Medieval Studies at Penn

News & Events

Conference: Etymologies of Medieval Song, February 8-9, 2008

See below for lecture series of interest to medievalists.

You can also see the Events Calendar for the past term (Spring 2007), or view the archives of events from previous terms:
Fall 2006 - Spring 2006 - Fall 2005.

Recent Events at Penn:

Fourth International Piers Plowman Conference
(May 17-19, 2007)

Medieval / Renaissance: Rethinking Periodization
(November 11, 2006)

Representing History, 1000-1300
(October 28-29, 2006)

On-Going Lecture Series:

Workshop in the History of Material Texts

Every Monday afternoon, guest speakers present their work on material related to the history of the book, writing, reading, and manuscript culture. The workshop addresses all periods and cultures. Organized by Peter Stallybrass (English) and Roger Chartier (English).

Medieval/Renaissance Literature Group

A long-standing interdisciplinary gathering of faculty, guests, and advanced graduate students who meet on alternate Wednesdays to discuss a pre-circulated paper, most often a work-in-progress written by a member of the Penn community or an invited speaker.

Medieval Borders

This group meets several times each year to discuss pre-circulated papers by faculty and advanced graduate students. Organized by Rita Copeland (Comparative Literature/Classical Studies).

Current Lecture Series:

Penn Humanities Forum

Each year, the PHF chooses a theme that brings together humanists from all disciplines through lectures, colloquia, and other events. Its theme for the 2006-2007 year is Travel, and its complete calendar covers all periods, including some topics interest to medievalists.

Other Local Series:

Delaware Valley Medieval Assocation

The DVMA brings together faculty, graduate students, and other scholars from two dozen area colleges and universities. It sponsors several lectures and day-long symposia each semester (locations vary). See the group website for details on membership and joining the mailing list.

Noteworthy Past Events (previous academic years):

Petrarch at 700

From March 29-May 21, 2004, An exhibition of books and manuscripts from the Cornell University Library and the University of Pennsylvania Library went on display to celebrate the seven hundredth anniversary of Francesco Petrarca’s birth. The exhibition was organized in conjunction with an international conference devoted to current studies of his bucolic poetry, letters, and epics, written in both Italian and Latin. Works in the exhibition included illuminated manuscripts, decorated incunabula, and numerous early printed volumes from the 16th and 17th centuries.

Leaves of Gold Exhibition

In 2001, the Philadelphia Area Consortium of Special Collections Libraries (PACSCL), in collaboration with the Philadelphia Museum of Art and other partners (including the Library of the University of Pennsylvania), pooled their resources to create an rare exhibition of medieval manuscripts. Eighty of the choicest objects were exhibited at the Philadelphia Museum of Art March 10 - May 13, 2001 and at the Frist Gallery for the Visual Arts (Nashville TN) from September 27, 2001 - January 6, 2002. The reach of the collaborative effort continues through a printed catalogue as well as a CD-ROM.

Wrinkles in Time Conference

On October 7, 2000, Penn hosted an interdisciplinary graduate student conference entitled “Wrinkles in Time: Ruptures and Continuities in the Writing of the Middle Ages and the Renaissance.” Drawing in scholars from many disciplines at Penn and across North America, the event was organized by graduate students and sponsored by the Departments of English, Romance Languages, Religous Studies, the Medieval/Renaissance Seminar, and the College of Arts and Sciences. The conference was also accompanied by a rare books exhibit in Van Pelt Library.

Isidore of Seville and a Copyist, from Etymologies
France (southern Fr?), c.1250 (Schoenberg MS ljs184, f.1r)