Representations of Conversion in Early Modern Art/Literature

Although conversion has always featured prominently in Christianity, the religious upheavals of the early modern period gave the idea an unprecedented urgency. The volume in preparation aims to examine the rhetoric and aesthetic experiences of conversion in texts and the visual arts. The editors welcome contributions in English from multiple disciplines (literature, history, art history, language studies, etc.) that address the theme in a wide-range of geographical regions. Topics may include, but are not limited to : Agents of Conversion : Is conversion the work of God or of individuals themselves ? What is the role of vision (or blindness) in this process ? What is the role of free will ? The church ? How do images, texts, plays, etc. function as vehicles for conversion ? Authentication of Conversion : How exactly do converts differ from their former selves ? Is this described in terms of sinfulness versus holiness or ignorance versus wisdom ? Is it a radical transformation, gradual development, a reformation or a restoration ? How can the genuine spirit of conversion be tested ?

Representations of Conversion : Are representations of conversion instruments of propaganda ? Or, are they a medium of (autobiographical) expression and reflection ? Could the expressive character of a painting or play itself cultivate a sensory experience for the viewer that enacts conversion ?

Selected authors will be invited to participate in a panel on the topic of religious conversion, to be proposed for the Renaissance Society of America conference in 2010 in Venice. The final collection of essays will be published in the Intersections series of Brill Publishers (Leiden, 2011). Proposals (300 words) for contributions should be sent electronically no later than January 1st 2009 to :
– Harald Hendrix (Utrecht University), Harald.Hendrix@let.uu.nl
– Todd Richardson (University of Memphis), Tmrchrds@memphis.edu
– Lieke Stelling (Leiden University), L.J.Stelling@let.leidenuniv.nl

Todd Richardson
University of Memphis
Department of Art
901-678-4891
Email : tmrchrds@memphis.edu
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