What: Symposium, Tracing Jewish Histories: The Long Lives of Medieval Hebrew Manuscripts, Judaica, and Architecture
When: 19-20 May 2025 (see program for details)
Where: In-person, The Courtauld Institute of Art, Vernon Square Campus, London, UK. Following the symposium, a recording of the talks will be made available online on The Courtauld’s website.
Co-Organizers: Reed O’Mara (Case Western Reserve University) and Laura Feigen (The Courtauld Institute of Art)
Registration and Program: https://tinyurl.com/2p8ycmvn
Short Description: Works of art and architecture made by or for Jewish communities in the medieval period are often examined through the lenses of persecution and expulsion, or are contrasted against Christian or Muslim “styles.” This symposium seeks to expand and nuance these narratives in order to highlight how works of art and architecture can uniquely trace the history of particular Jewish communities by mapping their movements and traditions across generations and geographies. Medieval Jewish objects and spaces can also serve as loci to examine ideas related to collective memory and cultural identity. To that end, the symposium seeks to open new dialogues regarding the “afterlives” of medieval Jewish art more broadly, initiating discussions regarding the ways in which works of art and architecture continued to bear witness to the richness of Jewish life and culture long after they were created.
Sponsors: We are grateful for the following institutions for lending their support of this symposium: Sam FOgg; the Mellon Foundation; the Department of Art History & Art at Case Western Reserve University; and the Medieval Academy of America Graduate Student Committee Grant for Innovation in Community Building and Professionalization
Attached: Save the date with registration as a JPEG and PDF
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