The recent blockbuster exhibition 'Treasures of Heaven: Saints, Relics and Devotion in Medieval Europe' brought together many of the sumptuous and glittering objects with which the cult of the dead was celebrated throughout the Middle Ages. The saints and holy figures of Eastern and Western Christendom were represented in a wide variety of media, from early medieval catacomb paintings and Byzantine icons, to the relics, reliquaries and tomb sculptures created during the later Middle Ages. We invite papers investigating all aspects of the representation of the cult of the dead in the Middle Ages, including icons, wall paintings, treasury arts, stained glass windows, tomb sculptures, monumental sculpture and manuscripts. We also invite papers exploring the ways in which these images were incorporated into the liturgy, pilgrimages and processions.

The Student Committee of the International Center for Medieval Art involves and advocates for all members with student status. As a committee that addresses the concerns of students, we see this session as a forum for discussion and informal mentorship within our field.

Please send an abstract of no more than 500 words, along with a CV, to Alice Isabella Sullivan at aisulli@umich.edu by September 15, 2011.