Vincent Roy-Di Piazza

Throwback to a painting that really caught my eye at the Palazzo Pitti in Florence a couple weeks ago: « St Francis stigmatized » by Jan Van Scorel (1495-1562). Struck by the creative representation of the angelic-christic theophany emitting the rays that performate St Francis

The irony

Exciting new chapter !

Finally got to visit the EUI today — what a campus, and what a view..!

And that’s a wrap! Plenary discussion, final remarks and network plans by Brian Kjær Olesen & Jonas Gerlings for closing the workshop « Abolitionist movements: freedom and slavery in European political thought, 1770-1820 » in Florence 🇮🇹

Last paper of our Abolition workshop in Florence, with Iwan-Michelangelo D’Aprile (University of Postdam) presenting his research on abolitionism and Jewish emancipation through the case of Saul Ascher (1767-1822) as a German abolitionist in the Prussian reform era

Jonas Gerlings (University of Göttingen) now presenting the workshop’s penultimate paper on the emergence of anti-slavery sentiment in the German public

Second day of our Abolition workshop in Florence with Giulia Bonazza (University of Bologna) presenting her paper on Italian abolitionism and its transnational networks

Had a great time presenting my work-in-progress research on Wadström’s political-economic thought in Revolutionary France, closing the first day of our Abolition workshop in Florence. Thanks for the insightful feedback and kind encouragements! Now off to aperitivo 🇮🇹

Second paper of the first day in Florence by Pärtel Piirimäe & Kadi Kähär-Peterson (University of Tartu) on « conceptualizing freedom in Baltic debates on serfdom and reform, ca 1770-1820 »

First paper in Florence of the workshop « Abolitionist movements: freedom and slavery in European Political Thought 1770-1820 » introduced by Brian Kjaer Olesen & Jonas Gerlings with Prof. Andrew Kahn (Oxford) on the serfdom question & public opinion in the Age of Catherine the Great

Had fun writing on Carl Bernhard Wadström in Revolutionary France recently; looking forward to going to Florence soon for the workshop « Abolitionist movements: freedom and slavery in European political thought m, 1770-1820 » led by J. Gerlings, @briankolesen.bsky.social & Martin Van Gelderen

In Oxford next week 👇

Throwback to last week’s archives in London, going through primary & secondary sources for my book project on Swedenborg’s political and economic thought. Third picture is from G. Trobridge’s ‘Life and Teaching’, 4th edition.

Come working at JYU 🇫🇮 ! 43 months (!) salaried postdoc position in history of philosophy/political thought in Dr. Alexandra Chadwick’s new project ‘Pride and Politics in Early Modern Thought’ Expertise on French texts 1600–c. 1762 required, apply by 19 October: ats.talentadore.com/apply/postdo...

How wonderful it was to be back in Oxford last week; catching up with old friends and colleagues, checking some archives.. and finally got to visit the new Schwartzman centre

And that’s a wrap! Closing remarks from Dr Ella Vitaniemi (Tampere) of the exec committee of the Finnish society for eighteenth century studies. Then off to lunch & travels

Last keynote of the 4th Nordic conference for 18th century studies with Prof. Sabrina Ebbersmayer (Copenhagen) on Nordic women philosophers in early modern Europe and their reception, introduced by Dr Lotta Nylund.

Double opera panel with strong talks from Profs. Marie-Christine Skuncke (Uppsala) Charlotta Wolff (Turku), Martin Wålhberg (NTNU/Trondheim) & Johanna Ilmakunnas (Åbo Akad.)

2nd keynote lecture (på svenska) at the Nordic conference for C18 studies in Turku with Alfred Sjödin on geografi och poetiskt världskapande från Dajlstierna till Oxenstierna

It was a pleasure to see so many people for our opening panel! Gave a broad strokes overview of Swedenborg’s political economy; other talks showcases improvement perspectives in Sweden, Lapland and Iceland; good Q&A & pleasant conversations at lunch

Going old school today with fully handwritten paper to the Nordic conference of 18th century studies in Åbo/Turku 🇫🇮 I haven’t done this in a while; love the slow pace of it. Paper will be in the 1rst panel of the day, “Visions of Reform” chaired by Sophie Holm. Come say hi!

Two new books of Swedenborgian scholarship arrived in the mail today. Had not seen a 900-page book in a while..! Very German.

Getting ready for the fourth nordic conference of eighteenth century studies in Turku later this week 🇫🇮 ☕️ excited to test+discuss some work-in-progress arguments

Full house yesterday for our history of science workshop at JYU, thanks to everyone who came! Great discussion led by Larry Principe around evolving trends in the history of science; I also discussed August Nordenskiöld and the place of alchemy in Sweden’s culture of improvement

Event’s page is now up! I’ll be giving a short talk on “Finnish alchemical gold in 18th century Sweden”. Link to the programme and full line up👇https://www.jyu.fi/en/events/history-of-science-in-dialogue-research-presentations-and-discussion-with-lawrence-m-principe

Looking forward to be part of this next week! Do not miss this golden opportunity to hear about chrysopoeia ;)

Back to action with some reading to catch up on! @thetls.bsky.social

Yesterday I gave the inaugural William Bruce Lecture at @barnardcollege.bsky.social , @columbiauniversity.bsky.social on Swedenborg’s views on slavery & their abolitionist legacy. Responses given by Carl Wennerlind, Barnard’s vice-provost for research, & moderated by Dell J. Rose. Such a pleasure!

Had a great time in Boston 🇺🇸 presenting on Babson College’s beautiful campus for the Swedenborg Convention 2026; saw the city & drove all up to Dartmouth to see colleagues. Now heading to New York City!

Prof. Elizabeth Lunbeck (Harvard) now presenting her latest research in Helsinki on the history of psychiatry from Freud to ChatGPT, chaired by Stefan Nygård

Had a great time this morning presenting my ongoing work on the discourse of improvement in early modern Swedish colonialism at the 2nd day of our annual @depe-erc.bsky.social workshop. Grateful for the encouragements and the insightful feedback!

Wonderful first day with 6 strong papers and great discussions.

Great turnout yesterday in Jyväskylä for the launch of Jonas Nordin’s new open access book « Monarchy in the Age of Liberty » (Lund University Press 2026) . Now attending the first panel of our ERC workshop « Growth, wealth and welfare in early modern Sweden & beyond »

Excited to give the inaugural William Bruce Lecture in NYC at @barnard-college.bsky.social at 4pm on 01 July 2026! I'll be speaking on Swedenborg and slavery. This public lecture is in-person & free with Q&A & drinks. Register by 26 June to access the premises👇 www.brucelectures.org/lectures/the...

Coffee, @thetls.bsky.social Hegeliana and some eighteenth century diplomatic correspondence this morning in Helsinki

Looking forward to this!👇

Had a great time last week concluding the Religious embodiment & conversion practices in EM Europe & beyond at @ucph.bsky.social as final talk. Quite a packed programme with 24 papers other 2 days! Congrats to J. Engelhardt & @threadofariane.bsky.social for organizing | (📷 by Ariel Hessayon)

Dr Lennart Gard (Free University Berlin) discussing representations of Böhme’s large forehead and their possible meanings, using Lyndal Roper’s 2010 AHR analysis of Luther’s chin and stout portraits as representations of the latter’s break of monastic vows.

Prof. Emily Michelson (St Andrews) now opening the second & final of the religious embodiment and conversion practices in early modern Europe & beyond, with a keynote on conversion and the body in a multi faith reformation.

Prof. Joanna Kodzik (Université Paris Saclay / Versailles) closing the day on conversion of the Inuit in Moravian indigenous life stories & the arctic life stories database

Ariel Hessayon (Goldsmiths, London) on mutable religious identities in early modern England: Judaizing Christians, crypto-Jews and Jewish apostates

Kickstarting the religious embodiment & conversion practices conference in Copenhagen with a Keynote from Prof. Rebekka Voß (Goethe University, Frankfurt) on “Conversion and Translation in the Pietist Mission to the Jews”

Welcome from Prof. Juliane Engelhardt, opening the religious embodiment & conversion practices conference at Copenhagen University

Some library / archival research writing today on C18 Swedish political materials at Helsinki Uni @helsinki.fi before heading to Copenhagen next week for the Religious embodiment & conversion in EM Europe conference organized by Juliane Engelhardt and @threadofariane.bsky.social

Prof. Karine Durin @univ-nantes.fr , presenting her research at the Helsinki centre for intellectual history on the early modern scientific knowledge and political reform projects

🌟 Heads up! The review for the Weber Postdoc in European History at #UCLA starts in one week—there’s still time to apply!

Love teaching on JYU’s snowy campus

Back to teaching this week at JYU, with introductory sessions to the history of science and global intellectual history. We got the maximum amount of registrations for our new introductory course in Intellectual History — great to see so much enthusiasm for the discipline here!

Looking forward to this !