... from the Middle Ages to Early Modern Period

The conference invites advanced scholars, post-doctorate and doctorate students to focus on Text-Image relationship, visual effects and designed elements in written Hebrew sources such as codices, tombstones, ritual objects from the eighth century to the end of the fifteenth century, marking the end of the non-typographical Era. The focus of this conference lies on all kinds of illustrations, images, decorations, schemes and additional drawings, as well as all visual elements that structure the written entity and guide the eyes of the user through its specific layout, mise en page and mise en texte of manuscripts. The conference wants to investigate visual effects and designed elements not only from an art history perspective, as it is generally done, but also from the philological, historical and material culture‘s  viewpoint. Designed elements seem toappear at the crossroad of cultural transmissions, traditions or influences. The conference will take into account the influence or rejection of cultural traditions from non-Jewish environments, and will, therefore, give room to present results from other co-projects working in the SFB 933 of Heidelberg University.

Topics / Questions to be dealt with: 

• What kind of connection exist between text and its visual aspects? Are the visual and designed elements purely decorative, symbolic or do they bear any philological meaning? 
• In which way does the scribal material influence the drawing or script?
• How can philological and art historical results be linked to socio-historical questions?
• How do visual / designed elements mirror the mental state of a certain group in a specific environment, turning itself or not to a cross-cultural element (from minor and major cultures)?
• How were the texts read? Was the drawing / image considered as part of a textual more than an artistic tradition? What can be said about the (ritual, social) function of designed elements?
• Are there specific layouts to be made out in Hebrew Sources?

Time and Place:

10.-12. November 2013
Hochschule für Jüdische Studien, Heidelberg, Germany

Supported by:

• University of Heidelberg, SFB 933 Materiale Textkulturen.
• Hochschule für Jüdische Studien, Heidelberg.