Home | Florence 2003 | Booking| Links | Contact Us

The 2nd IAAConference. Vienna and Graz 2005

Thursday October 7th: Lectures at the Kunsthistorischesmuseum, and handling session at the Rüstkammer, Vienna.
AM: The Conference convened in the Media Room of the Kunsthistorischmuseum at 9.30. The Conference Chairman, John Scrimgeour, opened proceedings by setting out the itinerary for the next three days. Delegates were then given a warm welcome by Dr. Christian Beaufort-Spontin, Director of the R üstkammer. Lectures were then given by Chris Dobson The Restoration and Re-Mounting of the Armour of Willhelm von Roggendorf, describing what has come to light in the course of Chris's work on this fabulous armour, Matthew Easton The Rise of the Longsword, Matt described the development and use of such weapons, Tobias Capwell Long-Dead Alabaster to Living Steel, Tobias described the reconstruction of an equestrian armour for use by himself, based on 15th Century English funerary effigies. 

PM: In the afternoon, delegates met at the Rüstkammer, for a truly fabulous handling session. The museum did us proud, wheeling out some of their most famous pieces for delagetes to examine, including personal weapons owned by the Emperor Maximilian I, the famous Gothic armour A 62, the Roseleaf Garniture by Franz Grosschedl, and fantastic embossed parade armour.

Friday October 7th: Rüstkammer and Museum der Stadt Wien, Vienna.
AM: Lectures at the Rüstkammer (to be expanded).

PM: After lunch the delegates and speakers met up at the Mueusm der Stadt Wien in Karlsplatz, where we were welcomed by the Curator Walter Öhlinger. Because of space restrictions, we then split up into three groups, and one by one these groups were given a guided tour of the stores by Herr Öhlinger. In one small storeroom we were shown a treasure-trove of sixty-seven 15th Century pavises that came originally from the city arsenal of Vienna. Herr Öhlinger explained the painted designs on the pavises, and we were allowed to handle and photograph them. While one group was in the stores, the other two were visiting the galleries, which contain fine arms and armour, including the only complete 15th Century Italian horse armour in the world and pieces by the Helmschmid family.

From the Museum der Stadt, Wien, delgates travelled back accross the city to the Rüstkammer, for a gallery talk given by Doctor Matthias Pfaffenbichler, the subject of which was the relationship between the Helmschmid family and the Emperor Maximilian I. Dr. Pfaffenbichler explained how Maximilian created a cult of chivalry at his court with marvellous tournaments, and about how the Helmschmid family supplied the needs of the combatants with beautiful armours of the highest quality.

Saturday October 8th: the Landeszeughaus, Graz
At 8.30 am we boarded our coach outside the Kunsthistorischesmuseum, for the two-hour journey to Graz, site of the largest surviving arsenal in Western Europe. we arrived mid-morning, and were met by the Director of the Joanneum Wolfgang Muchitsch. delegates were then split into English and German speakers, and we began our private guided tour of the Landeszeughaus.

The staff of the Landeszeughaus took us through the massive collection of arms and armour, with plenty of opportunities to handle armour, weapons and guns under supervision and take photographs. We ended our tour in the conservation department. Members then took a break for lunch, but some diehards went back into the arsenal for more! While we assembled to meet the coach to take us back to Vienna, the delegates did their best to pick the museum bookshop clean of postcards, posters, books and DVDs.

Evening: We then took our coach back to Vienna, and after a quick pause to freshen up, we made our way to the typical Viennese restaurant Smutny, where we rounded off the Second IAAConference in what has become the traditional manner: good food, good drink, and above all, good company.

Sunday October 9th: the Military Museum, Vienna
AM: Another little tradition of the IAAConferences is the 'Day After' trip. Whilst some delegates and speakers are beginning to leave for home, for those who stay on a little later, we have an unofficial trip somewhere, which is not part of the actual IAAConference. Delegates pay their own entrance fees (if any) on these visits. In Vienna, we went to the Military Museum on the south side of the city. The museum's collections go from the rise of the Austrian army, around 1500, right up to the Cold War.