Art about Artists in the Early Modern Netherlands (1500-1700)
HNA-sponsored session at Sixteenth Century Society Annual Conference
New Orleans, Louisiana, Oct. 16-19, 2014
Organizer: Stephanie Dickey (Queen’s University)

Among the many secular themes developed by early modern artists was the world of the studio itself. Allegorized through legends like the love of Apelles for Campaspe or treated as a slice of life, representations of the studio reveal a self-conscious concern for the making of art as a performative act. What do these images tell us about the construction of artistic identity — or the realities of artistic practice? How did connoisseurs respond to this peek behind the scenes of the craft they so admired? What other kinds of activities took place in the context of art-making? Recent research in technical art history has illuminated the materials and methods of artists from Bosch to Rembrandt, while studies of the art market have traced their distribution networks and interactions with art buyers. How can these and other avenues of research shed light on Dutch and Flemish depictions of the artist in the studio?

If you would like to be considered for participation, please send the following materials to Stephanie Dickey at dickey.ss@gmail.com BY MONDAY MARCH 24: brief bio (3-4 sentences, include affiliation and rank, mention one or two publications or other examples of scholarship) + abstract of your proposed paper, maximum 250 words. If you are interested in serving as chair or discussant, we would also like to hear from you.

Presenters in this session should be members of HNA. Please note that all conference participants are required to join SCSC and are responsible for their own costs of transportation, lodging, etc. HNA members are also encouraged to apply directly to Sixteenth Century Society to participate in the conference. Information can be found at: www.sixteenthcentury.org.