OSK/RU course Materials & Techniques in Early Netherlandish Painting, with a special focus on Jheronimus Bosch
Materials and Techniques in Early Netherlandish Painting,
with a special focus on Jheronimus Bosch
Dates: May-June 2021, exact dates see below
Venue: Radboud University Nijmegen
Open to: RMA students and PhD candidates, max. 6 participants
Credits: 5 EC
Instruction language: English
Instructor: prof. dr Ron Spronk (Queen’s University/Radboud University)
Coordination: OSK (osk-fgw@uva.nl)
Registration: Deadline for application: 1 March 2021
Early Netherlandish paintings, as material objects, are complex layered structures that were produced with a broad range of materials in distinct stages. Methods of technical examination, such as X-radiography and infrared reflectography, often provide significant information about these objects and their production. This intensive, six-week course surveys how Netherlandish paintings were produced, and why this information can be of critical importance for art historians. Topics will include: the division of labour within a workshop, how to ‘read’ X-radiographs and infrared reflectograms, and how to interpret the results of dendrochronological analyses. The goal of the course is to provide RMA and PHD students the necessary toolset to critically read publications in the fast-emerging field of Technical Art History, with a special focus on the techniques applied by Jheronimus Bosch and his workshop. Although the painting examples used in this course will be limited to Netherlandish painting, many of these skills and concepts are applicable to other fields within the history of art.
The student will thus participate in the discourse on historical painting techniques, modern methods of conservation and restoration, and art historical and scientific methods of research. Students will be able to deliver presentations (both oral and written) in which he or she explains how to practice technical art history, and how to communicate the results of such examinations to a variety of audiences.
If the situation around the COVID-19 pandemic does not allow for meeting in person, the course will meet virtually. If safe intercontinental travel to the Netherlands is not possible by early May, all meetings will take place from 15:30 to 18:15.
Taught by:
Prof. dr Ron Spronk (RU/Queen’s University), who is member of the Bosch Research and Conservation Project. For more information, see: https://www.queensu.ca/art/spronk-ron.
Dates & Location (providing that meetings in person will be possible):
Radboud University, Nijmegen, room E3.29 (Erasmus building, 3rd floor). Our meeting times could be changed to 15:30-18:15 (see above).
- Wednesday May 12 | 13:30–16:15
- Thursday May 13 | No meeting
- Wednesday May 19 | 13:30–16:15
- Thursday May 20 | 13:30–16:15
- Wednesday May 26 | 13:30–16:15
- Thursday May 27 | 13:30–16:15
- Wednesday June 2 | 13:30–16:15
- Thursday June 3 | 13:30–16:15
- Wednesday June 9 | 13:30–16:15
Coordination:
Chantal Olijerhoek and Paul Koopman (osk-fgw@uva.nl).
Conditions:
Open to all ResMA students and PhD candidates Art and Architectural History, max. 6 participants. ResMa students have precedence over PhD candidates. Students are required to do all readings (several of which in advance of the course) and to attend all seminars and lectures.
Enrolment:
Register via the OSK website. Provide a CV and short letter of motivation and send it to osk-fgw@uva.nl. Application deadline: March 1st, 2021.
Main course components:
The course consists of introductions, lectures, and seminars with student presentations. It will be taught in English; papers and presentations must be delivered in English. Please note that because of the intensive nature of the course, several readings will have to be completed before the course commences. The readings will be announced by April 1.
Practicalities:
Participation in the OSK/RU course ‘Materials & Techniques in Early Netherlandish Painting’ is open to all students enrolled in a Research Master Program or PhD program at a Dutch University. The number of OSK participants is limited to 6. Generally, ResMA students will have precedence over PhD candidates. Deadline for application is March 1, 2021. Students will be informed about admittance no later than March 10, 2021, and will receive their readings by April 1, 2021.
Credits:
5 EC, to receive after delivering a successful paper and participation. Students have to check with their home university themselves whether the transfer of credits for this course is accepted. OSK will provide a testimonial of workload and EC.