open the debate by showing the interest of investigations who dare to cross the boundaries between art history, social history, and economic history, in order to better understand the conditions of elaboration and reception of the works.
Research Interests:
Enrico Castelnuovo (Roma 1929-Torino 2014) è stato uno dei più importanti storici dell’arte europei, professore nelle Università di Losanna e Torino, poi, dal 1983, alla Scuola Normale di Pisa. Questo libro nasce dalla giornata di studi... more
Enrico Castelnuovo (Roma 1929-Torino 2014) è stato uno dei più importanti storici dell’arte europei, professore nelle Università di Losanna e Torino, poi, dal 1983, alla Scuola Normale di Pisa. Questo libro nasce dalla giornata di studi organizzata per lui a Losanna il 13 maggio 2015, quando un folto gruppo di suoi allievi losannesi, torinesi e pisani e di colleghi degli anni di insegnamento in Svizzera si sono ritrovati, a quasi un anno dalla sua scomparsa, per ricordarlo, e per riflettere sul valore del suo insegnamento e della sua molteplice attività nel campo della cultura, non soltanto storico-artistica.
I tanti ambiti di studio da lui aperti alla curiosità e all’interesse dei suoi allievi vengono testimoniati negli interventi di Michele Bacci, Fabrizio Crivello, Francesca Dell’Acqua, Dario Gamboni, Alessio Monciatti, Enrica Pagella, Chiara Piccinini, Michele Tomasi; e i suoi anni di giovane insegnante all’Università di Losanna, la sua capacità costruttiva ed energica di dialogare con un mondo diverso da quello nativo italiano emergono negli interventi di Nathalie Blancardi, Erica Deuber Ziegler,
Jacques Gubler, Serena Romano. Completa il volume un appassionato ritratto scritto da Guido Castelnuovo.
Il libro vuol essere un omaggio all’ampiezza del mondo mentale e culturale di Enrico Castelnuovo, ma anche al suo particolare modo di essere ‘‘maestro’’, un modo ironico e anche schivo, guardingo contro le emozioni ma instancabile e fertilissimo sollecitatore di curiosità e punti di vista.
Serena Romano e Michele Tomasi, Presentazione
Guido Castelnuovo, Enrico Castelnuovo à Lausanne: souvenirs et relectures, ou «La Gloire de mon père»
I. Enrico, Losanna e la storia dell’arte
Serena Romano, Ricordo di Enrico
Nathalie Blancardi, L’appel de la chaire. L’histoire de l’art à l’Université de Lausanne (1890-1980)
Jacques Gubler, Souvenirs d’apprentissage: un bloc-notes
Erica Deuber Ziegler, Enrico Castelnuovo
II. Vie e mappe della ricerca
Dario Gamboni, À cheval sur les Alpes: Enrico Castelnuovo, Lausanne et la géographie artistique
Michele Bacci, Il fascino per le frontiere
Francesca Dell’Acqua, «Luce degli occhi miei». Enrico e le vetrate
Michele Tomasi, Contrasti, circolazioni, aperture: il gotico internazionale
Chiara Piccinini, Enrico Castelnuovo et la sculpture médiévale, ou du discours indirect
Fabrizio Crivello, L’artista medievale: iscrizioni, testi, personalità
Alessio Monciatti, Enrico Castelnuovo e la storia della storia dell’arte, tramite Roberto Longhi
Enrica Pagella, Museo e società: una linea di lavoro per Enrico Castelnuovo
Gli autori
I tanti ambiti di studio da lui aperti alla curiosità e all’interesse dei suoi allievi vengono testimoniati negli interventi di Michele Bacci, Fabrizio Crivello, Francesca Dell’Acqua, Dario Gamboni, Alessio Monciatti, Enrica Pagella, Chiara Piccinini, Michele Tomasi; e i suoi anni di giovane insegnante all’Università di Losanna, la sua capacità costruttiva ed energica di dialogare con un mondo diverso da quello nativo italiano emergono negli interventi di Nathalie Blancardi, Erica Deuber Ziegler,
Jacques Gubler, Serena Romano. Completa il volume un appassionato ritratto scritto da Guido Castelnuovo.
Il libro vuol essere un omaggio all’ampiezza del mondo mentale e culturale di Enrico Castelnuovo, ma anche al suo particolare modo di essere ‘‘maestro’’, un modo ironico e anche schivo, guardingo contro le emozioni ma instancabile e fertilissimo sollecitatore di curiosità e punti di vista.
Serena Romano e Michele Tomasi, Presentazione
Guido Castelnuovo, Enrico Castelnuovo à Lausanne: souvenirs et relectures, ou «La Gloire de mon père»
I. Enrico, Losanna e la storia dell’arte
Serena Romano, Ricordo di Enrico
Nathalie Blancardi, L’appel de la chaire. L’histoire de l’art à l’Université de Lausanne (1890-1980)
Jacques Gubler, Souvenirs d’apprentissage: un bloc-notes
Erica Deuber Ziegler, Enrico Castelnuovo
II. Vie e mappe della ricerca
Dario Gamboni, À cheval sur les Alpes: Enrico Castelnuovo, Lausanne et la géographie artistique
Michele Bacci, Il fascino per le frontiere
Francesca Dell’Acqua, «Luce degli occhi miei». Enrico e le vetrate
Michele Tomasi, Contrasti, circolazioni, aperture: il gotico internazionale
Chiara Piccinini, Enrico Castelnuovo et la sculpture médiévale, ou du discours indirect
Fabrizio Crivello, L’artista medievale: iscrizioni, testi, personalità
Alessio Monciatti, Enrico Castelnuovo e la storia della storia dell’arte, tramite Roberto Longhi
Enrica Pagella, Museo e società: una linea di lavoro per Enrico Castelnuovo
Gli autori
Research Interests: Museum Studies, Historiography (in Art History), Social History of Art, Medieval Art, Stained Glass, and 11 moreMedieval Sculpture (XIII-XVth Century), Medieval Art History, International Gothic, Roberto Longhi, International Gothic Style, Geography of Art, Medieval Sculpture, Cultural/Artistic Geography, History of the Alps, Medieval Artists, and Enrico Castelnuovo
Dedicato a Serena Romano, questo libro vorrebbe restituirle un po’ di quel tanto che ha offerto, in vari modi, a tutti quelli che hanno avuto la fortuna di conoscerla e di frequentarla. L’argomento generale, quello delle continuità di... more
Dedicato a Serena Romano, questo libro vorrebbe restituirle un po’ di quel tanto che ha offerto, in vari modi, a tutti quelli che hanno avuto la fortuna di conoscerla e di frequentarla. L’argomento generale, quello delle continuità di lunga durata, dei ritorni in generale, e delle rinascite dell’antico, le è caro da sempre. Lei stessa lo ha esplorato in contributi fondanti e i numerosi autori che hanno accolto l’invito a partecipare al volume ne hanno dato declinazioni diverse.
La decisione di dare un tema unitario a questo volume miscellaneo si giustifica anche per un’altra ragione: figlia del ’68, Serena Romano ha sempre avuto una certa reticenza nei confronti di onorificenze troppo accademiche, staccate a volte dalla dimensione concreta della ricerca. Da qui il desiderio di costruire un volume che possa essere un prolungamento tangibile di un modo di guardare la storia cui Serena Romano ha contribuito per anni.
La decisione di dare un tema unitario a questo volume miscellaneo si giustifica anche per un’altra ragione: figlia del ’68, Serena Romano ha sempre avuto una certa reticenza nei confronti di onorificenze troppo accademiche, staccate a volte dalla dimensione concreta della ricerca. Da qui il desiderio di costruire un volume che possa essere un prolungamento tangibile di un modo di guardare la storia cui Serena Romano ha contribuito per anni.
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Cet ouvrage rassemble quinze articles explorant les deux aspects, distincts mais imbriqués, de la fabrication et de la réception des œuvres d’orfèvrerie à l’époque gothique. Embrassant la période qui va du début du XIIIe au début du XVIe... more
Cet ouvrage rassemble quinze articles explorant les deux aspects, distincts mais imbriqués, de la fabrication et de la réception des œuvres d’orfèvrerie à l’époque gothique. Embrassant la période qui va du début du XIIIe au début du XVIe siècle, ces études s’appuient tant sur les œuvres elles-mêmes, qu’elles soient célèbres ou peu connues, que sur les sources écrites afin d’éclairer, sur un espace qui s’étend de l’Angleterre à Chypre et de la Catalogne à Prague, les attentes des commanditaires, le goût des élites, les usages de l’orfèvrerie sacrée ou profane, leur rôle respectif dans la mise en scène du pouvoir, la circulation des produits de luxe, les conditions de travail des orfèvres, l’organisation des ateliers… Par la variété des auteurs (chercheurs jeunes ou confirmés, appartenant tant au monde des musées qu’à celui de l’Université), de leurs questionnements et de leurs choix de méthode, ce recueil s’inscrit dans un renouveau des études sur les arts précieux qu’il espère ainsi conforter.
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New catalogue of the beautiful collection of medieval ivories of the Museo Civico d'Arte Antica di Torino (www.palazzomadamatorino.it), featuring mostly objects from the Romanesque and Gothic periods, and with a large group of Embriachi... more
New catalogue of the beautiful collection of medieval ivories of the Museo Civico d'Arte Antica di Torino (www.palazzomadamatorino.it), featuring mostly objects from the Romanesque and Gothic periods, and with a large group of Embriachi works and some so-called Siculo-Arabic pieces. Comprises an article on the history of the collection, on ivories still or formerly conserved in the old Duchy of Savoy, and technical and chemical analysis of some objects. Offers a detailed entry for every object, including doubtful ones. With many new colour photographs, showing different views for many objects.
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La figure de l’évêque occupe une position centrale dans l’organisation ecclésiastique du Moyen Âge et exerce une action déterminante sur tout aspect de la vie politique, spirituelle, culturelle et sociale de cette époque. Apprécier son... more
La figure de l’évêque occupe une position centrale dans l’organisation ecclésiastique du Moyen Âge et exerce une action déterminante sur tout aspect de la vie politique, spirituelle, culturelle et sociale de cette époque. Apprécier son rôle et connaître les personnes qui occupèrent ce rang constitue une clef essentielle pour une compréhension approfondie de l’époque. Malgré son importance reconnue, la figure de l’évêque n’a cependant pas encore reçu l’attention qu’elle mérite, surtout en ce qui concerne son importance pour l’imaginaire de la chrétienté médiévale.
En se focalisant sur l’évêque défunt, cet ouvrage s’attache à un des aspects centraux de l’image épiscopale. Une trentaine d’auteurs provenant d’horizons différents – l’histoire de l’art, l’histoire, la patristique, l’archéologie chrétienne, la théologie … – met en œuvre une multiplicité d’approches pour décrypter des exemples qui vont de l’époque paléochrétienne jusqu’à la fin du Moyen Âge. Leurs enquêtes se déroulent en Italie, en France, au Portugal, à Majorque, en Angleterre, sur l’île de Crète et en Syrie et ont pour objet aussi bien la mémoire de la sépulture, que les monuments funéraires, les figures tutélaires ou contestées, ainsi que l’hagiographie et l’épigraphie. Le livre se veut comme un premier pas, un ensemble polyphonique de recherches et de matériaux inédits qui font dialoguer des disciplines et des traditions d’études parfois trop cloisonnées, dans le but d’attirer l’attention sur un continent encore insuffisamment exploré et de stimuler de nouvelles questions.
En se focalisant sur l’évêque défunt, cet ouvrage s’attache à un des aspects centraux de l’image épiscopale. Une trentaine d’auteurs provenant d’horizons différents – l’histoire de l’art, l’histoire, la patristique, l’archéologie chrétienne, la théologie … – met en œuvre une multiplicité d’approches pour décrypter des exemples qui vont de l’époque paléochrétienne jusqu’à la fin du Moyen Âge. Leurs enquêtes se déroulent en Italie, en France, au Portugal, à Majorque, en Angleterre, sur l’île de Crète et en Syrie et ont pour objet aussi bien la mémoire de la sépulture, que les monuments funéraires, les figures tutélaires ou contestées, ainsi que l’hagiographie et l’épigraphie. Le livre se veut comme un premier pas, un ensemble polyphonique de recherches et de matériaux inédits qui font dialoguer des disciplines et des traditions d’études parfois trop cloisonnées, dans le but d’attirer l’attention sur un continent encore insuffisamment exploré et de stimuler de nouvelles questions.
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Il Trecento fu un secolo di notevoli cambiamenti nell'arte europea, molti dei quali destinati a un grande avvenire: se il ritratto inteso in senso moderno è in fase embrionale, un nuovo interesse per la natura prepara il terreno alla... more
Il Trecento fu un secolo di notevoli cambiamenti nell'arte europea, molti dei quali destinati a un grande avvenire: se il ritratto inteso in senso moderno è in fase embrionale, un nuovo interesse per la natura prepara il terreno alla rappresentazione del paesaggio. La progettazione urbana acquista un'importanza fino ad allora sconosciuta, mentre si fa strada un concetto diverso del mestiere d'artista, da cui scaturirà la nostra idea di genio creatore. Nuovi committenti e acquirenti avanzano sulla scena, richiedendo la realizzazione tanto di oggetti originali quanto di temi inediti. Nuovi centri artistici s'impongono, come Avignone, Barcellona, Praga, Vienna.
Abbracciando in uno sguardo unitario buona parte del continente europeo, questo volume offre alcune chiavi di lettura per decifrare i capolavori di un'epoca di sfolgorante varietà, prestando particolare attenzione agli uomini e alle donne che hanno fabbricato, usato, osservato le opere d'arte. Artisti ancor oggi celebri, come Giotto o Giovanni Pisano, o straordinari maestri ormai anonimi, sovrani o suore, vescovi o mercanti vollero gli edifici, le sculture, i dipinti, ma anche gli oggetti preziosi - arazzi e ricami, avori e oreficerie - che ancora ci parlano dei loro bisogni, desideri, paure e convincimenti, continuando a suscitare la nostra ammirazione.
Abbracciando in uno sguardo unitario buona parte del continente europeo, questo volume offre alcune chiavi di lettura per decifrare i capolavori di un'epoca di sfolgorante varietà, prestando particolare attenzione agli uomini e alle donne che hanno fabbricato, usato, osservato le opere d'arte. Artisti ancor oggi celebri, come Giotto o Giovanni Pisano, o straordinari maestri ormai anonimi, sovrani o suore, vescovi o mercanti vollero gli edifici, le sculture, i dipinti, ma anche gli oggetti preziosi - arazzi e ricami, avori e oreficerie - che ancora ci parlano dei loro bisogni, desideri, paure e convincimenti, continuando a suscitare la nostra ammirazione.
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Un numero eccezionale di sepolcri monumentali in onore di santi e beati è stato costruito nel Trecento nelle regioni che affacciano sull’Adriatico settentrionale, tra Romagna, Veneto, Friuli, Istria e Dalmazia. Imponenti e vistose,... more
Un numero eccezionale di sepolcri monumentali in onore di santi e beati è stato costruito nel Trecento nelle regioni che affacciano sull’Adriatico settentrionale, tra Romagna, Veneto, Friuli, Istria e Dalmazia. Imponenti e vistose, preziose per l’impiego di marmi pregiati e la qualità delle loro sculture, queste opere testimoniano di un dinamismo spirituale e artistico che in questo campo non ha equivalenti in Italia, se non in Toscana.
Scritto da uno storico dell’arte, ma pensato più largamente per chi s’interessa alla storia, il volume propone per la prima volta un’analisi globale di queste creazioni, attenta non solo alle forme e all’iconografia, ma anche alle funzioni, ai contesti fisici e mentali, alle intenzioni dei committenti, alle vicissitudini secolari.
Luogo privilegiato del contatto con il corpo del santo e con la sua virtus taumaturgica, questi monumenti ebbero un’importanza cruciale per i loro contemporanei. Gestirne la produzione, definirne l’aspetto, la collocazione e quindi l’accessibilità, significava controllare l’accesso al santo e orientarne la percezione, e detenere dunque la possibilità di esercitare una forma particolarmente forte e complessa di dominazione simbolica. In questo senso, i sepolcri dei santi costituiscono un osservatorio di prim’ordine per osservare in azione, con i loro interessi variegati, ora convergenti, ora conflittuali, i diversi attori – membri del clero secolare o regolare, autorità politiche, comunità urbane – che hanno scritto la storia politica, religiosa e culturale del Trecento veneto.
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Scritto da uno storico dell’arte, ma pensato più largamente per chi s’interessa alla storia, il volume propone per la prima volta un’analisi globale di queste creazioni, attenta non solo alle forme e all’iconografia, ma anche alle funzioni, ai contesti fisici e mentali, alle intenzioni dei committenti, alle vicissitudini secolari.
Luogo privilegiato del contatto con il corpo del santo e con la sua virtus taumaturgica, questi monumenti ebbero un’importanza cruciale per i loro contemporanei. Gestirne la produzione, definirne l’aspetto, la collocazione e quindi l’accessibilità, significava controllare l’accesso al santo e orientarne la percezione, e detenere dunque la possibilità di esercitare una forma particolarmente forte e complessa di dominazione simbolica. In questo senso, i sepolcri dei santi costituiscono un osservatorio di prim’ordine per osservare in azione, con i loro interessi variegati, ora convergenti, ora conflittuali, i diversi attori – membri del clero secolare o regolare, autorità politiche, comunità urbane – che hanno scritto la storia politica, religiosa e culturale del Trecento veneto.
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" Longtemps les œuvres d’art du Moyen Âge ont été placées sous le signe de l’anonymat, jusqu’à ce que, ces dernières décennies, cette perception ait été balayée par une vague de recherches qui ont rendu aux acteurs de la création... more
" Longtemps les œuvres d’art du Moyen Âge ont été placées sous le signe de l’anonymat, jusqu’à ce que, ces dernières décennies, cette perception ait été balayée par une vague de recherches qui ont rendu aux acteurs de la création artistique médiévale, artistes ou commanditaires, leur individualité. On a moins considéré les œuvres qui sont le fruit d’une production structurée afin de proposer à une masse essentiellement anonyme d’acheteurs des objets relativement standardisés. Les productions de ce type sont pourtant susceptibles de nous renseigner sur l’économie des biens de luxe tout aussi bien que sur la mentalité des larges pans de la société auxquels elles étaient destinées.
Les contributions ici réunies se proposent d’éclairer ce domaine crucial quoique méconnu. Du Xe au XVIe siècle, de l’Angleterre, aux Flandres, au Midi de la France, de la peinture à la broderie ou à l’illustration du livre en passant par les tissus, l’orfèvrerie et la sculpture, les textes embrassent des domaines très divers, en s’interrogeant sur les matériaux utilisés et sur les modalités d’approvisionnement, sur les processus de production et sur l’organisation du travail, sur les choix typologiques et iconographiques, sur les stratégies de commercialisation. Ils offrent ainsi une approche unitaire et variée à un phénomène essentiel de l’art entre Moyen Âge et première Renaissance."
Les contributions ici réunies se proposent d’éclairer ce domaine crucial quoique méconnu. Du Xe au XVIe siècle, de l’Angleterre, aux Flandres, au Midi de la France, de la peinture à la broderie ou à l’illustration du livre en passant par les tissus, l’orfèvrerie et la sculpture, les textes embrassent des domaines très divers, en s’interrogeant sur les matériaux utilisés et sur les modalités d’approvisionnement, sur les processus de production et sur l’organisation du travail, sur les choix typologiques et iconographiques, sur les stratégies de commercialisation. Ils offrent ainsi une approche unitaire et variée à un phénomène essentiel de l’art entre Moyen Âge et première Renaissance."
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Around 1400, some of the most powerful princes of the time commissioned altarpieces carved in bone and ivory from the Embriachi workshop, of Florentine origin. The uncles of the King of France, Jean, Duke of Berry, and Philippe, Duke of... more
Around 1400, some of the most powerful princes of the time commissioned altarpieces carved in bone and ivory from the Embriachi workshop, of Florentine origin. The uncles of the King of France, Jean, Duke of Berry, and Philippe, Duke of Burgundy, the Duke of Milan, Gian Galeazzo Visconti, competed to offer these sumptuous machines to the churches they protected in Poissy, Dijon and Pavia. For the first time, the book systematically studies these altarpieces and presents some previously unpublished ones, investigating their iconography, patronage and destination, but also the complex vicissitudes they have experienced over the centuries, between disinterest and rediscovery. The examination of these retables and their history is accompanied by a study of the workshop that produced them and a discussion of the reasons that ensured exceptional success, in much of Europe, to its products, not only large altarpieces, but also devotional triptychs and wedding caskets. The analysis of materials, style and subjects is intertwined with the study of the organisation of work in the workshop, thus illuminating a little-known aspect of international Gothic.
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Catalogo degli oggetti embriacheschi del Museo Nazionale del Bargello a Firenze, preceduto da un'introduzione che discute i problemi di definizione e attribuzione della produzione embriachesca.
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In 1963, Erwin Panfosky published a short article on the Ideological Antecedents of the Rolls-Royce Radiator. This text is above all a reflection on national stylistic identities and is therefore deeply indebted to a German tradition of... more
In 1963, Erwin Panfosky published a short article on the Ideological Antecedents of the Rolls-Royce
Radiator. This text is above all a reflection on national stylistic identities and is therefore deeply indebted
to a German tradition of which Dagobert Frey and Nikolaus Pevsner are probably the best-known
representatives. The recent publication of the Panfoskyian correspondence sheds new light on this paper
and its genesis. Its analysis shows that the ‘American turn’ that Panofsky emphasized in his writings is
partly a self-fashioning, and that his German culture and education remain very much alive until late
in his career. In addressing the topic of national style, Panofsky distances himself from Pevsner and treats
it in an entirely different way. Looking back at this article allows us to grasp some of the issues at stake
in the writing of art history in the 1950s and 1960s, between Europe and the United States, and in the
intellectual career of one of the great masters of the discipline.
Radiator. This text is above all a reflection on national stylistic identities and is therefore deeply indebted
to a German tradition of which Dagobert Frey and Nikolaus Pevsner are probably the best-known
representatives. The recent publication of the Panfoskyian correspondence sheds new light on this paper
and its genesis. Its analysis shows that the ‘American turn’ that Panofsky emphasized in his writings is
partly a self-fashioning, and that his German culture and education remain very much alive until late
in his career. In addressing the topic of national style, Panofsky distances himself from Pevsner and treats
it in an entirely different way. Looking back at this article allows us to grasp some of the issues at stake
in the writing of art history in the 1950s and 1960s, between Europe and the United States, and in the
intellectual career of one of the great masters of the discipline.
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In order to sketch a partial but significant outline of the state of studies on medieval art during the first half of the 20th century in France, this contribution takes as its starting point three major reference works published during... more
In order to sketch a partial but significant outline of the state of studies on medieval art during the first half of the 20th century in France, this contribution takes as its starting point three major reference works published during this period: those directed by André Michel, Marcel Aubert, Pierre Lavedan. Starting from these handbooks, we can try to identify some of the main features of the practice of the discipline: to trace the geographical and chronological borders given to the period, to identify the main objects of study, to recognize the leading personalities, to observe the networks and the prominent institutions in this field of scholarship.
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This article analyses how several art historians around 1900 explain the rise of naturalism in Flanders and Italy in the early fifteenth century. This debate reveals the issues and tensions at stake in the discipline in the years around... more
This article analyses how several art historians around 1900 explain the rise of naturalism in Flanders and Italy in the early fifteenth century. This debate reveals the issues and tensions at stake in the discipline in the years around 1900. On the one hand, it bears witness to the growing internationalisation of scientific exchanges. On the other, it highlights the multiformity of the factors that affect scholars' interpretations and how they are intertwined: Exchanges with other disciplines, such as psychology, political tensions, sensitivity to contemporary artistic creation, the development of major exhibitions, ideological issues, personal attachments and institutional frameworks can all influence art historians' thinking in varying proportions and combinations. Analyses are also conditioned by the authors' attention to the different media and techniques of creation. Their responses to the same question also show that the whole range of methods we use today had already been defined, allowing for explanations that are formal, functional, spiritual, iconographic or social. Finally, we note that this controversy is not confined to a specific, distant moment in our discipline. In fact, it brought to the attention of the scientific community a question that is still relevant today.
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An historiographical introduction on the genesis and reception of the seminal book by Martin Warnke on the court artist.
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This short article is an introduction to the medieval section of a volume of congress proceedings about portraiture. The congress convened in celebration of the pioneering and inspiring work of the late Enrico Castelnuovo on portraiture.... more
This short article is an introduction to the medieval section of a volume of congress proceedings about portraiture. The congress convened in celebration of the pioneering and inspiring work of the late Enrico Castelnuovo on portraiture. This paper only aims to give a frame to the research papers that follow in the volume and point out some major issues of portraiture during the Middle Ages.
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Since the 1970s, the study of Gothic ivories has undergone a genuine revival that has further flourished in recent years, thanks in particular to the Courtauld Institute of Art online database containing more than five thousand pieces.... more
Since the 1970s, the study of Gothic ivories has undergone a genuine revival that has further flourished in recent years, thanks in particular to the Courtauld Institute of Art online database containing more than five thousand pieces. Recent publications allow us to appreciate the new perception of Gothic ivory sculpture, to highlight the problems that remain unsolved, particularly those concerning dating and provenance, as well as to point out some advances, especially concerning works formerly unjustly condemned as fakes. More importantly, these scholarly works apply new strategies, and demonstrate increased attention to forms of production, iconographic choice, function, as well as to the history of collecting and research.
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This article provides a survey of a celebrated group of Gothic ivories, those of the so-called Kremsmünster Workshop, comprising beautiful statuettes of the Virgin and Child and some notable diptychs. It produces a web evidence (founding... more
This article provides a survey of a celebrated group of Gothic ivories, those of the so-called Kremsmünster Workshop, comprising beautiful statuettes of the Virgin and Child and some notable diptychs. It produces a web evidence (founding on provenance, style and iconography) in favour of Cologne as the centre where objects in this distinctive style originated.
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Raymond Koechlin’s activity (1860-1931) as a member of the “Société des Amis du Louvre et du Conseil des musées nationaux” is very well-known today. His role in the UCAD and the character of his collection would deserve a study too ;... more
Raymond Koechlin’s activity (1860-1931) as a member of the “Société des Amis du Louvre et du Conseil des musées nationaux” is very well-known today. His role in the UCAD and the character of his collection would deserve a study too ; therefore, this article is devoted to his historiographic production. On one hand it is the question of showing how Koechlin’s interests and method were affected by his activity as a collectioner of oriental art objects. On the other hand, the study aims to show that Koechlin’s Alsacian origins and his education in the Ecole libre en Sciences Politiques profoundly marked his approach to European and Asiatic cultures. The writer’s historiographic position is thus defined better, without disregarding the relationship between his colleagues and French and German friends.
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The Embriachi altarpiece from the priory church of Saint-Louis de Poissy, now in the Louvre collections, was commissioned by Jean, duke of Berry. A little-known document – a letter from Marie de Bourbon, the prioress of the Dominican... more
The Embriachi altarpiece from the priory church of Saint-Louis de Poissy, now in the Louvre collections, was commissioned by Jean, duke of Berry. A little-known document – a letter from Marie de Bourbon, the prioress of the Dominican nunnery, addressed to the duke – allows for a fresh examination of the question of the dating of the work and permits to offer a new hypothesis about its function and an iconographical analysis. The altarpiece might have been offered to the church by the duke in 1397, when Marie de France, the daughter of Charles VI, took holy vows and entered the nunnery, in the hope of thus obtaining divine intervention to cure her father’s madness. The altarpiece was probably placed on the altar dedicated to St John the Baptist, located in the nuns’ choir and was arguably part of a pro anima donation intended to remind the Dominican sisters of their obligations to their benefactor. The central panel of the altarpiece depicts scenes from the life of Christ while the right- and left-hand panels respectively portray scenes from the lives of the Baptist and St John the Evangelist. By giving pride of place to John the Baptist, patron saint of the Valois dynasty and of the monarchy, Duke Jean was asserting both his membership of the royal family and his loyalty to the king. The presence of the two Saints John was an explicit manifestation of his faith in the promise of redemption symbolized by Christ’s sacrifice. Placed in its physical and historical context, the Embriachi altarpiece appears as a creative work skillfully designed to meet the requests of an outstanding patron.
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The article deals with the iconography and function of marriage caskets of the Embriachi workshop (1370-1430). The examination of the ancient tales sculpted on the caskets, notably the story of Paris, Jason and Pyramus and Thisbe, shows... more
The article deals with the iconography and function of marriage caskets of the Embriachi workshop (1370-1430). The examination of the ancient tales sculpted on the caskets, notably the story of Paris, Jason and Pyramus and Thisbe, shows that these were not derived from classical sources, but from medieval vernacular romances and poems. Such texts were read and praised among Florentine merchants, who were the principal audience of the workshop. Literary and documentary sources of the late 14th century show how these caskets were used in marriage rituals: presented by the groom to the bride as they began to see each other, after the marriage contract had been stipulated, the forzierino was a sign of the love of the groom to his future wife. That’s why the stories chosen insisted on subjects like the eternity of love (Pyramus), the beauty of women (Paris), or the bravery and fidelity of men (Jason). The founder of the workshop, Baldassarre Ubriachi, was probably responsible of the selection of themes: as a preeminent member of the Florentine patriciate, he knew very well the tastes of his audience, and being in close relation to the humanistic circle, ha had also the culture required.
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How did the profession and the status of goldsmiths change in the Middle Ages? This contribution first of all questions the relevance of the proposed chronology (11th-13th centuries) for analysing these possible transformations. After... more
How did the profession and the status of goldsmiths change in the Middle Ages? This contribution first of all questions the relevance of the proposed chronology (11th-13th centuries) for analysing these possible transformations. After discussing the prominent position that goldsmiths are often granted among other craftsmen, the article finally invites to interpret the sources that inform us about these masters iuxta propria principia, and not only with the aim of extracting what one would like to be 'objective' data on the most illustrious of these artists
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This article considers the circulation and consumption of precious tableware in Fifteenth-century France, applying to this field the questions historians and art historians ask since a few decades to Italian renaissance materials but that... more
This article considers the circulation and consumption of precious tableware in Fifteenth-century France, applying to this field the questions historians and art historians ask since a few decades to Italian renaissance materials but that are not yet widespread in the study of Late Medieval France art. Taking into account surviving objects and a variety of written sources, it tries to analyze the circulation of luxury tableware not only among princely and aristocratic circles, but also in lower strata of society. It also addresses the question if the Fifteenth century marks a turning-point in the social consumption of plate, and if it is possible to observe in Late Medieval France major changes that have been described for contemporary Italy, including the growing appreciation of formal innovation and artistic ingenuity.
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This article comments on the documents concerning the production of the shrine of the Virgin Mary, commissioned for the cathedral of Tournai in 1352 but completed only a few decades later, with the participation of a large number of... more
This article comments on the documents concerning the production of the shrine of the Virgin Mary, commissioned for the cathedral of Tournai in 1352 but completed only a few decades later, with the participation of a large number of actors. The reading of these archival documents testifies first of all to the long duration over which the manufacturing process for such an expensive and complex artifact could take place. These texts, which also reveal the artistic geography in northern France during the 14th century, also raise questions about the organization of the commission and the difficulty of financing such an undertaking, implicating multiple donors, both ecclesiastical and lay. This case illustrates well how the production of the most ambitious works of the Middle Ages was often a long and collective process.
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For a variety of reasons, including the highly significant destruction caused in the 16th and 18th centuries, it is difficult for us to study the use of models in Gothic goldsmithery in France based solely on the works of art themselves –... more
For a variety of reasons, including the highly significant destruction caused in the 16th and 18th centuries, it is difficult for us to study the use of models in Gothic goldsmithery in France based solely on the works of art themselves – unlike in Central Europe. Indeed, west of the Rhine, nothing compares with Basile Amerbach’s collection of lead models and drawings (Museum of Fine Arts and History Museum of Basel). On the other hand, written sources – especially contracts and account books – allow us to tackle this issue from different standpoints. Based on a few well-known texts and several other less reviewed ones, with a specific focus on the end of the Middle Ages, we propose a broad overview of the issue in hand. We revisit aspects that have already been addressed by researchers with respect to the existence of bi- and tri-dimensional models, how they were used and their respective functions, or the involvement of goldsmiths and other artists (painters or sculptors) in the elaboration of models. However, we also consider less explored facets surrounding the fate of the models after the artistic work had been completed by trying to understand who owned them, and how much they cost. The analysis of French documents allow us to shed light simultaneously on the circumstances and conditions governing the creative process; the artist’s leeway in producing his work; the relationship between goldsmiths and patrons; and the problem of the respective value attributed to artistic innovation and technical expertise.
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This paper offers a new analysis of the iconography of the sceptre of Charles V at the Louvre. Focussing on the scenes of the legend of Charlemagne and saint James appearing on the knob, it suggests that a new interest in the figure of... more
This paper offers a new analysis of the iconography of the sceptre of Charles V at the Louvre. Focussing on the scenes of the legend of Charlemagne and saint James appearing on the knob, it suggests that a new interest in the figure of the great emperor was spurred by the visit of Charles IV in Paris in 1378, in the context of a defence of French interests against English pretensions in Gascony.
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One of the most fascinating works exhibited at Palazzo Madama during the Basilwesky collection exhibition was a big champlevé enamelled cross of high quality that hasn’t yet received the attention it deserves. The object is relatively... more
One of the most fascinating works exhibited at Palazzo Madama during the Basilwesky collection exhibition was a big champlevé enamelled cross of high quality that hasn’t yet received the attention it deserves. The object is relatively well preserved: even if it misses the statuette of the crucified Christ once attached to the front and the plating and the lower enamelled medallion on the front have been replaced during a 19th-century restoration, the enamelling of the back, with the representation of the Last Judgement, is in a better condition. The iconography of this scene is close to that of other enamelled works of the same period, e.g. the tabernacle of Thomas Basin. The enamels on the cross can be separated in two distinct groups. One enameller executed almost all the enamels of the back; his style is very close to the manner of Jean Pucelle’s pupil Jean le Noir, which implies that the cross was produced in Paris during the 1330s. This work rises important questions about the organization of work in goldsmith’s workshops in Paris at the time, on typology and iconography of Gothic liturgical object and on restoration practices in 19th-century collections.
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The Pierpont Morgan Library in New York houses a gilded and partially enamelled silver tabernacle that was produced in Paris in the 1320-1330s and owes part of its fame to the fact that it belonged, a century and a half later, to the... more
The Pierpont Morgan Library in New York houses a gilded and partially enamelled silver tabernacle that was produced in Paris in the 1320-1330s and owes part of its fame to the fact that it belonged, a century and a half later, to the writer and archbishop of Caesarea Thomas Basin. Despite its reputation and the research carried out over the past half century, this precious object has not revealed all its secrets. By a more precise study of its iconography and a more systematic comparison with similar works still preserved and others known to us from ancient sources, as well as by a careful reading of some inventories from the 14th century, this paper aims to shed light on aspects of this exceptional creation that have hitherto been neglected, by highlighting its conventional features and specificities: its nature as a precious jewel, its function as a devotional support, its particularly dense ecclesiological iconography. This approach should also make it possible to better understand certain aspects of the devotion of the elites of the time and its tools.
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The paper was published in a multi-authored volume on the celebrated reliquary bust reliquary bust of saint Agatha. This was produced by the Sienese goldsmith Giovanni di Bartolo from Siena in Avignon in 1376 and offered to Catania... more
The paper was published in a multi-authored volume on the celebrated reliquary bust reliquary bust of saint Agatha. This was produced by the Sienese goldsmith Giovanni di Bartolo from Siena in Avignon in 1376 and offered to Catania cathedral, in Sicily, where it is still preserved. It tries to replace the object in the tradition of Late Medieval reliquary bust, analyzing its formal and typological choices and its significance for its audience.
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These papers were published in a multi-authored volume on the celebrated reliquary bust reliquary bust of saint Agatha. This was produced by the Sienese goldsmith Giovanni di Bartolo from Siena in Avignon in 1376 and offered to Catania... more
These papers were published in a multi-authored volume on the celebrated reliquary bust reliquary bust of saint Agatha. This was produced by the Sienese goldsmith Giovanni di Bartolo from Siena in Avignon in 1376 and offered to Catania cathedral, in Sicily, where it is still preserved. The first article gives a shot sketch of the historiography on this object, while the second one offers a stylistic analysis of the enamels that decorated the bust.
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This essay comments on the relative lack of interest of scholarship for fourteenth-century sculpture at the Santo, and offers some methodological observations. It then proposes a journey through some of the major sculptural works... more
This essay comments on the relative lack of interest of scholarship for fourteenth-century sculpture at the Santo, and offers some methodological observations. It then
proposes a journey through some of the major sculptural works produced for the
basilica in the fourteenth century. Certain recurring themes serve as the guiding
threads for this analysis: the predilection for the use of precious and masterfully
worked marbles, the integration between painting and sculpture, the importance
of epigraphic complements, the ingenuity and ambition of certain creations, the
inclusion of the production for Sant’Antonio in a vast network of relationships at
an Italian and European level. Particular attention is paid to the altarpiece of the
chapel of San Giacomo, to the career of Rainaldino di Pietro di Francia, and to
various tombs that attest to the importance of the members of the entourage of the
Carraresi, of the condottieri and of university doctors in the society and (artistic)
culture of fourteenth-century Padua
proposes a journey through some of the major sculptural works produced for the
basilica in the fourteenth century. Certain recurring themes serve as the guiding
threads for this analysis: the predilection for the use of precious and masterfully
worked marbles, the integration between painting and sculpture, the importance
of epigraphic complements, the ingenuity and ambition of certain creations, the
inclusion of the production for Sant’Antonio in a vast network of relationships at
an Italian and European level. Particular attention is paid to the altarpiece of the
chapel of San Giacomo, to the career of Rainaldino di Pietro di Francia, and to
various tombs that attest to the importance of the members of the entourage of the
Carraresi, of the condottieri and of university doctors in the society and (artistic)
culture of fourteenth-century Padua
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This paper offers an overview of sculptures produced for the basilica of Aquilieia during the 13th and 14th century, discussing selectively problems of chronology, authorship, iconography, patronage, typology and function.
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This paper discusses the events that, from late 1396 onwards, led to the sending of emissaries from the French court, laden with diplomatic gifts, to the court of the Ottoman sultan Bayezid I, in order to secure the release of the son of... more
This paper discusses the events that, from late 1396 onwards, led to the sending of emissaries from the French court, laden with diplomatic gifts, to the court of the Ottoman sultan Bayezid I, in order to secure the release of the son of the Duke of Burgundy, Jean de Nevers, and other prisoners captured at the defeat of Nicopolis. Although archival sources are incomplete, several contemporary witnesses have narrated the mission and described the gifts prepared for the sultan. A comparative analysis of their accounts sheds light on the diplomatic use of the arts around 1400, the networks activated in this context of crisis, the perception that court elites had of what we would call artistic works, and how the Ottoman sovereign and his entourage were portrayed in Paris and Dijon. This episode thus encourages us to look towards what has long been considered the center - Paris - by taking into account an area too long perceived as marginal and yet crucial, that of the Ottoman Empire.
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While today it is often good manners not to raise "low" questions of money about art, the attitude is quite different in the Middle Ages. This article tries to demonstrate this by focusing on how the issue of price of artworks, especially... more
While today it is often good manners not to raise "low" questions
of money about art, the attitude is quite different in the Middle Ages. This article tries to demonstrate this by focusing on how the issue of price
of artworks, especially luxury ones, is addressed by two chroniclers of the end of the Middle Ages, Jean Froissart and Michel Pintoin. These two authors make it possible to reconstruct the way French nobility perceived luxury goods at the end of the 14th century.The analysis of their texts makes it possible to evaluate the extent to which the monetary value of certain objects was inextricably linked not only to their social function, but also to their aesthetic appreciation.
of money about art, the attitude is quite different in the Middle Ages. This article tries to demonstrate this by focusing on how the issue of price
of artworks, especially luxury ones, is addressed by two chroniclers of the end of the Middle Ages, Jean Froissart and Michel Pintoin. These two authors make it possible to reconstruct the way French nobility perceived luxury goods at the end of the 14th century.The analysis of their texts makes it possible to evaluate the extent to which the monetary value of certain objects was inextricably linked not only to their social function, but also to their aesthetic appreciation.
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This article deals with the long-lasting engagement of Enrico Castelnuovo with the art of the period usually termed international gothic. It shows how the author contributed to a better understanding of this period. moreover, it tries to... more
This article deals with the long-lasting engagement of Enrico Castelnuovo with the art of the period usually termed international gothic. It shows how the author contributed to a better understanding of this period. moreover, it tries to explain the approach of Castelnuovo, showing how the theme was deeply connected to some of his most innovatory and influential methodological proposals.
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En France, sous les règnes de Charles V et Charles VI, les arts connaissent un épanouissement exceptionnel. Comment les contemporains ont-ils appréhendé cette situation bouillonnante ? La lecture de quelques chroniqueurs de cette époque... more
En France, sous les règnes de Charles V et Charles VI, les arts connaissent un épanouissement exceptionnel. Comment les contemporains ont-ils appréhendé cette situation bouillonnante ? La lecture de quelques chroniqueurs de cette époque peut fournir des pistes de réflexion. En m’appuyant principalement sur la Chronique du Religieux de Saint-Denis et sur les Chroniques de Jean Froissart, j’envisage quelques aspects de cette question.
Il faut d’abord constater que les objets qui retiennent l’attention de nos chroniqueurs ne sont pas forcément ce que la Renaissance nous a appris à considérer comme artistiques : ce sont surtout les textiles et les pièces orfévrées, bien plus que les peintures ou les sculptures, qui suscitent leurs commentaires, mais c’est notamment le spectacle d’une flotte ou d’une armée parée pour la bataille qui provoque chez Froissart un véritable enthousiasme.
Dans un deuxième mouvement, je m’interroge sur les mots employés pour ‘parler art’, et partant sur les catégories et les attentes que ces mots révèlent et véhiculent. Exemples à l’appui et par des cas bien choisis, je tâche d’explorer la logique des choix lexicaux en fonction aussi bien de la tradition littéraire que du contexte dans lequel évoluent les auteurs et leurs lecteurs.
Pour finir, je me penche sur la question de comment ces écrivains anticipent et intègrent l’attitude que les objets sont censés susciter auprès des observateurs, en suggérant des réactions face aux œuvres.
Il faut d’abord constater que les objets qui retiennent l’attention de nos chroniqueurs ne sont pas forcément ce que la Renaissance nous a appris à considérer comme artistiques : ce sont surtout les textiles et les pièces orfévrées, bien plus que les peintures ou les sculptures, qui suscitent leurs commentaires, mais c’est notamment le spectacle d’une flotte ou d’une armée parée pour la bataille qui provoque chez Froissart un véritable enthousiasme.
Dans un deuxième mouvement, je m’interroge sur les mots employés pour ‘parler art’, et partant sur les catégories et les attentes que ces mots révèlent et véhiculent. Exemples à l’appui et par des cas bien choisis, je tâche d’explorer la logique des choix lexicaux en fonction aussi bien de la tradition littéraire que du contexte dans lequel évoluent les auteurs et leurs lecteurs.
Pour finir, je me penche sur la question de comment ces écrivains anticipent et intègrent l’attitude que les objets sont censés susciter auprès des observateurs, en suggérant des réactions face aux œuvres.
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As Johan Huizinga has already shown in a pioneering way, the chroniclers of the years around 1400 are privileged witnesses of the culture of the elites in France during the reigns of Charles V and Charles VI. Neglected by art historians... more
As Johan Huizinga has already shown in a pioneering way, the chroniclers of the
years around 1400 are privileged witnesses of the culture of the elites in France
during the reigns of Charles V and Charles VI. Neglected by art historians who have almost exclusively focused on the Italian writings of the first renaissance, Jean Froissart, Michel Pintoin or the Grandes Chroniques de France are precious sources to
track the milestones of an emerging discourse on art, as I try to show through an analysis conducted using the example of goldsmiths' work. These texts make it possible first of all to note that the precious objects (together with textiles) occupy a prominent place in aristocratic practices and imagination. Above all, they open up broader perspectives on the problem of aesthetic appreciation of medieval works, highlighting the existence of amateurs who, in an intimate context, exchange on the qualities of the works. They also make possible to capture the criteriaof evaluation used by aristicrats and the terms used to express them.
years around 1400 are privileged witnesses of the culture of the elites in France
during the reigns of Charles V and Charles VI. Neglected by art historians who have almost exclusively focused on the Italian writings of the first renaissance, Jean Froissart, Michel Pintoin or the Grandes Chroniques de France are precious sources to
track the milestones of an emerging discourse on art, as I try to show through an analysis conducted using the example of goldsmiths' work. These texts make it possible first of all to note that the precious objects (together with textiles) occupy a prominent place in aristocratic practices and imagination. Above all, they open up broader perspectives on the problem of aesthetic appreciation of medieval works, highlighting the existence of amateurs who, in an intimate context, exchange on the qualities of the works. They also make possible to capture the criteriaof evaluation used by aristicrats and the terms used to express them.
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This article focuses on the altarpieces installed on the altars of the church of the charterhouse in Champmol, near Dijon, founded by the first Valois Duke of Burgundy, Philip the Bold, in 1385, and completed, including most of its... more
This article focuses on the altarpieces installed on the altars of the church of the charterhouse in Champmol, near Dijon, founded by the first Valois Duke of Burgundy, Philip the Bold, in 1385, and completed, including most of its interior decoration, before 1410.
Basing on still surviving works and on published archival sources, I first try to reconstruct the appearance of the altarpieces executed for the church at the time of its building. Crucial to my argument are the two sculpted, gilded and polychromed triptychs by Jacques de Baerze and Melchior Broederlam and the fragments of a bone triptych by the Embriachi workshop, which, I suggest, was initially placed on the main altar of the church. Besides theses sculpted works and another gilded wooden altarpiece in the lower chapel of the ducal oratory, most of the altar decorations in the church consisted in painted and gilded wooden panels. The assemblage on a single site, on a short period, of a variety of uncommon and innovative forms, materials and techniques is an extraordinary enterprise which hasn’t yet been satisfactorily considered as such and interpreted.
The choice of materials and techniques is interpreted as a means of structuring the interior space of the church, distinguishing areas that were liturgically or socially more important by the use of more rich, complex and rare decoration. The Flemish and Italian altarpieces were probably then perceived as estranges, i.e. exotic and precious, qualities that were highly appreciated by patrons at the time, as some written sources show.
The vital role of the Duke of Burgundy in these choices is also stressed. Materials, techniques and formats at odds with the main tradition at the French court were consciously and personally selected by Philip the Bold to exhibit his taste and above all the extension of his connections as a patron. The search of a wide range of exceptional works happened in a context of intense artistic competition between princely patrons. The intended audience included not only the Carthusian monks, but also the Burgundian nobility and the Parisian court circles. Exotic materials artistically transformed were more appropriated for smaller works of art, like those composing princely and royal treasures, then for large altarpieces. They were chosen nonetheless for the quality of the workmanship of the sculpted and finely tooled altarpieces in Champmol appealed most of all to the eyes and taste of a princely patron.
Basing on still surviving works and on published archival sources, I first try to reconstruct the appearance of the altarpieces executed for the church at the time of its building. Crucial to my argument are the two sculpted, gilded and polychromed triptychs by Jacques de Baerze and Melchior Broederlam and the fragments of a bone triptych by the Embriachi workshop, which, I suggest, was initially placed on the main altar of the church. Besides theses sculpted works and another gilded wooden altarpiece in the lower chapel of the ducal oratory, most of the altar decorations in the church consisted in painted and gilded wooden panels. The assemblage on a single site, on a short period, of a variety of uncommon and innovative forms, materials and techniques is an extraordinary enterprise which hasn’t yet been satisfactorily considered as such and interpreted.
The choice of materials and techniques is interpreted as a means of structuring the interior space of the church, distinguishing areas that were liturgically or socially more important by the use of more rich, complex and rare decoration. The Flemish and Italian altarpieces were probably then perceived as estranges, i.e. exotic and precious, qualities that were highly appreciated by patrons at the time, as some written sources show.
The vital role of the Duke of Burgundy in these choices is also stressed. Materials, techniques and formats at odds with the main tradition at the French court were consciously and personally selected by Philip the Bold to exhibit his taste and above all the extension of his connections as a patron. The search of a wide range of exceptional works happened in a context of intense artistic competition between princely patrons. The intended audience included not only the Carthusian monks, but also the Burgundian nobility and the Parisian court circles. Exotic materials artistically transformed were more appropriated for smaller works of art, like those composing princely and royal treasures, then for large altarpieces. They were chosen nonetheless for the quality of the workmanship of the sculpted and finely tooled altarpieces in Champmol appealed most of all to the eyes and taste of a princely patron.
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This paper deals with a question of method and asks if the concept of court style is useful and even appropriate to gain a better understanding of art production in a court context. To do so it first analyses the book on Saint Louis and... more
This paper deals with a question of method and asks if the concept of court style is useful and even appropriate to gain a better understanding of art production in a court context. To do so it first analyses the book on Saint Louis and the Court Style in Gothic Architecture by Robert Branner who greatly contributed to impose the notion of a court style to the art historical agenda. Fluctuations and inconsistencies in the definition and use of this idea were already apparent in Branner’s stimulating and seminal text and became even greater in following studies. At the same time, a number of scholars raised very cogent arguments to question the assumption that a consistent style promoted by the court ever existed; the very concept of style has been criticized as anachronistic. This article argues that it would be better to set aside the notion of court style and to prefer that of a court art: this would help focus on the varied actors of artistic creation and on the specific conditions of production and use of works of art. While the argument is applied here to art during the reign of Louis IX, it is suggested that similar remarks might fruitfully apply to other courts of the High and Later Middle Ages.
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In 2004, a number of events and exhibitions devoted to the arts in France around the year 1400 highlighted the rich diversity of current research in this area. Recent studies have challenged the validity of the critical term... more
In 2004, a number of events and exhibitions devoted to the arts in France around the year 1400 highlighted the rich diversity of current research in this area. Recent studies have challenged the validity of the critical term “International Gothic”, and the essentially stylistic approach upon which it is founded. Researchers have addressed a number of new questions, which have profoundly reshaped our knowledge of certain areas of artistic production, notably precious metalwork. The religious, political or ideological functions of objects from this period are now more readily taken into account. Researchers have taken a subtler, more differentiated approach to the study of relationships between artists and their patrons. Alongside the widely recognized importance of royal or aristocratic patrons, new studies highlight the roles played by women, members of the royal court, and prelates, in the commissioning process. We also have a far better understanding of the complex structures and conditions affecting artists working in both courtly and civic contexts in France. Further research is needed to compare these with the conditions that prevailed in other European countries, and to achieve a more precise definition of the particular dynamics affecting French art during this period. Comparative studies of this type would also help us to analyze the dissemination of French designs and models, and to re-examine the question of international artistic exchanges around the year 1400, in a new light.
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Analisi iconografica della pala d'altare di Maubuisson, ricollocata nel contesto della devozione cistercense per l'Eucaristia.
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Biographical entry on the Sienese goldsmith Andrea Riguardi
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Review of the book by Debra Pincus on the Tombs of the Doges in vencie 1250-1400
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Interview to Enrico Castelnuovo, June 2014
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Preface to a new edition of a long contribution by Enrico Castelnuovo, first published in 1973. The preface wishes to explain how and why Castelnuovo was interested in portraiture, what was the genesis of the contribution, what is its... more
Preface to a new edition of a long contribution by Enrico Castelnuovo, first published in 1973. The preface wishes to explain how and why Castelnuovo was interested in portraiture, what was the genesis of the contribution, what is its method, why it is still an important study on the theme and give some hints on the reception of this text.
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Une idée reçue, assez répandue, tend parfois à réduire à leur « oeil » les historiens de l'art, tout entiers tournés vers la définition de styles et de formes, et détachés des réalités historiques de leurs objets d'étude. Une autre vision... more
Une idée reçue, assez répandue, tend parfois à réduire à leur « oeil » les historiens de l'art, tout entiers tournés vers la définition de styles et de formes, et détachés des réalités historiques de leurs objets d'étude. Une autre vision communément partagée donne un rôle de plus en plus important à la recherche fondée sur les technologies de pointe, qui paraissent pouvoir en dire toujours plus sur les oeuvres, et mobilisent pour cela l'attention des médias comme du grand public. Sans s'opposer à ces deux outils d'analyse, le numéro 95 de la revue Histoire de l'art sera consacré à une troisième voie, complémentaire des précédentes et l'un des fondements de la discipline : le document d'archives mis au service de la connaissance des oeuvres. Ce faisant, la revue et son comité de rédaction souhaitent mettre en évidence les pratiques et les méthodes de l'histoire de l'art. Les historiens de l'art sont bien, en effet, comme leur nom l'indique, aussi des historiens qui, s'ils travaillent sur des supports figurés ou construits, n'en demeurent pas moins des « faiseurs » de l'Histoire : ils s'appliquent à « faire parler » les oeuvres qu'ils étudient, en les confrontant autant que possible à un contexte, aux conditions du milieu qui les ont vues naître et donc aux sources d'archives à disposition, plus ou moins directes et nombreuses selon les époques concernées, et quelle que soit leur nature. Cette histoire de l'art « historienne 1 » s'ancre dans une longue tradition historiographique et les divers répertoires publiés de sources attestent bien cette pratique 2. Toutefois, à l'heure où les archives sont de plus en plus numérisées, où les langues anciennes et la paléographie ne sont guère en vogue dans les universités, où le contact avec le document matériel ne va plus de soi, quel avenir est-il possible de construire pour renouveler la recherche archivistique en histoire de l'art, pour souligner son intérêt et sa pertinence auprès des chercheurs comme des publics ? On tentera ici de dresser à la fois un bilan et une mise à jour méthodologique sur l'usage des archives au sein de la discipline histoire de l'art. Les archives s'entendent dans toute leur diversité, du moment qu'elles apportent un éclairage sur l'oeuvre : tout type de documents en deux dimensions (manuscrits, graphiques, photographiques, etc.), mais aussi possiblement un moulage, qui pourrait par exemple montrer un état perdu d'une sculpture ou d'une partie de monument. Les archives orales et audiovisuelles peuvent également être
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Dans un paysage scientifique qui a été profondément renouvelé depuis vingt ans, ce colloque souhaite rouvrir la discussion sur la sculpture en Bourgogne au XVe siècle, qui occupe une place cruciale dans l’histoire et l’historiographie de... more
Dans un paysage scientifique qui a été profondément renouvelé depuis vingt ans, ce colloque souhaite rouvrir la discussion sur la sculpture en Bourgogne au XVe siècle, qui occupe une place cruciale dans l’histoire et l’historiographie de l’Europe du temps, en prenant en compte de multiples aspects : celui ses enjeux historiographiques pour l’histoire de la discipline ; la manière dont découvertes et travaux récents ont dernièrement contribué à reconfigurer les récits anciens ; les questions méthodologiques soulevées par le rattachement des corpus d’œuvres aux grandes figures documentées ; l’insertion repensée de cette production dans le panorama strictement sculpté puis plus largement artistique du royaume à la fin du Moyen Âge ; les phénomènes de coexistence, de résistances et d’idiosyncrasies locales perceptibles dans le territoire, notamment dans sa production vernaculaire ; à ce titre, la manière dont la singularité géographique et politique de la division entre terres de par-deçà (la Bourgogne et la Franche-Comté géographiquement françaises) et de par-delà (les Pays-Bas méridionaux) a participé à façonner une possible identité visuelle de la sculpture bourguignonne. On espère faire surgir de nouvelles œuvres, de nouveaux ensembles sculptés jusqu’à présent ignorés ou mal pris en considération par la critique, comme on souhaite bénéficier des travaux les plus récents consacrés aux matériaux et aux techniques de cette sculpture. Ce colloque est en lien direct avec le projet d’une grande exposition qui se tiendra au musée des Beaux-Arts de Dijon en 2026 et qui sera consacrée à la sculpture bourguignonne du XVe siècle.
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Call for papers for a conference to be held in Dijon on December 11th-13th, 2023
Proposals must be submitted by February 1st, 2023
Proposals must be submitted by February 1st, 2023
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Program for a closed working meeting in Lausanne
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Throughout the history of book illumination, the links between the arts of the book and the other arts have been deep, continuous and fruitful. Painters have practiced their craft on parchment, on panel, on glass or on walls; the... more
Throughout the history of book illumination, the links between the arts of the book and the other arts have been deep, continuous and fruitful. Painters have practiced their craft on parchment, on panel, on glass or on walls; the composite and complex nature of the book object has often encouraged artists working in its pages and binding (whether goldsmiths or ivory carvers) to inspire each other. Manuscript patrons and illuminators are immersed in the same culture as their counterparts engaged with other techniques, so that formal inventions, iconographic solutions, and compositions have been able to circulate to and from codices. While there is no shortage of works dealing with these questions, it seemed desirable to create an opportunity for discussion and collective reflection focusing entirely on this problematic. The conference thus explores the complexity of these multiple interactions through a wide range of papers covering vast areas of medieval production.
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Call for papers - Conference Within and without the manuscript: interactions between illumination and the other arts Université de Lausanne, October 22nd-23rd, 2020 Throughout the history of illumination the links between the arts of the... more
Call for papers - Conference
Within and without the manuscript: interactions between illumination and the other arts
Université de Lausanne, October 22nd-23rd, 2020
Throughout the history
of illumination the links between the arts of the book and other media have been deep, continuous and
fruitful. The conference would like to explore the complexity of these multiple interactions
from the medieval period to the Renaissance, across a broad geographical context, and their
historiography.
Submissions will be considered in French, German, Italian and English.
The conference will take place at the University of Lausanne on 22nd and 23rd October 2020. Financial
support covering part of the travel and accommodation costs will be available to part of the participants;
requests should be clearly specified in the application. Proposals not exceeding one page, accompanied
by a five-line biography, must be sent not later than April 19th, 2020 to melissa.nieto@unil.ch. They will
be reviewed by the scientific committee. Proceedings of the conference are foreseen.
Within and without the manuscript: interactions between illumination and the other arts
Université de Lausanne, October 22nd-23rd, 2020
Throughout the history
of illumination the links between the arts of the book and other media have been deep, continuous and
fruitful. The conference would like to explore the complexity of these multiple interactions
from the medieval period to the Renaissance, across a broad geographical context, and their
historiography.
Submissions will be considered in French, German, Italian and English.
The conference will take place at the University of Lausanne on 22nd and 23rd October 2020. Financial
support covering part of the travel and accommodation costs will be available to part of the participants;
requests should be clearly specified in the application. Proposals not exceeding one page, accompanied
by a five-line biography, must be sent not later than April 19th, 2020 to melissa.nieto@unil.ch. They will
be reviewed by the scientific committee. Proceedings of the conference are foreseen.
Research Interests:
Cultural exchanges between France and Italy have always been an important subject of study for research on medieval art, especially in the Gothic period. Whether artists or artifacts, artistic ideas or technical choices, constant mutual... more
Cultural exchanges between France and Italy have always been an important subject of study for research on medieval art, especially in the Gothic period. Whether artists or artifacts, artistic ideas or technical choices, constant mutual interactions have been a source of inspiration for both parties. The purpose of this conference is to shift the focus from general considerations of style or influence to artists, sponsors or French works whose presence in Italy is documented.
Les échanges culturels entre la France et l’Italie ont toujours été un objet d’études important pour la recherche sur l’art médiéval, notamment pour l’époque gothique. Qu’il s’agisse d’artistes ou d’artefacts, d’idées artistiques ou de choix techniques, les interactions mutuelles constantes ont été une source d’inspiration pour les deux parties. Le but du colloque est de déplacer l’attention des considérations générales de style ou d’influence vers des artistes, des commanditaires ou des œuvres français dont la présence en Italie est attestée
Les échanges culturels entre la France et l’Italie ont toujours été un objet d’études important pour la recherche sur l’art médiéval, notamment pour l’époque gothique. Qu’il s’agisse d’artistes ou d’artefacts, d’idées artistiques ou de choix techniques, les interactions mutuelles constantes ont été une source d’inspiration pour les deux parties. Le but du colloque est de déplacer l’attention des considérations générales de style ou d’influence vers des artistes, des commanditaires ou des œuvres français dont la présence en Italie est attestée
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Call for papers for a conference to be held in Lausanne on November 14th and 15th 2019
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Call for papers for a thematic issue on multiples for the journal Perspective: actualité en histoire de l’art
(2019 – 2) in French and English
(2019 – 2) in French and English
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Often the history of medieval art unfolds in a continuous narrative, without rupture or asperity, a story of origin and filiations. The study of receptions of art, however, informs us of interrupted passages and undermines the notion of a... more
Often the history of medieval art unfolds in a continuous narrative, without rupture or
asperity, a story of origin and filiations. The study of receptions of art, however, informs us
of interrupted passages and undermines the notion of a coherent historio graphy. Recent
studies have shown with renewed vigor how works of art can be, when traveling, vectors of
diffusion of iconographic, technical, stylistic knowledge. But what about cases where the
object that is displaced is not welcomed smoothly, assimilate d, admired, but instead arouses
embarrassment, misunderstanding, or even refusal? The phenomena of resistance, rejection,
or transformation aimed at making an object acceptable in a new context are all equally
revealing of the nature of the cultures involved and of their possibilities of interaction and
exchange.
We are soliciting proposals for papers on the refusal or transformation of objects of all kinds
of forms throughout the Middle Ages. What is important to the organizers is to observe these
reactions in connection with an object transfer, whether in space or in time. Reflections
centered on material traces of manipulation and adaptation of objects will be
just as welcome as those that illustrate these phenomena using written sources. Resistance to
the form, typology, material, iconography, or any other aspect of the materiality of the
objects, are all within the field of interest of the session. Also of interest are the reasons
behind taste, political, religious, cultural which can explain rejections or manipulations.
Proposals on instances related to Switzerland would be particularly welcome.
Deadline: October 31, 2018
Please send your paper proposal of up to one page to:
mail@mittelalterkongress.de
asperity, a story of origin and filiations. The study of receptions of art, however, informs us
of interrupted passages and undermines the notion of a coherent historio graphy. Recent
studies have shown with renewed vigor how works of art can be, when traveling, vectors of
diffusion of iconographic, technical, stylistic knowledge. But what about cases where the
object that is displaced is not welcomed smoothly, assimilate d, admired, but instead arouses
embarrassment, misunderstanding, or even refusal? The phenomena of resistance, rejection,
or transformation aimed at making an object acceptable in a new context are all equally
revealing of the nature of the cultures involved and of their possibilities of interaction and
exchange.
We are soliciting proposals for papers on the refusal or transformation of objects of all kinds
of forms throughout the Middle Ages. What is important to the organizers is to observe these
reactions in connection with an object transfer, whether in space or in time. Reflections
centered on material traces of manipulation and adaptation of objects will be
just as welcome as those that illustrate these phenomena using written sources. Resistance to
the form, typology, material, iconography, or any other aspect of the materiality of the
objects, are all within the field of interest of the session. Also of interest are the reasons
behind taste, political, religious, cultural which can explain rejections or manipulations.
Proposals on instances related to Switzerland would be particularly welcome.
Deadline: October 31, 2018
Please send your paper proposal of up to one page to:
mail@mittelalterkongress.de
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Call for papers for a conference on art and economy in France and in Italy during the 14th century to be held at Lausanne University on October, the 19th and October, the 20th 2017. Deadline for submission is January, the 31st 2017
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Obituary of Maria Monica Donato (1959-2014), formerly professor of medieval art at the Scuola Normale Superiore in Pisa.
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Syllabus of lectures held at the EPHA in 2006-2007 on so-called International Gothic Style in Italy
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Altarpieces around 1400: materials, typologies, functions (syllabus of lectures at the EPHA in 2007-2008)