Henry Kaap

Lorenzo Lotto, Rosenkranzmadonna (Detail), 1529, Chiesa di San Nicolò, Cingoli

Henry Kaap, M.A.

Researcher

Research Project

Lorenzo Lotto: image worship – image skepticism – visual jokes

Based on a ‘close reading’ of the Portrait of Andrea Odoni(1527) my study analyzes Lorenzo Lotto’s reflections on art theory and art practice made in the medium of painting. In order to concretize these insights as well as their cultural-historical localization, several paintings of sacred as well as profane subjects come into focus, which will allow to picture an overall ‘image’ of Lotto’s understanding of art. Against the background of the ‘Crisis of Images’, which reached its first peak in the 1520s, the study draws a line between the conceptions of art both of the painter Lorenzo Lotto and the art collector Andrea Odoni. This takes place under the three guiding principles of image worship, image skepticism, and visual jokes. Under the preconception that these three aspects inevitably interact with each other, the overall study is pervaded by their ambivalent relationship. If image worship and skepticism are two sides of the same coin, then Lotto is able to ‘reconcile’ both of them through visual jokes.

Profile

Henry Kaap studied Art History, Classical Archaeology and Modern History in Berlin and Rome. 2007-2012: Student Assistant in the research projects „Signa und Res – Bildallegorien in der Renaissance (14.-16. Jh.)“ and „Das Wissen der Kunst. Diskurse, Medien und Institutionen im transnationalen Vergleich (13.-17. Jh.)“, under the Direction of Prof. Dr. Klaus Krüger and passim copy-editor for scientific publications. Since 2010 board member of the Ulmer Verein – Verband für Kunst- und Kulturwissenschaften e.V. 2011 M.A. in Art History from the Freie Universität, Berlin. 2013-2015: Graduate Assistant in the Department of Prof. Dr. Gerhard Wolf at the Kunsthistorisches Institut in Florenz – Max-Planck-Institut. 2015-2016: Doctoral Fellow ibidem. Since end of June 2016: Pre-doctoral Researcher at the Center of Advanced Studies BildEvidenz within the interdisciplinary research project “Iconic Presence: The Life of Images in Religion and Art“ in the context of the Balzanpreis of Prof. Dr. Hans Belting. The PhD project is supervised by Prof. Dr. Karin Gludovatz.

Research Interests

  • Italian Art and Culture of the Early Modern Period (14th–17th c.)
  • Artistic Mobility
  • Aesthetics of Resistance
  • Music Videos

Publications

→ complete list of publications

Contact

Henry Kaap

Center for Advanced Studies BildEvidenz

Arnimallee 10
14195 Berlin