The ANKK (Arbeitskreis Niederländische Kunst- und Kulturgeschichte) announces a call for papers for their annual conference, which takes place from 09–10 October 2026 in Göttingen.
WATER IS MEER DAN DE ZEE
Water, flow and hydric phenomena in Netherlandish art
Water and the sea have always shaped everyday life and influenced country, people and cultures of the northern and southern Netherlands: a long coastline, flood protection and land reclamation, ports, long-distance and coastal trade, fishing, canals, shipbuilding, mill construction, port and canal construction, as well as military naval power, colonial trade interests, the VOC and the economic power dependent on it have determined – and in some cases still determine – all aspects of Netherlandish culture. How this is reflected in cultural products from the fifteenth to the 21st century, be it paintings, graphical arts, ship architecture, mill construction, urban planning or book publishing, cartography, literature and knowledge production, collections, culinary traditions or other areas, is the subject of the conference. The conference will focus on artefacts such as paintings, books, nautical charts, architecture, machines and instruments, as well as marine life such as fish, shells and plants as subjects of discussion and objects of collection and research. It goes without saying that the historical contexts of the phenomena under consideration, such as social, economic, educational and religious history, must also be taken into account.
Thematic links to the conference theme in Göttingen are welcome, but not essential: our field and our own work are also constantly ‘in flux’, so as usual there will be an opportunity to report on ongoing doctoral, research and exhibition projects.
The conference is organized in cooperation with the art-historical Seminar and the art collection of the University of Göttingen and will offer the opportunity to visit various collections and sites in Göttingen. ANKK membership or a conference fee of 40/20 Euros is mandatory for participation (including the conference dinner). Please submit a short CV and an abstract of no more than 300 words for a 20-minute presentation in German or English. Submissions can be send to konferenz@ankk.org by 26 April 2026.