The Croatian Conservation Institute, Institute of Art History, Department of Art History of the Faculty of Humanities and Social Sciences, University of Rijeka, and Icono-STALLA Misericordia International are organizing an international scientific and expert conference on the topic of medieval choir stalls of the Eastern Adriatic Coast.
The conference will be held from 7th to 9th December 2023 at the Museum of Croatian Archaeological Monuments in Split. Online participation is available.
Wooden liturgical furniture played a significant role in furnishing church interiors from the 14th to the end of the 16th century. An important part of that furniture were wooden choir stalls made for numerous sanctuaries in cathedrals and churches, especially Franciscan ones. Despite the changes in liturgy and architecture, and the continuous wear and tear of the sensitive polychrome wooden structures, as a result of which they were remade or discarded, fifteen examples of this valuable but little-known heritage have been preserved on the Croatian coast from Poreč to Lopud, while archival records indicate there were more examples.
The choir stalls in Rab, Zadar and Trogir, made in the mid-15th century, have been restored by the Croatian Conservation Institute. Research and conservation of the oldest preserved wooden choir stalls, those in the Split Cathedral of St. Domnius from the second half of the 13th century, is ongoing. The work on the Lopud choir stalls, led by an international academic team, aims to shed light on the peculiarities of choir stalls in Franciscan churches at the time.
Long-term conservation and research of choir stalls have brought to light numerous conclusions as well as new questions that require a systematic review and cataloguing their function and condition. The challenges in protecting and presenting these elaborate constructions are very complex, and often take place under the pressure of the owner's needs and wishes. Are choir stalls today part of church furniture, or are they display items and sacred objects? Should their function be a deciding factor when considering their renovation?
Sanctuaries were often drastically altered and their history is preserved in the remaining choir stalls, which are therefore a source of essential information for understanding the history of the sacred spaces to which they belong, and their restoration must begin as multidisciplinary research which will precede discussions about presentation and alignment with present-day liturgical and exhibition spaces. Historical and art research of inter-Adriatic artistic connections, problems of dating, style, activities of local workshops, cooperation between master woodcarvers and painters, issues of liturgical practices of the time, and new conservation research all bring new information to better understand original constructions, building and painting materials, original polychromy, chronology and nature of the changes that choir stalls went through.
Experts from the fields of art history, architecture, conservation and restoration will try to determine the framework of the strategy and programme of preservation and protection of choir stalls based on standards of present-day theory and practice.
Expert committee:
- Žana Matulić Bilač, Croatian Conservation Institute
- Josip Belamarić, Institute of Art History – Cvito Fisković Center
- Barbara Španjol-Pandelo, University of Rijeka, Faculty of Humanities and Social Sciences, Department of Art History
Organizing committee:
- Boris Mostarčić, Croatian Conservation Institute
- Žana Matulić Bilač, Croatian Conservation Institute
- Iskra Karniš Vidovič, Croatian Conservation Institute
- Janja Ferić Balenović, Croatian Conservation Institute
- Ivana Svedružić Šeparović, Croatian Conservation Institute
- Josip Belamarić, Institute of Art History – Cvito Fisković Center
- Matko Matija Marušić, Institute of Art History – Cvito Fisković Center
- Barbara Španjol-Pandelo, University of Rijeka, Faculty of Humanities and Social Sciences, Department of Art History
- Willy Piron, Icono-STALLA Misericordia International
The deadline for applying for live and online participation is 1st December 2023 via the application form.
Conference programme (PDF)
Book of abstracts (PDF)
Contact: Iskra Karniš Vidovič
The conference was funded by the Ministry of Culture and Media of the Republic of Croatia, Ministry of Science and Education of the Republic of Croatia, Split-Dalmatia County, Croatian Conservation Institute, Institute of Art History, Faculty of Humanities and Social Sciences of the University of Rijeka, and Icono-STALLA Misericordia International.