The Sensuous Appeal of the Holy. Sensory Agency of Sacred Art and Somatised Spiritual Experiences in Medieval Europe (12th-15th century)

Project Information

SenSArt

Grant agreement ID: 950248

DOI

10.3030/950248

EC signature date 14 August 2020

Start date 1 September 2021

End date 31 August 2026

Funded under

• EXCELLENT SCIENCE - European Research Council (ERC)

Total cost

€ 1 499 328,00

EU contribution

€ 1 499 328,00

Coordinated by

UNIVERSITA DEGLI STUDI DI PADOVA
Italy

Periodic Reporting for period 3 - SenSArt (The Sensuous Appeal of the Holy. Sensory Agency of Sacred Art and Somatised Spiritual Experiences in Medieval Europe (12th-15th century))

Reporting period: 2024-09-01 to 2026-02-28

Summary of the context and overall objectives of the project

Understanding how individuals perceive their world is essential for comprehending the dynamics of societies. Contemporary Western culture is largely dominated by an ocularcentric sensory model - a perceptual bias that prioritises vision over other senses. This paradigm originated during the Enlightenment, marking a shift from experiential to scholastic learning, and has been further entrenched in the digital age, with digital devices engaging users primarily through visual stimulation.
By challenging these current visiocentric paradigms and embracing cultural values of the senses, the multi- and interdisciplinary research project SenSArt proposes an innovative comparative investigation that explores the interconnections between the senses, sacred art and society in key regions of medieval Europe. These regions correspond to present-day Germany, France, Spain, the Netherlands, Italy and England. The project focuses on the 12th to 15th centuries, a period of religious, intellectual and artistic renewal when cultural changes led to a reassessment of the role of the senses in society. During this period, the senses were integrated into a new system of knowledge that encompassed both the material and the spiritual. New interpretive frameworks emerged for devotees who used sacred art as a material tool in their prayers, allowing them to experience a sensory connection with the divine. For example, the sound of Gothic bells during the elevation of the consecrated host evoked associations with the apotropaic power of sound, which was believed to repel evil forces. These bells thus became powerful sensory tools that reinforced the devotional significance of the host as a physical manifestation of Christ's presence and salvific power within the community.
SenSArt pursues three main objectives: A) Surveying Perceptual Schemes: It conducts a detailed quantitative and qualitative analysis of how all five senses influenced the reception of sacred art, using a comparative methodology to reassess the spiritual meanings associated with multi-sensory experiences; B) Exploring ‘Sensory Agency’ in Art: The project examines how sacred art acted as an agent of social influence through sensory stimulation, comparing the embodied experiences of different social groups; C) Phenomenology of Sensory Experiences: SenSArt compares sensory experiences at local, regional, and European levels to highlight specificities, divergences, and their causal factors.
This multidisciplinary approach, combining anthropological, sociological, ethnographic, and historical methodologies, offers new insights into the interaction between sensation, art, and society in medieval Europe, challenging conventional sensory hierarchies.

Work performed from the beginning of the project to the end of the period covered by the report and main results achieved so far

Over the past 36 months, the SenSArt team has meticolously collected and analysed a wide range of materials, forming a multidisciplinary corpus that includes both artworks and written sources. Before embarking on our research, we established a set of methodological rules, research tools and definitions to guide our investigation. A critical aspect of this process was to clearly delineate the two main categories of the project, 'art' and 'texts', and to determine the types of artworks and texts to be considered within the scope of the project.
SenSArt's definition of art deliberately encompasses a wide range of categories and objects, including both 'major' and 'minor' arts. This definition extends to performances such as paraliturgical dramas, processions, kinetic forms of prayer, and physical interactions between devotees and objects. In addition, we consider the bodies of worshippers themselves as integral material instruments of devotion. In terms of texts, SenSArt has prioritised two primary categories: 1) theoretical and normative texts on the senses that outline the norms that shape sensory experiences and provide interpretive frameworks for audience responses, including pastoral works and regulatory documents; and 2) texts that address the senses in practice, offering insights into individual or group perspectives within society, such as chronicles.
Within this analytical context, the multidisciplinary SenSArt team has worked rigorously on substantial case studies, with individual members exploring specific themes within a broad interpretive framework. In pursuing their research agendas, the team members have collaborated on several key themes, focusing primarily on: the role of the senses in meditative practices and affective piety; the influence of the material and aesthetic qualities of artworks on medieval devotional experiences; and the importance of sensation in the formation of memory and knowledge.
Our preliminary results are very promising. To date, team members have presented over fifty papers at international conferences and published eleven papers, with a further five accepted and forthcoming. In addition, two edited volumes by team members are under contract. We have also successfully organised and hosted four international conferences, with a fifth scheduled for October 2024.

Progress beyond the state of the art and expected potential impact (including the socio-economic impact and the wider societal implications of the project so far)

SenSArt is currently developing new interpretive frameworks by integrating different methodologies, scientific approaches and multidisciplinary tools, which is the central objective of the ongoing phase of the project. Team members are now working together to integrate their previously separate case studies into a comprehensive transnational framework. This process will involve comparing findings and undertaking transnational analysis to establish an overarching phenomenology of sensory patterns within each region, and examining these patterns in relation to social dynamics, including gender issues and patterns of inclusion/exclusion.
This extensive comparative work is expected to result in several publications. To date, eleven articles have been published and a further five have been submitted and are awaiting publication. In addition, two edited volumes, which will launch a new book series overseen by the project's PI, are scheduled for publication in 2025 and 2026 respecitvely. SenSArt's editorial plan includes two additional edited volumes that will involve both team members and international scholars working on relevant topics and methodologies. These collaborative efforts will contextualise the team's research within a broader framework and encourage further internal collaboration. All publications will be open access.
SenSArt team members have also established collaborations with museums and institutions that house relevant works, facilitating the communication and dissemination of their findings. These efforts are crucial for the enrichment and preservation of European cultural heritage and have significant implications for heritage promotion strategies. With the rise of interactive museums and exhibitions based on multi-sensory experiences and augmented reality, SenSArt's contributions will generate widely applicable knowledge, benefiting both scholars and the general public.

SenSArt Team