Doctoral Candidate Rachel Carlisle’s Renaissance Society of America Service and Conference Presentation

Doctoral candidate Rachel Carlisle has been awarded a Kress Travel Grant by the Renaissance Society of America and Helen J. Beard Conference Travel Grant by the Department of Art History to present her research at the RSA annual meeting in Dublin, Ireland, March 30-April 2. Rachel is one of three presenters on the panel “Renaissance Medals and Exonumia II” co-organized by Arne R. Flaten and FSU alumna Tanja Jones.

Rachel’s paper, “The Portrait Medal in Augsburg during the Era of Print” examines three portrait medals designed by Hans Schwarz at Augsburg in 1518 and earlier, local experiments in portraiture after ancient coins on the printed page. These early German medals depict humanist Konrad Peutinger, artist Hans Burgkmair, and merchant-banker Jakob Fugger. Rachel argues that the portrait medals provide visual evidence of varying degrees of assimilation to Italian modes of representation and application of all’antica markers by Schwarz according to the preferences of his patrons. Ultimately, this case study reflects more broadly the negotiation of dual forces—a renewed interest in local antiquity and transalpine exchange with Italy—and their impact on the art and architecture of early sixteenth-century Augsburg.

Rachel is an active member of the RSA and currently serves on two RSA committees: the Webinars Committee and Graduate Student Advisory Committee. The newly formed Webinars Committee has been tasked with the organization of six professional development webinars per calendar year. The inaugural webinar, “How to Write a Book Review,” was held on February 11.

Upcoming events organized by the Graduate Student Advisory Committee include a graduate student meet-and-greet in Dublin and the Graduate Student Lightening Talk Series. The first installment of the series, “Rethinking the Renaissance Archive,” will be held over Zoom on Thursday, February 24. The event is open to non-members; interested parties can register on the RSA website.

Hans Burgkmair, Detail, Imperial Eagle, 1507. Woodcut, 38.8 x 21.5 cm.
Courtesy National Gallery of Art, Washington.