Emanuele Lugli to Speak at St Andrews

Posted on 10 October 2014

Emanuele Lugli will give a paper entitled 'The Metric Aesthetic Size and Perceptual Revolution in 19th-century Italy' for the School of Art History at St Andrews.

"When Napoleon imposed the use of the metric system on the Italian territories he conquered in 1796, little did he know the impact it would have on perception, conservation and aesthetics. Created in 1790s France, the metric system spread like a virus in 19th-century Italy, continuing even after the ban imposed by the Congress of Vienna. The new measurement standards were mostly employed by architects, engineers and land surveyors; yet its endorsement led to wider cultural repercussions, such as the perception of art works and their criticism.

This talk details this transformation while examining the ideology behind the metric system, its ‘minimalist’ aesthetics and subtle relationship to power."

The event is on Wednesday October 15th from 4.15pm to 5.45pm at the Old Union Diner, Butts Wynd entrance.