Brepols

NEW SERIES: The Senses and Material Culture in a Global Perspective, vol. 1

𝗧𝗵𝗲 𝗥𝗼𝗹𝗲 𝗼𝗳 𝘁𝗵𝗲 𝗦𝗲𝗻𝘀𝗲𝘀 𝗶𝗻 𝗠𝗲𝗱𝗶𝗲𝘃𝗮𝗹 𝗟𝗶𝘁𝘂𝗿𝗴𝗶𝗲𝘀, 𝗥𝗶𝘁𝘂𝗮𝗹𝘀, 𝗮𝗻𝗱 𝗗𝗲𝘃𝗼𝘁𝗶𝗼𝗻𝗮𝗹 𝗣𝗿𝗮𝗰𝘁𝗶𝗰𝗲𝘀
Zuleika Murat, Valentina Baradel, Sara Carreño (eds)

Available in Open Access

During the Middle Ages, rituals shaped the daily life of the faithful, from the Divine Office and the Mass to individual devotional practices such as the reading of the Hours. They accompanied the lives of people from their birth to their last breath. These ceremonies aimed at engaging the devotees by stimulating their senses and triggering emotional and spiritual responses. This book aims to approach these practices from the lens of sensory studies, by giving the spotlight to the sensoria (i.e. the diverse sensory systems that existed in the Middle Ages) and the experiences of the faithful. In so doing, it aims to show that the experience of the sacred was not homogeneous and static. On the contrary, it was a multimodal and multisensorial activity, one that bore complex and overlapping layers of meaning, and was perceived in different ways by the diverse groups and individuals involved.

More Info: https://bit.ly/47r23VQ

𝗜𝗻𝗳𝗶𝗿𝗺𝗲𝗿𝗶𝗲𝘀 𝗺𝗼𝗻𝗮𝘀𝘁𝗶𝗾𝘂𝗲𝘀 𝗲𝘁 𝗵𝗼𝘀𝗽𝗶𝗰𝗲𝘀
𝗟𝗶𝗲𝘂𝘅 𝗱𝗲 𝘀𝗼𝗶𝗻 𝗱𝘂 𝗠𝗼𝘆𝗲𝗻 𝗔̂𝗴𝗲 𝗮̀ 𝗹’𝗲́𝗽𝗼𝗾𝘂𝗲 𝗺𝗼𝗱𝗲𝗿𝗻𝗲
Anne Baud, Susan Boynton, Isabelle Cochelin, Anne Flammin (eds)

How were healthcare spaces set up in medieval and early modern Europe, who worked in them, and who were the patients? These questions were considered by archaeologists and historians during a conference at the abbey of Cluny in 2022. The contributions in this collection display a wide variety of approaches: some chapters focus on specific places, while others address the historical conditions of places of care in specific regions, countries, or religious orders. The first part of the volume is dedicated to Cluny, with seven articles covering the period from the tenth to the sixteenth century. They explore different phases of the monastic infirmary—drawing on manuscripts and material remains, particularly those brought to light by the archaeological excavations carried out between 2015 and 2019—as well as the town’s hospices. The second part broadens the perspective to western Europe, with nine contributions. Reflecting a diversity of approaches, these studies combine specificity with synthesis, greatly enhancing our understanding of places of care in premodern Europe.

More Info: https://bit.ly/4dO10D5

𝗧𝗵𝗲 𝗥𝗶𝘀𝗲 𝗼𝗳 𝗩𝗲𝗿𝗻𝗮𝗰𝘂𝗹𝗮𝗿 𝗪𝗿𝗶𝘁𝗶𝗻𝗴. 𝗧𝗵𝗲 𝗣𝗮𝗹𝗮𝗲𝗼𝗴𝗿𝗮𝗽𝗵𝗶𝗰𝗮𝗹 𝗣𝗲𝗿𝘀𝗽𝗲𝗰𝘁𝗶𝘃𝗲 /
𝗟'𝗲𝗺𝗲𝗿𝘀𝗶𝗼𝗻𝗲 𝗱𝗲𝗹𝗹𝗲 𝘀𝗰𝗿𝗶𝘁𝘁𝘂𝗿𝗲 𝘃𝗼𝗹𝗴𝗮𝗿𝗶. 𝗟𝗮 𝗽𝗿𝗼𝘀𝗽𝗲𝘁𝘁𝗶𝘃𝗮 𝗽𝗮𝗹𝗲𝗼𝗴𝗿𝗮𝗳𝗶𝗰𝗮
𝗣𝗿𝗼𝗰𝗲𝗲𝗱𝗶𝗻𝗴𝘀 𝗼𝗳 𝘁𝗵𝗲 𝟮𝟭𝘀𝘁 𝗖𝗼𝗹𝗹𝗼𝗾𝘂𝗶𝘂𝗺 𝗼𝗳 𝘁𝗵𝗲 𝗖𝗼𝗺𝗶𝘁𝗲́ 𝗶𝗻𝘁𝗲𝗿𝗻𝗮𝘁𝗶𝗼𝗻𝗮𝗹 𝗱𝗲 𝗽𝗮𝗹𝗲́𝗼𝗴𝗿𝗮𝗽𝗵𝗶𝗲 𝗹𝗮𝘁𝗶𝗻𝗲. 𝗙𝗶𝗿𝗲𝗻𝘇𝗲 (𝟭𝟵-𝟮𝟭 𝗙𝗲𝗯𝗿𝘂𝗮𝗿𝘆 𝟮𝟬𝟮𝟬)
Irene Ceccherini, Teresa De Robertis (eds)

The process that led the various languages of Europe to acquire a written dimension was neither simple nor linear: the chronology was different and the occasions, strategies and types of evidence were different. This field of research has always been privileged by language historians and philologists, but palaeographers made and can make an original and decisive contribution not only to dating or localising written evidence, but above all to interpreting the strategies and significance of this conquest. The papers collected in this volume offer an overview of the scripts and material forms that, in different linguistic areas, characterised the earliest and most experimental phases of this process.

More Info: https://bit.ly/4xPzvQV

𝗟’𝗵𝘂𝗺𝗮𝗶𝗻, 𝗹𝗲 𝗿𝗲́𝗲𝗹 𝗲𝘁 𝗹𝗲 𝗱𝗶𝘃𝗶𝗻
𝗜𝗺𝗽𝗹𝗶𝗰𝗮𝘁𝗶𝗼𝗻𝘀 𝗽𝗵𝗶𝗹𝗼𝘀𝗼𝗽𝗵𝗶𝗾𝘂𝗲𝘀 𝗲𝘁 𝘁𝗵𝗲́𝗼𝗹𝗼𝗴𝗶𝗾𝘂𝗲𝘀 𝗱𝗲 𝗹’𝗲𝘂𝗰𝗵𝗮𝗿𝗶𝘀𝘁𝗶𝗲, 𝟭𝟭𝗲-𝟭𝟴𝗲 𝘀𝗶𝗲̀𝗰𝗹𝗲
Aurélien Chukurian, Ueli Zahnd (eds)

Disponible en Open Access

Au coeur de la vie liturgique chrétienne, l’eucharistie a suscité tout au long de l’histoire occidentale des débats théologiques et philosophiques d’une rare intensité. Dès Paschase Radbert (ca 790–ca 865), puis Bérenger de Tours (ca 1000–1088), l’enjeu s’est posé, tant pour des théologiens que des philosophes, de ne pas seulement confesser le mystère sacramentel, mais aussi de le comprendre et de le rendre intelligible. Ce volume examine les défis auxquels furent confrontés les penseurs latins du 11e siècle jusqu’à l’époque moderne, afin de conceptualiser l’eucharistie dans l’entrelacement de ses différentes dimensions intellectuelles. Pour mettre en lumière comment les débats eucharistiques ont mobilisé des présupposés à la fois doctrinaux et conceptuels, les contributions de ce volume suivent leur histoire et explorent les grands modèles qui ont structuré la réflexion eucharistique — du réalisme physico-ontologique aux schèmes symboliques — en analysant les enjeux logiques, ontologiques et (méta)physiques qu’ils ont soulevés. En suivant ce parcours, de Bérenger de Tours à Descartes, en passant par les grandes figures de la scolastique médiévale et de la Réforme, le volume inscrit l’eucharistie au coeur de l’histoire intellectuelle occidentale, comme un lieu privilégié pour saisir l’articulation réciproque de la philosophie et de la théologie.

Plus d'Infos: https://bit.ly/4rEPVtJ

𝗥𝗲𝗽𝗿𝗲́𝘀𝗲𝗻𝘁𝗮𝘁𝗶𝗼𝗻𝘀 𝗱’𝗼𝗿𝗶𝗴𝗶𝗻𝗲𝘀 𝗴𝗿𝗲𝗰𝗾𝘂𝗲𝘀 𝗱𝗮𝗻𝘀 𝗹𝗲𝘀 𝗰𝘂𝗹𝘁𝘂𝗿𝗲𝘀 𝘁𝗲𝘅𝘁𝘂𝗲𝗹𝗹𝗲𝘀 𝗲𝘁 𝘃𝗶𝘀𝘂𝗲𝗹𝗹𝗲𝘀 𝗱𝗲 𝗹’𝗘𝘂𝗿𝗼𝗽𝗲 𝗼𝗰𝗰𝗶𝗱𝗲𝗻𝘁𝗮𝗹𝗲 𝗽𝗿𝗲́-𝗺𝗼𝗱𝗲𝗿𝗻𝗲 (𝟭𝟭𝟬𝟬-𝟭𝟲𝟬𝟬)
Catherine Gaullier-Bougassas (ed)

En 1176, Chrétien de Troyes exprime l’idée d’un héritage dont le berceau serait la Grèce, origine de la « chevalerie » et de la « clergie », dans le célèbre prologue du Cligès, mais il ne donne pas de contenu précis à ces origines grecques. De nombreux auteurs de l’Europe pré-moderne s’attellent ensuite à leur représentation. En effet, entre 1100 et 1600, dans les lettres et les arts, le passé grec a permis de créer différents types d’origines. Un exemple est celui de la figure d’Hercule exploitée à travers une grande partie de l’Europe occidentale, dans les images comme dans les textes, pour diverses visées politiques, nationales et dynastiques, sociales et culturelles. Si les origines grecques contribuent souvent à une justification politique, elles peuvent aussi poursuivre d’autres desseins, particulièrement dans les récits et les images d’invention ou d’instauration d’une donnée culturelle, artistique, scientifique ou sociale, d’une institution politique, juridique ou intellectuelle. Le présent volume explore les emplois, les fonctions et les finalités des discours sur les origines grecques entre 1200 à 1600, dans les cultures textuelles, visuelles et matérielles européennes : comment la notion d’origine /d’origines est-elle alors pensée par les auteurs et les artistes ? Qu’est-ce qui à la fois l’unit et la distingue de l’héritage ? Pourquoi les Grecs ? Quelle(s) Grèce(s) sont pensées comme des origines ? De qui et de quoi sont ces origines ? Quelles modalités de représentation et quels processus d’appropriation apparaissent ? Dans quels buts et pour quels publics ?

Plus d'Infos: https://bit.ly/4hitcAj

𝗗𝗶𝗰𝘁𝗶𝗼𝗻𝗮𝗿𝘆 𝗼𝗳 𝗥𝗼𝗺𝗮𝗻 𝗧𝗵𝗲𝗮𝘁𝗿𝗲
𝗟𝗲𝘅𝗶𝗰𝗼𝗻, 𝗗𝗿𝗮𝗺𝗮, 𝗦𝗰𝗲𝗻𝗼𝗴𝗿𝗮𝗽𝗵𝘆. 𝗡𝗲𝘄 𝗥𝗲𝘃𝗶𝘀𝗲𝗱 & 𝗘𝘅𝗽𝗮𝗻𝗱𝗲𝗱 𝗘𝗱𝗶𝘁𝗶𝗼𝗻
Carmen González-Vázquez

This book gathers Latin theatrical terminology pertaining to scenography, architectonics, sociology, politics, literature, language, art, and music, from the very beginnings of Roman theatre until the fifth century AD. It aims to understand Roman theatre as a complex system from two viewpoints: theatre as text (corresponding to the author), and theatre as performance or scenic text (corresponding to the company of actors). The communication also takes place between State and people, and between the author/actor and their audience. All of these converge in one element: the spectator.

More Info: https://bit.ly/4e4TLXs

𝗛𝗼𝗹𝗯𝗲𝗶𝗻’𝘀 𝗪𝗶𝘁
𝗣𝗶𝗰𝘁𝗼𝗿𝗶𝗮𝗹 𝗜𝗻𝗴𝗲𝗻𝘂𝗶𝘁𝘆 𝗶𝗻 𝗥𝗲𝗻𝗮𝗶𝘀𝘀𝗮𝗻𝗰𝗲 𝗔𝗿𝘁
Alexander Marr

More Info: https://bit.ly/4d6lEOy

Sample Pages Available

Hans Holbein the Younger (1497/8–1543) is renowned as an outstandingly realistic painter—the acme of Renaissance naturalism. In fact, he was a purveyor of cunning ambiguity. Holbein’s Wit: Pictorial Ingenuity in Renaissance Art reveals the artist at play, juggling the uncertainties and paradoxes that arise in the enterprise of imitation. Spanning Holbein’s career in Basel and London, and encompassing his portraits, devotional paintings, and designs for prints and the decorative arts, the book explores this celebrated artist’s subtle pictorial wiles. Holbein was immersed in the multi-faceted world of Renaissance ingenium or ‘wit’, which could mean innate talent, mental acuity, generative capacity, and a person’s unique nature. In dialogue with witty patrons such as Desiderius Erasmus and Thomas More, Holbein advanced an ingenious kind of artmaking characterised by visual jokes, puns, and internal contradictions. Responding to humanism’s literary conceits with an inventive visual language, he upended conventional assumptions about naturalism and the status of painting to assert the worth of an autonomous artistic intelligence.

𝗔𝗻𝘁𝗶-𝗝𝗲𝘄𝗶𝘀𝗵 𝗚𝗿𝗲𝗲𝗸 𝗧𝗲𝘅𝘁𝘀 𝗶𝗻 𝗟𝗮𝘁𝗲 𝗠𝗲𝗱𝗶𝗲𝘃𝗮𝗹 𝗖𝗿𝗲𝘁𝗲
𝗧𝗵𝗲 𝗖𝗮𝘀𝗲 𝗼𝗳 𝗠𝗮𝗻𝗼𝘂𝗲𝗹 𝗦𝗮𝘃𝗶𝗼𝘀 𝗮𝗻𝗱 𝗔𝗻𝗴𝗲𝗹𝗼𝘀 𝗚𝗿𝗲𝗴𝗼𝗿𝗶𝗼𝘀
Eleftherios Despotakis

The present study explores Greek anti-Jewish writings in Venetian Crete within a framework of Christian-Jewish coexistence. Although Jews were economically and socially integrated, they encountered stereotypes and episodic violence grounded in inherited religious prejudice. Unlike Byzantium, Crete produced no systematic anti-Jewish polemic; hostile views surfaced sporadically in vernacular and didactic texts. Ecclesiastical conflicts among Orthodox, Catholics, and unionists eclipsed Jewish participation. In such a limited circulation of manuscripts of anti-Jewish content in late Venetian Crete, the texts of Manouel Savios and Angelos Gregorios constitute an exception.

More Info: https://bit.ly/4AypNVm

𝗗𝗲𝗿 𝗗𝗼𝗱𝗲𝗸𝗮𝗲𝗼𝗿𝘁𝗼𝗻 𝗶𝗻 𝗯𝘆𝘇𝗮𝗻𝘁𝗶𝗻𝗶𝘀𝗰𝗵𝗲𝗻 𝗞𝗶𝗿𝗰𝗵𝗲𝗻. 𝗩𝗲𝗿𝗼𝗿𝘁𝘂𝗻𝗴 𝘂𝗻𝗱 𝗥𝗲𝘇𝗲𝗽𝘁𝗶𝗼𝗻 𝗱𝗲𝗿 𝗕𝗶𝗹𝗱𝗲𝗿
𝗘𝗶𝗻 𝘁𝗵𝗲𝗼𝗹𝗼𝗴𝗶𝘀𝗰𝗵𝗲𝗿 𝗭𝘂𝗴𝗮𝗻𝗴
Michael Altripp

An exploration of the arrangement and pictorial themes of the Dodekaeorton, the Twelve Great Feasts in Byzantine church decoration, highlighting their theological significance and the transformative concept of “iconic reception”.

More Info: https://bit.ly/4yYaq7n

𝗘𝗽𝗶𝗿𝘂𝘀 𝘂𝗻𝗱𝗲𝗿 𝘁𝗵𝗲 𝗥𝗼𝗺𝗮𝗻𝘀
𝗘𝗰𝗼𝗻𝗼𝗺𝗶𝗰 𝗗𝘆𝗻𝗮𝗺𝗶𝗰𝘀 𝗮𝗻𝗱 𝘁𝗵𝗲 𝗖𝗼𝘂𝗻𝘁𝗿𝘆𝘀𝗶𝗱𝗲
Vyron Antoniadis, Charikleia Papageorgiadou (eds)

The edited volume Epirus under the Romans: Economic Dynamics and the Countryside reassesses Epirus, a region long dismissed as peripheral within the Greco-Roman world. Moving beyond narratives of decline after 167 BC, the volume draws on archaeological and historical evidence to explore how the region was transformed, adapted and integrated into Roman economic structures.

The chapters investigate themes including the development of settlements and fortified centres before the Roman conquest, and the subsequent restructuring of rural territories through land division and the exploitation of agricultural and pastoral resources. They also examine the emergence of villae rusticae and large agricultural estates, and the foundation of Nicopolis as a dominant urban and economic hub. Case studies address trade and monetary circulation, shifting patterns of rural investment, and, in some areas, the resilience of inland and coastal economies. Further contributions draw on material culture, including mosaics, and on epigraphic evidence, while also developing spatial approaches to rural connectivity and widening the perspective through comparative discussion beyond the region.

Taken together, the volume demonstrates that Epirus was defined not by marginality within the Roman world, but by the interaction of its people and landscape, where pastoral and agricultural traditions were reconfigured within the wider economic systems of the Roman Mediterranean.

More Info: https://bit.ly/4yT15xh