Alabaster as a Material for Medieval and Renaissance Sculpture

8th Annual ARDS Conference Postprints

Jugie, Sophie (ed.)
Debaene, Marjan (ed.)

The 8th Annual Ards Colloquium, held at the Louvre Museum in 2021, focused on alabaster as a material in European sculpture. The event provided an in-depth examination of how alabaster was utilised by sculptors across Europe. A year later, in October 2022, M Leuven and the Louvre Museum partnered to present the 'Alabaster' exhibition, hosted at M Leuven. The exhibition, accompanied by a catalogue, offered a comprehensive exploration of alabaster, examining both its material and immaterial qualities. Featuring around 130 masterpieces, it showcased the diverse ways in which alabaster was employed throughout European sculptural history. This volume builds upon the themes presented in the exhibition, offering a detailed analysis of alabaster’s materiality and immateriality. It explores the historical, technical, and aesthetic dimensions of its use in sculpture, providing critical insights into how alabaster has shaped artistic practices.