‘Presto a Valle Giulia qualche altr[o nuovo palazzo] ne sorgerà; forse in un avvenire non lontano nuovi spostamenti dal vecchio centro verso le colline e le ville saranno approvati da quelle Nazioni che non hanno fatto in tempo a provvedersi di una dimora comoda e luminosa. Nella Roma che ringiovanisce anche le Accademie vogliono avere biblioteche senza polvere e studi col sole’.
Luigi Bottazzi, in Corriere della Sera, 31 January 1933
The Valle Giulia Dialogues (VGD) were established in February 2012 by a group of four scholars based at the Dutch Institute, the Danish Academy and the Swedish Institute in Rome, namely Dr. Gert-Jan Burgers, Dr. Gitte Lønstrup Dal Santo, Dr. Arthur Weststeijn and Dr. Frederick Whitling. The VGD network initiative stemmed from a shared desire to engage in an informal, social scholarly dialogue between scholars based at the foreign academies in Valle Giulia (the British, Austrian, Japanese, Egyptian, Belgian, Romanian, Dutch, Swedish and Danish schools, institutes and academies). The initiative has consisted of:
- A monthly presentation by two resident scholars of their projects while in Rome followed by a discussion and an informal reception.
- A monthly lunch amongst primarily assistant directors and post docs with the multifaceted purpose of (1) enhancing the mutual knowledge of the respective institutions and research projects; (2) enhancing awareness of resident scholars and introducing those scholars working on similar projects to one another; (3) establishing professional networks of peers; and (4) establishing the basis for future collaboration.
The hosts of these recurring events rotated between the Valle Giulia academies that committed to the initiative. The first of these lunches – the inaugural meeting of the dialogues – took place at the Danish Academy on 22 February.
The monthly dialogues comprised the following presentations:
First session. 19 March (The Royal Dutch Institute in Rome)
Raphael Hunsucker (Dutch Institute), Casa Romuli, Domus Augusti. Unveiling an Augustan Erinnerungsraum on the Palatine
Frederick Whitling (Swedish Institute), Academic Diplomacy and International Collaboration: The Foreign Academies of Rome after the Fall of Fascism
Second session. 17 April (The Swedish Institute in Rome)
Märit Simonsson (Swedish Institute), When views collide – The process of comparing museum experiences
Vinnie Nørskov (Danish Academy), Collections, auctions and research. The role of the art market in the development of research in Greek vases in the 19th century
Third session. 21 May (The Danish Academy in Rome)
Stefan Albl (Austrian Institute), A monograph and an exhibition in the making. Gathering and presenting the dispersed masterpieces of Pietro Testa (1612-50)
Jacob Jessen (Danish Academy), Baroque Eternity: Thoughts on the concept of time
Fourth session. 18 June (The British School at Rome)
Jane Draycott (British School), Matter out of place? Stained statues in Roman Gardens
Dragos Blaga (Romanian Academy), Described Reality or Invented Private Space? The literary description of domestic architectural elements in Apuleius’ Metamorphoses
The VGD have aimed to combine informality with interdisciplinarity in the local framework of neighbouring foreign academies located in the Valle Giulia. The two aims of informality and interdisciplinary dialogue were achieved to a most satisfying degree for those involved during the first four sessions of the dialogues. It is hoped that these two aims will be developed further and that the collaborative element will be increasingly strengthened in the coming sessions during 2012-2013.
An online social network group was created for the VGD, as yet another channel for disseminating information and connecting scholars at the Valle Giulia academies. This group has now grown to include more than 100 members.
The VGD can in a sense be regarded as an expression of the post-war ‘spirit of collaboration’ strongly felt in the microcosm of foreign academies after 1945, albeit more outspokenly informal and interdisciplinary; certainly more so than an expression of the ‘Roma che ringiovanisce’-period reflected in the quote above. The VGD initiative has been well-received, and it is hoped that its role of offering complementarity to the regular programmes of the various academies will continue to grow and develop for as long as this is considered useful, fruitful and stimulating for its participants.
FREDERICK WHITLING, September 2012
