Medieval and Renaissance

The Medieval and Renaissance cluster brings together students and researchers interested in art and architecture made between c. 300 and 1500. Although our activities primarily focus on art from Europe (including Byzantium) and the Mediterranean basin, we are committed to expanding the geographic horizons of scholarship in our period, with current projects on art in sub-Saharan Africa and the Caucasus, as well as the interaction between religions and cultures across the medieval world. We seek to share interests and stimulate connections — whether expected or unexpected, whether relating to materials or methods. Our members include faculty, MA students and doctoral students, interested researchers from other UK and overseas institutions, including universities, museums, libraries and heritage sector.

Our activities include the “Medieval Work in Progress Seminars” and “Renaissance Seminars”, two lively fora to present current and on-going work rather than completed research. Every year we host the ICMA lecture at The Courtauld (bringing in a major scholar from the USA to speak), and we organise regular handling sessions through “Medieval Touch” with colleagues at the National Gallery, British Library, British Museum and Victoria and Albert Museum to ensure that we keep a close focus on original objects and works of art; alongside these we hold reading groups to think about the theoretical questions that inform the ways in which we interpret the material we are studying.

Our digital projects include The Gothic Ivories Project (an online database of ivory sculptures made in Western Europe ca. 1200-ca. 1530, as well as neo-Gothic pieces), as well as Medieval Art Research (a source for news on events, jobs, publications and other goings-on in the world of medieval art history).

Medieval and Renaissance is generously sponsored by Sam Fogg.