The Max Planck Institute for the History of Science, Berlin (Max Planck
Research Group Art and Knowledge in Pre-Modern Europe; Director: Prof. Dr.
Sven Dupré) announces

three postdoctoral fellowships for up to three months

between July 1 and December 31, 2012. Outstanding junior and senior
scholars are invited to apply.

Candidates should hold a doctorate in the history of science, the history
of art, technical art history or related field (with a dissertation topic
relevant to the history of knowledge) at the time of application and show
evidence of scholarly promise in the form of publications and other
achievements.

Research projects should address the history of art and knowledge up to the
eighteenth century (with a preference for the period between 1350 and
1750), and may concern any geographical area within Europe, and any object
of the visual and decorative arts.

Possible topics include:

- The mediation of the transmission of knowledge in and beyond the
artist’s workshop
- The appropriation of other than artisanal bodies of knowledge (such as
geometry, optics and alchemy) in the context of the artist’s
workshop
- Concepts and typologies of knowledge in early modern art theory and their
possible relation to material artistic practices and artisanal knowledge

Also welcome are projects falling within the scope of the history of optics
and perspective, the history of alchemy, or the history of collecting (up
to 1750), but those relevant to the writing of an epistemic history of art
will receive preference.

Visiting fellows are expected to take part in the scientific life of the
Institute, to advance their own research project, and to actively
contribute to the project of the Max Planck Research Group Art and
Knowledge in Pre-Modern Europe.

The Max Planck Institute for the History of Science is an international and
interdisciplinary research institute (http://www.mpiwg-berlin.mpg.de/en/index.html). The
colloquium language is English; it is expected that candidates will be able
to present their own work and discuss that of others fluently in that
language. Fellowships are endowed with a monthly stipend between 1.900
€ and 2.300 € (fellows from abroad) or between 1.468 €
and 1.621 € (fellows from Germany), whereas senior scholars receive
an honorary commensurate with experience.

The Max Planck Research Group Art and Knowledge in Pre-Modern Europe is
also accepting proposals for non-funded Visiting Fellowships from one month
to a year. These are normally open to junior and senior post-docs who have
external funding. For projects highly relevant to the research platform of
this Max Planck Research Group, Sven Dupré will support a limited number
of applications for funding at organizations such as Fulbright, DAAD, and
the Humboldt Society.

Candidates of all nationalities are encouraged to apply; applications from
women are especially welcome. The Max Planck Society is committed to
promoting handicapped individuals and encourages them to apply.

Candidates are requested to submit a curriculum vitae (including list of
publications), a research proposal on a topic related to the project (750
words maximum), one sample of writing (i.e. article or book chapter), and
names and addresses of two referees (including email) who have already been
contacted by the applicant to assure their willingness to submit letters of
recommendation if requested, to:

Max-Planck-Institut für Wissenschaftsgeschichte
Max Planck Research Group Dupré
Boltzmannstr. 22
14195 Berlin
Germany

(Electronic submission is also possible: officedupre@mpiwg-berlin.mpg.de)

by March 1, 2012. Successful candidates will be notified before the end of
March.

For questions concerning the Max Planck Research Group on Art and Knowledge
in Pre-Modern Europe, please see http://www.mpiwg-berlin.mpg.de/en/research/projects/MRGdupre
or contact Sven Dupré (officedupre@mpiwg-berlin.mpg.de);
for administrative questions concerning
the position and the Institute, please contact Claudia Paaß (paass@mpiwg-berlin.mpg.de),
Head of Administration, or Jochen Schneider (jsr@mpiwg-berlin.mpg.de),
Research Coordinator.