Colloquium "Fleshand Gold: Gazing at Icons,15th-20th Century"

Bringing together academics and those responsible for icon collections in the USA, Europe (Greece, Albania, England, Sweden, Romania, Germany, Czech Republic, France) and the Near East (Lebanon and Syria), the colloquium En chair et en or : regards sur l'icône, XVe-XXe siècle aims to highlight renewed approaches to the icon, focusing on transnational issues, historiography, material history and the reception of these works. It will also explore the singular materiality of these paintings. The aim of this symposium is to question and renew the perspectives of iconic research by opening up to new methodologies, histories and geographies.

The event marks the Musée du Louvre's acquisition, at the beginning of 2025, of the exceptional collection of icons assembled in Lebanon by Georges Abou Adal and completed by his son Freddy Abou Adal, for its Department of Byzantine and Oriental Christian Art. The collection was unveiled in 1993 at the Musée Carnavalet in Paris, then presented at the Musée d'Art et d'Histoire in Geneva in 1997. Since then, several icons from this collection, considered to be important milestones in the history of art, have been exhibited or commented on in scientific publications. The Abou Adal collection comprises 272 Cretan, Greek, Balkan, Transylvanian, Vlach, Russian, Levantine and Melkite icons. It thus illustrates the diversity of production centers and cultural exchanges, from the 15th century to the beginning of the 20th century. It also stands out for the abundance of artists' signatures represented. Last but not least, it houses a rare collection of icons produced in the context of the revival of the Greek patriarchate of Antioch in the 17th century, notably in Aleppo, and by Arabic-speaking Christians in Syria, Lebanon and Jerusalem. Organized with the exceptional support of the Cercle des Mécènes de la Société des Amis du Louvre, it will take place on April 7, 2025 at the Collège de France and on April 8, 2025 at the École du Louvre, partners of the event.

Practical information

The two-day event is open to all with registration at programmation-centre-vivant-denon@louvre.fr.
Discussions will take place in English and French (simultaneous translation will be available in both languages).
The conference is accessible to people with reduced mobility.

Monday April 7 , 9 h-17 h

Collège de France (Guillaume Budé amphitheater)
11, place Marcelin-Berthelot, 75005 Paris

Transportation

• Metro: line 4, Saint Michel or Odéon stations
• RER: line B, Saint Michel or Luxembourg stations
• Bus: 63, 86: Collège de France stop
• 21, 27, 38: Les Écoles stop
• 75: Saint Jacques or Saint Germain stop
• Taxi/specialized vehicles: drop-off and pick-up: 11, place Marcelin-Berthelot

Tuesday April 8 , 9 h-18 h

École du Louvre (Michel-Ange amphitheater)
Palais du Louvre. Porte Jaujard.
Place du Carrousel. 75038 Paris cedex 01

Transportation

• Metro: lines 1, 7, 14
• Bus: 21, 27, 39, 67, 68, 69, 72, 74, 85, 95
• Car: Indigo parking lot, entrance 1 avenue du Général-Lemonnier
• Cab / specialized vehicles, drop-off possible at the Carrousel traffic circle, nearest station at Place André Malraux