Topography and Piety: Naples Afflicted, 3 April 2009 (Kings Manor, University of York)

This workshop examines the relationships between Neapolitan piety and Neapolitan topography. Neapolitan religious devotion, its practices, patterns and distinctive characteristics are considered in relation to discourses of disaster, affliction, and landscape. Naples' frequent flagellation by volcanic eruption, earthquake, and plague was seen by some as requiring supernatural protection, in turn prompted by devotional insistence and particular forms of piety espoused by specific interest groups. This Workshop examines these relationships and the part played therein by visual culture, urbanism, processions, altarpiece painting, and prints. It seeks to relate topography to that which is conventionally held to be outside it — piety and religious devotion. We will examine the inter-relationships between Neapolitan landscape, urban topographies, and piety, and will draw on print culture, altarpieces, maps, architecture and Naples' urban development to do this.

Papers for this Workshop to be received by Helen Hills & Melissa Calaresu by 1 March 2009

Programme

10.15 Introduction: Helen Hills and Melissa Calaresu

Chair: Alex Bamji (University of Leeds)

10.30-10.45: Marino Niola (Istituto Universitario Suor’Orsola Benincasa, Naples) and Marzia Mauriello: Reflections on pre-circulated paper: The Force of the Volcano: collective antedotes and defences

10.45-11.00: Helen Hills (University of York): Reflections on pre-circulated paper: The Matter of Holiness: Protector Saints and the Treasury Chapel

11.00-11.30: Discussion

11.30-11.45: Coffee

Chair: John Marino (University of California, San Diego)

11.45-12.00: Thomas Willette (University of Michigan): Reflections on pre-circulated paper:Reading De Dominici Topographically: Mental Maps and the Places of Piety

12.00-12.15: Paola D'Agostino (University of Naples Federico II): Reflections on pre-circulated paper: Carmelite altarpieces by Cosimo Fanzago: Spanish patronage and Neapolitan devotion

12.15-12.45: Discussion

12.45-2.00: Lunch

Chair: Jeremy Roe (University of Nottingham)

2.00-2.15: Harald Hendrix (University of Utrecht): Reflections on pre-circulated paper: Transforming Topographies of Piety: Pilgrimages to Neapolitan sites of literary and artistic remembrance

2.15-2.30: Silvana d'Alessio (University of Salerno): Reflections on pre-circulated paper: The parabola of Masaniello: from David to Antichrist

2.30-3.00: Discussion

3.00-3.30: Tea

3.30-4.30: Discussion & reflections on the work of the day led by John Marino and Alex Bamji.

The programme is complete, no further speaker slots are available.