The conference will commence with a joint reflection and mutual dialogue on the life and work of Baldassarre Fontana (1661–1733), a European stucco artist from Chiasso. Fontana created a number of remarkable works, particularly in the territories that are now the Czech Republic and Poland. Nevertheless, case studies focusing on other stucco artists (their collaborators and commissioners) working in the same or previous period across Europe are also welcomed.

The objective of the conference is to present new findings pertaining to material studies within the broader context of the migration phenomenon. Additionally, the event will showcase diverse methodological approaches and the latest techniques for studying, interpreting, restoring, preserving, and conserving stucco decorations across a range of contemporary European countries. The conference welcomes submissions of papers with an international scope that adopt an interdisciplinary approach to the subject matter. These may be drawn from the fields of art history, restoration and conservation, materials science, heritage conservation and preservation, cultural history, and so forth.

Both renowned specialists and emerging junior researchers are invited to attend the conference.

Conference language is English. The event is directed by Jana Zapletalová and Martin Krummholz. Scientific committee: Alberto Felici (SUPSI Mendrisio), Giacinta Jean (SUPSI Mendrisio), Martin Krummholz (Palacký University Olomouc), Ondřej Jakubec (Palacký University Olomouc), Michał Kurzej (Jagiellonian University in Cracow), Serena Quagliaroli (University of Turin), Jan Válek (Institute of Theoretical and Applied Mechanics of the Czech Academy of Sciences), Jana Zapletalová (Palacký University Olomouc). Organising committee: Jana Zapletalová, Martin Krummholz, Ondřej Jakubec.

Abstracts (up to 2,000 characters) and a brief biography (up to 500 characters) may be submitted in English by no later than 31 December 2024 to the following e-mail address: j.zapletalova@upol.cz. A notification of acceptance will be provided by 28 February 2025. The conference is organized as part of the “Stucco decoration across Europe” project (STUDEC) co-financed by the European Union thanks to the Erasmus+ programme, KA220-HED – Cooperation partnerships in higher education.

More information: https://dejinyumeni.upol.cz/nc/zprava/clanek/call-for-papers-stucco-decoration-across-europe/