HISTORIES at SDU

On Thursday, we hosted this semester's Early Modernity workshop. First, we had a seminar with interesting presentations by HISTORIES' David Hasberg Zirak-Schmidt ("Poetic Responses to Anna of Denmark and James VI’s Wedding”) and Anne Sophie Refschou ("Teaching Early Modern Melancholy: Historicism and Interdisciplinarity”), among others. Afterwards, we had a private tour of the Early modern painting collections at SMK with curator and senior researcher, Michèle Seehafer. To round off this lovely day, a festive dinner - what's not to like?

New HISTORIES publication: Rasmus Vangshardt contributed to this special issue on Biblical drama: https://www.degruyter.com/journal/key/jbr/11/2/html. Rasmus' contribution, entitled "Ruins of Empire or Tears of Joy? An Intersection of History and the Bible in Lope de Vega’s Religious Comedias", is one among several good reads in this exciting publication which includes pieces by good old HISTORIES friends, Jan Bloemendal and Dinah Wouters (co-editor).

Special Issue: New Perspectives on Biblical Drama; Guest Editors: Sarah Fengler and Dinah Wouters Volume 11, issue 2 of the journal Journal of the Bible and its Reception was published in 2024.

Home again after three days of engaging early modern conference with the Nordic Network for Renaissance Studies at the Institute for Advanced Study at Aarhus University.

The HISTORIES group arranged two panels on "The Many Faces of Sophonisba" to discuss this fascinating Carthaginian noblewoman as a perfect figure for understanding the creation of cultural communities and identities, particularly the reappraisal of classical history and genres, in the early modern period.

Speakers included HISTORIES' Sofie Kluge, David Hasberg Zirak-Schmidt and Ladefoged Larn in addition to learned specialist from abroad, Samuel Agbamu, Nina Hugot and Beth Cortese.

The panels build on the theme issue dedicated to Sophonisba for the Nordic Journal of Renaissance Studies in 2023. The theme issue is free to download here: https://www.njrs.dk/njrs_20_2023.htm

Other speakers at the conference included HISTORIES affiliated memner Duggan, who spoke about the pride taken by women book owners in the early modern period.

Thanks to all the speakers and organizers for a great conference!

Learn more about the Nordic Network for Renaissance Studies her: http://nnrs.renaessancestudier.org/index.html

We feel invigorated after two days of research retreat at the beautiful historical castle Holckenhavn together with the research group KulturNaturArv at Syddansk Universitet – University of Southern Denmark. The retreat offered time for focused writing, stimulating scholarly conversation about funding as well as a private historical sightseeing tour.

Holckenhavn has changed hands (and name!) many times in the course of history, and it was intriguing to notice the different historical layers.

Thanks to the department for sponsoring the retreat and bringing us all together!