Material Histories of Exchange II: Transmission of Dress and Ornament in Byzantium and Beyond

Sponsoring Organization(s)

Mary Jaharis Center for Byzantine Art and Culture

Organizer Name

Annie Montgomery Labatt, Heather Badamo

Organizer Affiliation

Univ. of Texas-San Antonio, Univ. of California-Santa Barbara

Presider Name

Annie Montgomery Labatt

Paper Title 1

Appealing to the Senses: Experiencing Adornment in the Early Medieval Mediterranean

Presenter 1 Name

Elizabeth Dospel Williams

Presenter 1 Affiliation

Dumbarton Oaks Research Library and Collection/George Washington Univ.

Paper Title 2

Ceremonial Arms and Armor: Fashioning Visual Charisma at the Mediterranean Court

Presenter 2 Name

Heather Badamo

Paper Title 3

English Visions of the East in Textile and Floor Tile: Multicultural Imagery under Henry III and Eleanor of Provence (ca. 1250)

Presenter 3 Name

Amanda Luyster

Presenter 3 Affiliation

College of the Holy Cross

Start Date

12-5-2017 3:30 PM

Session Location

Schneider 1160

Description

Recent work on the medieval Mediterranean has emphasized how the fragmented geography of the region promoted connectivity and exchange, creating zones of mutual intelligibility. In this work, “portable objects” have emerged as key intermediaries between Byzantine, western European, and Islamic visual traditions, with studies focusing on the role of mobility in generating “shared culture,” as well as new uses, meanings, and interpretations. This panel will build on the pioneering work of art historians such as Eva Hoffman, focusing specifically on the movement of dress and ornament – as physical objects, the subject of representation, and cultural practice – between Byzantium and neighboring regions.

Annie Montgomery Labatt and Heather Badamo