Conference: Carthusians and Images

Despite the assertions about simplicity by the founding fathers of the Carthusian Order, charterhouses readily displayed images and works of art, especially during the late Middle Ages and Early Modernity. This international conference explores innovative lines of research on image-based meditative and devotional practices as well as experiences of art and images in the charterhouse, discourses on images by Carthusian authors, material and visual cultures of Carthusian monasteries, and comparative approaches to Carthusian art, opening up new avenues for understanding the role of works of art and images in Carthusian monasteries (c. 1350- 1700).
The conference will take place in KartHuis, the former charterhouse of Leuven, on 15-17 May 2025 and will be held in the context of the 600th birthday celebration of the universities of Louvain-la-Neuve and Leuven.