Sónia Silva is an Associate Professor of anthropology at Skidmore College. Drawing on ethnographic fieldwork in Zambia, as well as museum work in Europe and the USA, Silva’s research deals with materiality, material religion, the notion of the fetish, ritual and religion, divination, witchcraft, violence, and museums. Silva is the author of Alon…[Read more]

Sónia Silva is an Associate Professor of anthropology at Skidmore College. Drawing on ethnographic fieldwork in Zambia, as well as museum work in Europe and the USA, Silva’s research deals with materiality, material religion, the notion of the fetish, ritual and religion, divination, witchcraft, violence, and museums. Silva is the author of Alon…[Read more]

Throughout historic developments, the publicly ascertained and published price of an artwork repeatedly served as a reference point for art theoretical discussion. Particular importance was attached to the auction sale price, since this financial evaluation of art was of such a public nature. While there is a long history of these ideas about the…[Read more]

The present article seeks to dig into Gustave Doré’s (1832-1883) vision of the Wood of the Suicides from his illustrations of the Divine Comedy (d. 1861), establishing a comparison between its critical reception, the works that have illustrated the chant over the centuries and Doré’s works themselves. A goal here is to glimpse if negative criti…[Read more]

This study tells the story of Architectural Forum magazine during the Time Inc. ownership period, 1932-64. Why and how did this episode in American discursive life come about? What were its failures and successes, lessons, potential legacy? In answering these questions, the author describes the unusual building industry-wide sense of community…[Read more]

This paper studies the creation, circulation, and reception of two groups of photographs of Ludwig Mies van der Rohe’s iconic Farnsworth House, both taken by Hedrich Blessing. The first set, produced for a 1951 Architectural Forum magazine cover story, features curtains carefully arranged according to the architect’s preferences; the Museum of…[Read more]

A short note describing the difficulties that surround the definition of “art.”

Computational analysis of the potential historical professional networks inferred from surviving print impressions offers novel insight into the evolution of early modern artistic printmaking in Europe. This analysis traces a longue durée print production history that examines the changing ways in which different regional printmaking communities…[Read more]

These are catalogue entries for the following works: Francisco de Zurbaran, Veronica Veil, from the Sarah Blaffer Campbell Collection Ferdinand Bol, Portrait of Sir John Hebdon, from the Sarah Blaffer Campbell Collection

This talk offers a collection of vignettes that position the relation between life and death as a central but unsolvable question for theorization in art and politics. Indeed, what to think of death in times when, yet again, the end of the world as we know it seems to be near?

This talk offers a collection of vignettes that position the relation between life and death as a central but unsolvable question for theorization in art and politics. Indeed, what to think of death in times when, yet again, the end of the world as we know it seems to be near?

As one of the most important political and religious figures of the mid sixteenth century, Cardinal Reginald Pole (1500–58) has been the subject of valuable historical studies. Although the English prelate was also a humanist, part of a vast intellectual and artistic network he established during his travels to Italy, Flanders, Spain and E…[Read more]

As one of the most important political and religious figures of the mid sixteenth century, Cardinal Reginald Pole (1500–58) has been the subject of valuable historical studies. Although the English prelate was also a humanist, part of a vast intellectual and artistic network he established during his travels to Italy, Flanders, Spain and E…[Read more]

As one of the most important political and religious figures of the mid sixteenth century, Cardinal Reginald Pole (1500–58) has been the subject of valuable historical studies. Although the English prelate was also a humanist, part of a vast intellectual and artistic network he established during his travels to Italy, Flanders, Spain and E…[Read more]

Contemplates the exclusion of illustrators from art theory; critiques Harold Rosenberg’s position in light of his own work in the culture industries; matches illustrator Robert Weaver’s arguments with Rosenberg’s in a posthumous debate.

Contemplates the exclusion of illustrators from art theory; critiques Harold Rosenberg’s position in light of his own work in the culture industries; matches illustrator Robert Weaver’s arguments with Rosenberg’s in a posthumous debate.

Contemplates the exclusion of illustrators from art theory; critiques Harold Rosenberg’s position in light of his own work in the culture industries; matches illustrator Robert Weaver’s arguments with Rosenberg’s in a posthumous debate.