This course is dedicated to the preventive conservation, technological analysis and to the historical and theoretical contextualization of a body of textiles created between 1902 and 1925 in the university's collection. We will look at works from the class of the textile specialist and first woman professor of the former k.k. Kunstgewerbeschule, Rosalia Rothansl. These embroideries share references to folkloric fabrics from the territories of the former imperial and royal monarchy that were inventoried by Rothansl as teaching aids. Comparable textiles from Central and Eastern Europe were also collected by figures of the artistic avant-garde such as Emilie Flöge or Mileva Roller. Furthermore, they played an important role in the contexts of the re-evaluation and re-positioning of the textile in art historical texts  around 1900.

The seminar explores these relations through the lense of cultural appropriation and translation and by looking at the relationships of applied and visual arts, as well as the transformation of gender relations in Viennese Modernism. In addition to the practical work in the depots (project week I) we will discuss selected texts. Moreover, we will produce a small publication documenting our research (continuous during the semester and project week II).

Course requirements:
- attendance (you may miss no more than one class/day unexcused)
- active participation
- on-time submissions 

Assessment criteria (academic practice):
- preparation of the assigned readings, readiness to engage in discussion in class (15%)
- presentation of your own research and submission of a short written paper (50%)
- editorial work for the publication (35%)

Kindly note that this course is co-taught together with Stefanie Kitzberger. Please also register for her eponymous seminar. Classroom language is German, however you can hand in your texts in English.