Call for papers: The Roman art world in the 18th century and the birth of the art academy in Britain

16 January 2018

The Accademia di San Luca and the British School at Rome (BSR) invite submissions for papers for the conference The Roman Art World in the 18th Century and the Birth of the Art Academy in Britain, to be held in Rome between 10 and 11 December 2018. The conference will focus on the role of the Roman pedagogical model in the formation of the British academic art world in the long 18th century.

The conference welcomes diverse approaches to investigating the dissemination of the academic ideal from Rome to Britain. These might address, but are by no means limited to, the following topics:

  • The impact of the Roman academic structure, theory and pedagogy on British art academies, artists’ studios and architects’ offices.
  • The impact of art and architectural theory in Rome on the formation of a public discourse on art and architecture in Britain.
  • The process of adaptation and reinterpretation of Roman theoretical and pedagogical principles to the British artistic and architectural context, and the extent to which British art academies developed new principles, absorbed the Roman model, or derived them from elsewhere.
  • The role played by Roman and Italian artists and architects in the formation and structuring of the 18th-century British art academies and, in particular, of the Royal Academy of Arts.
  • The presence and activities of British artists and architects in Roman studios, offices and academies and the presence of Italian artists in British academies.
  • The role played by other relevant academies – such as those at Parma and Florence – on the formation of British artists and architects in relationship/opposition to the Roman model.

Download Call for papers for more information.

Please provide a concise title and abstract (250 words maximum) for a 20-minute paper. Send your proposal, with a current CV of no more than two pages, to humanities@bsrome.it Proposals must be received by midnight, Monday 12 March 2018. Speakers will be notified of the committee’s decision in mid-April 2018. Travel grants will be available.