Thomas F.X. Noble – Virtual Materiality

On 1 June Prof. Thomas F.X. Noble (University of Notre Dame) will give a lecture entitled ‘Virtual Materiality’. The lecture will be followed by a response from Dr Janneke Raaijmakers (Utrecht Centre for Medieval Studies). The lecture is organised by the Utrecht Centre for Medieval Studies.

The years since the so-called “material turn” have seen historians, and not only historians, assess an ever widening range of physical objects. In his research over some decades Noble has repeatedly encountered in written texts substantial descriptions of material objects that no longer exist. Many early medievalists are familiar with Mike McCormick’s “virtual coins”, that is coins attested in textual sources. It is in that sense that he uses the title ‘Virtual Materiality’ and he shall speak of many things—but not coins.

About the speaker
Thomas Noble is emeritus professor at the University of Notre Dame. For many years he was the director of the Medieval Institute in Notre Dame. His research has focused on the history of the city of Rome, the papacy and its relation with the Carolingian court, and the contacts, exchanges and differences of opinion between the West and Byzantium. He has written several books and articles, but with regard to materiality and ‘art talk’ his magnum opus Images, Iconoclasm and the Carolingians (Pennsylvania University Press, 2011) deserves a special mention.

More information and registration (before May 25):