Mining the Collection

In this lecture series, museum curators take an in-depth look at fascinating, often puzzling, objects in their collections and invite the ICMA community to bring their expertise to bear during an informal discussion.

We are frequently adding new events to this series, please check back regularly!

Mining the Collection I: The Walters Art Museum (International Congress on Medieval Studies, 2023)

Mining the Collection II: The Art Institute of Chicago (International Congress on Medieval Studies, 2023)

Mining the Collection: Crusades and Canivet: Curious Treasures from the Walters Art Museum

Mining the Collection I: Aga Khan Museum, Toronto (International Congress on Medieval Studies, 2022)

Mining the Collection II: J. Paul Getty Museum, Lost Angeles (International Congress on Medieval Studies, 2022)

Mining the Collection III: The Metropolitan Museum of Art, New York (International Congress on Medieval Studies, 2022)

Mining the Collection IV: Dumbarton Oaks Museum, Washington, D.C. (International Congress on Medieval Studies, 2022)

Mining the Collection V: Cleveland Museum of Art, Cleveland (International Congress of Medieval Studies, 2022)

Raymond Clemens, Curator, Early Books and Manuscripts, Beinecke Library, Yale University

Florian Knothe: Nestorian Crosses from the University Museum and Art Gallery, The University of Hong Kong

Content Explanation

Several of the objects addressed in this program are adorned with swastikas, an ancient symbol that continues to be used today in many societies where Buddhism is prevalent. The Nazi Party appropriated the symbol in the 1920s and 1930s. We underscore that the ICMA denounces antisemitism, racism, ableism, and homophobia in all of their forms and urges our community to be sensitive to the modern valences of the swastika in historical inquiries.