ASECS – The foremost learned society in the US for the study of the long 18th Century

WELCOME

The American Society for Eighteenth-Century Studies, established in 1969, is the foremost learned society in the United States for the study of all aspects of the long eighteenth century.

WHO WE ARE

MEMBERSHIP

A Masked Ball in Bohemia, attributed to Andreas Altomonte, ca. 1748. Austrian. The Metropolitan Museum of Art.

Red LOVE sculpture in the John F. Kennedy Plaza.

ANNUAL MEETING

The CfP is open for the 56th Annual Meeting of the American Society for Eighteenth-Century Studies , to be held April 9-11, 2026, in Philadelphia!

Submit your session proposal now!

LEARN MORE

Love Sculpture Photo, K Huff for PHLCVB

MEMBERS

ASECS promotes the study and teaching of the long eighteenth century through diverse networks at membership, society, and international levels. Engage with other members and partners to support our mission and the field.

Tartars Playing Polo, Kano Eisen’in Furunobu 狩野永川院古 , early 18th Century. Japan.
Metropolitan Museum of Art.

LATEST NEWS

*Painting of an Indian Woman*. Anna Maria von Phul, 1818. Native American.
Missouri Historical Society

2026 ECASECS CONFERENCE

EAST CENTRAL AMERICAN SOCIETY FOR EIGHTEENTH-CENTURY STUDIES2026 ECASECS CONFERENCEVirginia State University, Petersburg, Virginia5–7 November 2026CALL FOR PAPERS Beginnings: Restarts, Revisions, and …

Webinar Participant Overview: “Enlightenment for All: Teaching the Eighteenth Century Beyond(?) the Academy”

Participant Overview: “Enlightenment for All: Teaching the Eighteenth Century Beyond(?) the Academy”ASECS Early Spring 2026 WebinarDate: Friday, February 6, 2026Time: 12:00 p.m. (Central)Registration:…

Job Opening: Assistant Professor of Art History at SUNY New Paltz

Applications are now being accepted for the position of Assistant Professor of Art History with a focus on global early modern art (1400–1800) at the State University of New York at New Paltz. Priorit…

CfP: North American Society for the Study of Romanticism & North American Victorian Studies Association Joint 2026 Conference

The joint NAVSA-NASSR 2026 conference to take place in Pasadena, California November 11-16 is now open for submissions! This is a fully in-person conference; for those who wish to participat…

All News and Updates

The bold interlocking swirl of red and white suggests worldly dualities. Painted ceramics such as this are synonymous with Quapaw peoples. The group migrated from the Ohio River valley south to the confluence of the Arkansas and Mississippi rivers around the 16th century. During this time, artists stopped using exotic North American materials sourced through long distance trade, such as copper and shell, and instead expanded upon earlier ceramic traditions. Quapaw artists seem to draw inspiration from the globular body and tapering necks of gourds while consistently using color combinations of red, white, black, and buff. It is likely this “teapot” form was based on vessels introduced following the arrival of Europeans in the mid-16th century. The Quapaw nation continued to inhabit what is now Arkansas through the early 19th century. Following policies set by the United States government and the signing of three treaties, the government forcibly removed Quapaw peoples to present-day Oklahoma, where the Quapaw nation is located today.

OUR RESOURCES

ASECS is a member of a number of associations devoted to supporting and advocating for the humanities. The Society is pleased to offer members a number of resources on research and teaching, events, grants and fellowships, and member support. Stay apprised of humanities and nonprofit policy updates, ways to advocate, and deadlines for funding.

VIEW ALL RESOURCES

Quapaw Culture (Arkansas/Midsouth), Spouted Vessel with Painted Motifs,
ca.1500–1700 (maybe 1600). Saint Louis Art Museum