Renaissance Society of America
8-10 April 2010
Fondazione Giorgio Cini
Isola San Giorgio Maggiore, Venice
Sexuality and desire are notions that traditionally have provoked uneasiness to art historians. Even though many works are loaded with obvious sexual connotations, art historical interpretations often continue to be vague and evasive. Despite the abundance of records of sodomy, only relatively slowly works of art are being acknowledged to be homosexual in nature: either in terms of the author?s identity or the connotations of their style and content. The purpose of this call is twofold. It invites the re-examination of Italian Renaissance art: specific works, artists, contexts, where sexuality has been overseen, as well the attitude of modern art historians: the way they have approached artists, particular works, or the period as whole.
Methodological approaches, such as psychoanalysis and gender studies, are particularly welcome, as well as contributions which will enable us to clarify the notion of gender identity, and thus sexuality/ homosexuality, as working tools for a more informed discussion of Renaissance art in Italy.
Please submit your abstract (maximum 150 words) and a short C (including affiliation and contact information) no later than May 18, 2009 to:
Dr. Berthold Hub, ETH Zürich, berthold.hub@gta.arch.ethz.ch, and Dr. Angeliki Pollali, The American College of Greece, apollali@acgmail.gr
Speakers must be members of the Renaissance Society of America at the time of the conference.
Please consult the RSA website for further information: http://www.rsa.org