CFP - Textile Materiality in the Early Modern Period (original) (raw)

PAPER PROPOSAL: 15 March | CONFERENCE: 25-26 September 2024. / Shimmering or matt, thick or thin, opaque or transparent, stretched or flexible, flat or pleated… They are but some of the many characteristics defining the sensory dimensions of textiles, inherently associated with their materiality. Whether worn by a prince or prelate, wrapped around precious objects, or covering walls and floors, textiles were ubiquitous in the material culture of the early modern period (15 th-18 th centuries). This omnipresence, from clothing to architectural adornment, has granted textiles a prominent status in the construction of social identities. Despite their importance, they have been neglected far too long in art history. Although recent studies have started tapping into the potential of this material, they are often focused on historical, iconographical or anthropological approaches, at the expense of its materiality and sensory experience. As it requires advanced technical knowledge, material studies have long been the prerogative of textile conservator-restorers and a few textile experts. The 'material turn' which has permeated the field of art history in recent years has however demonstrated the importance of a renewed focus on the material object by a larger community of art historians (as evidenced by the upcoming CIHA Congress devoted to Matter/Materiality). The aim of this two-day conference is therefore to bring these different approaches together by fostering a dialogue between researchers dedicated to (the history of) techniques and conservation, and those focusing on the medial properties and the meanings conveyed by textiles when displayed, worn, or manipulated. To do so, paper proposals can be structured around one of the three (non-exclusive) thematic aeras suggested : 1) History of techniques and conservation ; 2) Representation and reception ; 3) Imitation and illusion