The theme chosen for this meeting is the study of funerary images in the transition between late antiquity and the Middle Ages. The central question will a reflection on the function of the funerary images in a broad sense, but also their impact on the early christian world. The choice of the chronological time also shows the second intention of the colloquium: this is an attempt to explain why the ancient funerary tradition of the image will eventually disappear, replaced by other figures of the representative functions. Through various media - from the mosaic and painting, through sculpture and ending with gilded glasses - there will be presented one of the nodal representation of the self: the human face on the border between life and death.

On October 18, 2012 there will be held an international colloquium entitled The face of the dead and the early christian world, directed by Ivan Foletti (Lausanne-Brno). The theme chosen for this meeting is the study of funerary images in the transition between late antiquity and the Middle Ages. The central question will a reflection on the function of the funerary images in a broad sense, but also their impact on the early christian world. The choice of the chronological time also shows the second intention of the colloquium: this is an attempt to explain why the ancient funerary tradition of the image will eventually disappear, replaced by other figures of the representative functions. Through various media - from the mosaic and painting, through sculpture and ending with gilded glasses - there will be presented one of the nodal representation of the self: the human face on the border between life and death.

Program:

• 10:00 Ivan Foletti, Masaryk University of Brno and University of Lausanne
  • Fyziognomický obraz jako nástroj rétoriky: "portréty" v San Vittore in Ciel d'oro v Miláně a v San Paolo Fuori le Mura v Římě / Physiognomic representations as a rhetoric instrument: “portraits” in San Vittore in Ciel d’oro and San Paolo fuori le mura
• 10:45 Chiara Croci, University of Münster and University of Lausanne  
  • Portraiture on early christian gold-glasses: some observation.
• 11:30 Stefano D’Ovidio, University of Naples "Federico II"
  • Devotion and memory: episcopal portraits in the Cripta dei vescovi in Naples
• 14:00 Nicolas Bock, University of Lausanne
  • Pictura tacens in pariete loqui. Poetic competition and Early Christian portraiture around 400
• 14:45 Valentina Cantone, University of Padova
  • The syncretic portrait. Visual contaminations in Early Christian Art
• 15:30 Ladislav Kesner, Masaryk University of Brno
• Tvář a smrt v ranné Číně / Face and Death in Early China

Venue:

• Moravian Gallery: lecture hall of Museum of Applies Arts, Husova 14

Organized by

• Department of the History of Art (FA)
• Moravian Gallery in Brno

Responsibility:

• Ivan Foletti, M.A., PhD. (Université Lausanne)