Photo Archives and the Photographic Memory of Art History

This conference will investigate the role of photographic archives and collections in art historical studies. The discipline of art history and the technologies image reproduction have developed concurrently and their own histories are closely interlinked. The first part of the conference will take place in London, where the focus will be on the role of photography in shaping art history, with an emphasis on image collections that were formed "scientifically" - that is with the specific purpose of aiding research. The second part of the conference will be held in Florence in the autumn of 2009, where the history, nature, and influence of specific archives will be discussed.

A second purpose of this conference will be to look strategically at the management of large photographic collections, using the perspective of their history to face the challenges of the future.

Speakers include: Stephen Bann (University of Bristol), Mary Bergstein (Rhode Island School of Design), Pascal Griener (University of Neuchatel, Switzerland), Venetia Harlow (The Courtauld Institute of Art), Mark Haworth-Booth (University of the Arts London and Victoria and Albert Museum), Machtelt Israëls (Villa I Tatti, The Harvard University Center for Italian Renaissance Studies and University of Amsterdam), Ann Jensen Adams (University of California, Santa Barbara), Geraldine Johnson (History of Art, University of Oxford), Christine Kuan (ARTstor), Hubert Locher (Philipps-Universität Marburg), Andrea Mattiello (Independent Art Historian), Dorothea Peters (Kunsthistorisches Institut Florence), Elisabeth Reissner (The Courtauld Institute of Art), Per Rumberg (The Courtauld Institute of Art), Graham Smith (University of Saint Andrews, Scotland), Stuart Whatling (The Courtauld Institute of Art)

To book a place: GBP 15 (GBP 10 concessions) Please send a cheque made payable to 'Courtauld Institute of Art' to: Research Forum Events Co-ordinator, Courtauld Institute of Art Research Forum, omerset House, Strand, London WC2R 0RN, clearly stating that you wish to book for the 'Photo Archives and the Photographic Memory of Art History conference'. For credit card bookings call 020 7848 2785/2909. For further information, send an e-mail to ResearchForumEvents@courtauld.ac.uk .