The Art and Science of Collecting in Eighteenth-Century
Europe
Edited by Dr. Arlene Leis and Dr. Kacie Wills
We are inviting chapter abstracts for a collection of essays designed
for academics, specialists and enthusiasts interested in the
interrelations between art, science and collecting in Europe during
the long 18th century. Our volume will discuss the topic of art, science
and collecting in its broadest sense and in diverse theoretical
contexts, such as art historical, feminist, social, gendered, colonial,
archival, literary and cultural ones. To accompany our existing
contributions, we welcome essays that take a global and material
approach, and are particularly keen on research that makes use of
new archival resources. We encourage interdisciplinary perspectives
and are especially interested in essays that reveal the way in which
women participated in art, science, and collecting in some capacity.
The compendium will consist of around 15 essays, 6000 words each
(including footnotes), with up to four illustrations. In addition to these
more traditional essays, we are looking for shorter (circa 1,000 words)
case studies on material objects pertaining to collections/collectors
from that period. The subject of art, science and collecting will also
be central to these contributions. These smaller pieces will each
include one illustration. The following topics/case studies are
particularly desired:
• Women’s collecting interests
• Histories and methodologies of collecting, taxonomies, cataloging, arrangement, and modes of display
• Cabinets of curiosities/Wunderkammer
• Catalogues
• Collections housed in art and/or science institutions
• The boundaries between the natural and the artificial
• Scientific and artistic tools and instruments
• Seriality vs. rare objects
• Transitional objects
• Conservation
• Collecting networks
• The artist collector
• The scientist collector
• The overlapping of science, art and collecting in domestic spaces
• Antiquarian collections
• Print culture
All inquiries should be addressed to Arlene Leis, aleis914@gmail.com
or Kacie Wills, kacie.wills@gmail.com
Essay abstracts of 500 words and 300 word abstracts for smaller case
studies are due January 30, 2019 and should be sent along with a
short bio to: artsciencecollecting@gmail.com
Finished case studies will be due July 30, 2019, and due date for long
essays will be September 30, 2019.
More information: https://artandscienceofcollecting.weebly.com/