Call for papers
„300 Jahre Grundsteinlegung Schloss Augustusburg in Brühl“
Brühl, 21.-22. November 2025 – Dorothea-Tanning-Saal.
UNESCO-Welterbestätte Schlösser Brühl in Kooperation mit der Abteilung für Geschichte der
Frühen Neuzeit und Rheinische Landesgeschichte des Instituts für Geschichtswissenschaft
der Rheinischen Friedrich-Wilhelms-Universität Bonn, dem Kunsthistorischen Institut der
Rheinischen Friedrich-Wilhelms-Universität Bonn und dem Deutschen Forum für
Kunstgeschichte in Paris.
8 July 2025 marks the 300th anniversary of the laying of the foundation stone of UNESCO
heritage site Augustusburg Palace. To mark this occasion, the Brühl Palace Administration,
together with the Department of Early Modern History and Rhenish Regional History of the
Institute of History, the Institute of Art History at the University of Bonn and the German
Center for Art History in Paris, would like to focus on the construction site itself as part of a
specialist conference. Construction and craft techniques in the 18th century will be
discussed, as well as the known and unknown players in the building sector in Electoral
Cologne. The subjects range from renowned architects such as François de Cuvilliés and
Balthasar Neumann to famous fresco artists such as Carlo Carlone and the numerous
labourers, suppliers and tradesmen. As artists and craftsmen from various European
countries were involved in the construction of the palace, the international transfer of
knowledge and culture during the Rococo period is an important aspect of the study of the
subject. The aim is also to provide a new perspective on the patron Clemens August of
Bavaria and the role of the Brühl palaces in the development and spread of the ‘style rocaille’
in Europe, originating in France.
The conference is open to all interested parties. It is primarily aimed at the fields of history
and art history, but topics from other disciplines are also welcome. The intention of the
conference is to stimulate an interdisciplinary discourse. The event is also intended to
provide a framework for dialogue beyond national borders. We are primarily looking for
contributions that reveal connections and cross-connections (local and international
contexts). In addition, case studies are of course also welcome.
Based on these general, wide-ranging questions, focussed contributions from basically all
disciplines are welcome that deal with one of the following section topics from a historical
perspective:
1 Construction in Electoral Cologne
2 Labour migration in the early modern period
3 Franco-German cultural transfer in the 18th century: Development and spread of the ‘style
rocaille’
4 International relations of the patron Clemens August of Bavaria
Please send abstracts (max. 300 words) for 20-minute presentations in German or English
as well as a short CV as a PDF to Xenia Schürmann xenia.schuermann@vsb.nrw.de and
Benedikt Bauer benedikt.bauer@vsb.nrw.de by 10 March 2025.
The conference will be chaired by Christiane Winkler (UNESCO World Heritage Site Brühl
Palaces), Professor Dr Michael Rohrschneider (Department of Early Modern History and
Rhenish Regional History of the Institute of History, University of Bonn), Professor Dr Roland
Kanz (Institute of Art History, University of Bonn) and Dr Markus Castor (German Center for
Art History Paris).
A publication of the conference results is planned for 2026. The preliminary conference
programme will be published in April 2025.
Travel and accommodation allowances as well as a contribution towards expenses will be covered.
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