Over the last three decades, research on Gothic ivories has seen a significant shift from studies concerned with stylistic attribution and classification towards the investigation of their materiality, iconography, function, and – last but not least – patronage. Although we now have a much better understanding of the social, devotional, and cultural contexts in which especially religious ivories were commissioned and produced, overall, we still know comparatively little about the owners of Gothic ivories. This is especially true for the secular sphere, where it has not yet been possible to link any surviving fourteenth-century carving to its first owner.

Commissioning, buying, and trading Gothic ivories.
Gothic ivories in written sources.
Gothic ivories in their archaeological contexts.
The circulation of Gothic ivories.
The adaptation, restoration and/or change of function of Gothic ivories over time.
Object biographies of Gothic ivories in a conservation context.
The provenance of Gothic ivories.
The changing status and perception of Gothic ivories.
The reproductions of Gothic ivories, i.e. fictile ivories, electrotypes, photography etc.
The role of museums and curators as the custodians of Gothic ivories.
The display of Gothic ivories through time in treasuries, private collections, and museums.
The dispersal of Gothic ivories such as fragments, ensembles, and collections.
Comité d’organisation Organised by Manuela Studer-Karlen (University of Bern), Naomi Speakman (British Museum, London) and Michaela Zöschg (Victoria and Albert Museum, London). This conference is supported by the project “Love and War. Secular images on Gothic ivories”, funded by the Swiss National Science Foundation. Calendrier

15 January 2024 : Deadline for submission of abstracts and biography.
15 February 2024 : Feedback on abstracts.
25-26 October 2024 : Conference.
31 January 2025 : Submission of papers for publication.

Informations pratiques
Please submit your abstracts of 250 – 300 words and a short biography of 100 words in one PDF document to Manuela Studer-Karlen (manuela.studer-karlen chez unibe.ch), Naomi Speakman (nspeakman chez britishmuseum.org) and Michaela Zöschg (m.zoschg chez vam.ac.uk ) by 15 January 2024. Please note that travel and accommodation costs for speakers will be covered, and that the conference papers will be published.