Four members of the Index of Medieval Art staff participated in the annual International Congress on Medieval Studies at Western Michigan University in Kalamazoo from May 11^th to 13^th. The ICMS attracts thousands of scholars interested in medieval studies from late antiquity to the early modern period and a wide range of specializations, including history, language, literature, linguistics, art history, archaeology, religion, science, medicine, music, drama, philosophy, gender, sexuality, mysticism, and technology.

The Index’s Catherine Fernandez gave a paper on “The Pilgrimage Roads Revisited (Yet Again): A Meditation on the Afterlife of “Spain or Toulouse?” in a panel on “Arthur Kingsley Porter 100 Years Later.” Jessica Savage spoke on “Embracing Virtues: Visualizing an Early Psalm Allegory in Late Medieval Books of Hours” in a panel about the “Psalms in Manuscript and Print,” sponsored by the Early Book Society. Alessia Rossi participated remotely in a roundtable on “New Critical Terms for ‘Medieval’ Art History,” sponsored by the International Center of Medieval Art. And Pamela Patton served as respondent for “Race in the Iberian Middle Ages: A Critical Roundtable,” sponsored by the Ibero-Medieval Association of North America.

The Index also co-sponsored a pair of panels honoring the manuscript historian and longstanding Index friend Alison Stones, attendees of which included retired Indexer Adelaide Bennet Hagens. 

This year marked a happy return to an in-person format for the conference, and those attending very much appreciated the chance to share their scholarship, re-connect with colleagues, brainstorm for future collaborations, browse the book sale, and enjoy beloved K’zoo traditions such as the Mostly Medieval Theater Festival, medievalist karaoke, and the medieval marginalia cookies from WMU’s dining services.

The Indexers were especially happy to spread the word about free access to the Index database starting in July, which was welcome news to many at the conference.