EMIT Society intends to advance the theory and praxis that unite the visual and the textual in the creative process of artists in the Early Modern Period.
EMIT Society fosters collaborative opportunities between members in the form of bi-annual international, conferences, books, and special issue journals.
Created in December 2004, EMIT Society is the result of collaborations among specialists who investigate the relation of word and image, visuality and text in the Early Modern Period.
Under the auspices of the National Endowment for the Humanities and the direction of Frederick De Armas, the group met for the first time during the 2003 Summer Seminar Ekphrasis in the Age of Cervantes hosted at The University of Chicago. Reuniting in Paris at the International Conference of Ekphrasis and Cervantes, in November 2004, the group decided to become an international association.
Every other year since 2004, the EMIT society has welcomed scholars from across the disciplines to our unique convention. The purpose of this bi-annual conference is to allow scholars to meet and discuss the intersections between visual and textual forms of early modern representation, including: emblematic literature, architectural or sculptural inscription, ekphrasis, typography and the spatialization of text, numismatics, and so on. In order to do so, the format of the gathering has been designed so that there are never concurrent sessions and all attendees may feel free to participate fully, both as panelists and audience members. In addition, the EMIT conference programs always include keynote addresses by internationally renowned scholars as well as evening activities that give participants the opportunity to continue discussions initiated during day-time sessions. It is a lively and convivial group of scholars with wide-ranging interests. Participants find these to be very productive and stimulating meetings. For information about past conferences (Paris, Denver, Lubbock), please consult their archived programs on our website.