Special Issue "Byzantium and the Mediterranean (11th–13th C.): Multiculturalism, Gender and Profane Topics in Illuminated Manuscripts"

Byzantine illuminated manuscripts constitute a fascinating field of study to be explored in terms of cross-cultural exchanges, gender issues and the spreading of profane topics. This phenomenon was especially rich in the turmoil of 12th and 13th century art in the Mediterranean as a privileged space for interchanging between Latins, Greeks and Muslims. The prestige of Constantinople, the continuity of deep-rooted Byzantine artistic traditions in most of the areas of the Mediterranean (Sicily, Venice, Cyprus, Crusader States, etc), and the increasing mobility of artists, models, and codices fostered these kinds of artistic encounters.

Some of the Byzantine codices from this period—chronicles, manuals of poliorcetics, cynegetic treatise or even biblical and ecclesiastical manuscripts—provide us precious information related to customs, ceremonies, warfare techniques, buildings, clothing, social strata and ethnic and cultural diversity.

We invite articles concerning these topics, especially those regarding gender roles, the depiction of Otherness, the use and meaning of profane repertoires in manuscripts and their spreading and impact on other visual arts. 

Proposals for papers of up to max 15.000 words in length should be sent to the guest editors, Manuel Castiñeiras, on  This email address is being protected from spambots. You need JavaScript enabled to view it. , and Carles Sánchez Márquez, on  This email address is being protected from spambots. You need JavaScript enabled to view it. , by 31 October, 2022. Papers should be in English.

Guest Editors: Prof. Dr. Manuel Castiñeiras, Prof. Dr. Carles Sánchez Márquez

For further information:

https://www.mdpi.com/journal/arts/special_issues/Byzantium_Mediterranean

I International Seminar MABILUS, Universitat Autònoma de Barcelona, Facultat de Filosofia i Lletres, 11 th November 2022

Coor. Manuel Castiñeiras (UAB), Carles Sánchez Márquez (UAB), Giulia Arcidiacono (Università di Catania)

Byzantine illuminated manuscripts constitute a fascinating field of study to be explored in terms of cross- cultural exchanges, gender issues and the spreading of profane topics. This phenomenon was especially rich in the turmoil of 12th-and-13th century art in the Mediterranean as a privileged space for interchanging between Latins, Greeks and Muslims.

The prestige of Constantinople, the continuity of deep-rooted Byzantine artistic traditions in most of the areas of the Mediterranean (Sicily, Venice, Cyprus, Crusader States, etc), and the increasing mobility of artists, models, and codices fostered these kinds of artistic encounters. Some of the Byzantine codices from this period—chronicles, manuals of poliorcetics, cynegetic treatises or even biblical and liturgical manuscripts— provide us precious information related to customs, ceremonies, warfare techniques, buildings, clothing, social strata and ethnic and cultural diversity.

This First International Seminar MABILUS is focused on the study of these topics, especially those especially those regarding gender roles, the depiction of Otherness, the use and meaning of profane repertoires in manuscripts and their spreading and impact on other visual arts.

We invite you to submit a paper proposal (including a 120-word abstract) to This email address is being protected from spambots. You need JavaScript enabled to view it. , by Monday, July 4, 2002. Proposals in Spanish, Catalan, Italian, English and French are welcomed.

Organized by: Manuscritos bizantinos iluminados en España: obra, contexto y materialidad – MABILUS (MICINN-PID2020-120067GB-I00).

Call for papers CAT, CAST, ENG: PDF

The Prof. Manuel Castiñeiras, has enjoyed a research stay (from 1 September to 15 September 2012) in Japan, invited by the Japan Society for the Promotion of Science, to give a cycle of conferences on Spanish Medieval Art in universities and museums of Japan. The last act was celebrated in Tokyo, in the National Museum of Western Art. The results of our research project has been submitted, with the title:

"Pintar hace mil años: recursos técnicos y programas iconográficos de los artistas del Románico catalán”

The Prof. Manuel Castiñeiras has been invited by the History of Art Department of the University of Pennsylvania, as Visiting Professor, from 23 October to 8 November, to give a series of lessons inside the doctoral seminars " Spanish Medieval Art " of the Prof. Robert Maxwell.

In addition, he will participate in the Fourth Annual Anne d'Harnoncourt Symposium - The Art of Sculpture 1100-1550: Sculptural Reception, from 2 November to 3 November, which take place in the University of Pennsylvannia and the Museum of Philadelphia, with the paper: “Opus artificum universa haec (Jer 10, 9): Romanesque Portal as liturgical perfomance”.

Symposium's program.

Manuel Castiñeiras, will participate in the colloquium Art et réforme grégorienne in France et in Espagne (15 October, 17:00 to 17:30) organized by Barbara Franze in the Université of Laussane, (section histoire of l'art) with the paper:

"Le Tapis de la Création de Gérone et les peintures de Sant Pere del Burgal: deux programmes de l'art de la réforme grégorienne en Catalogne?"

Colloquium program.

Anna Orriols will held a lecture entitled "Ilustradores y copistas (c. 950-c. 1200). Estrategias visuales para la posteridad" at the International Conference: Medieval Manuscripts in Motion, that has been organized by the Institute for Medieval Studies of the Nova University Lisbon

Date: Thursday, 4th March 2015. 

Place: IEM - Instituto de Estudos Medievais / Faculdade de Ciências Sociais e Humanas da Universidade Nova de Lisboa.

Link to the program.