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A picture of success at Sussex

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ALTHOUGH THERE IS still uncertainty about quite what the new top grade of a 5* in the RAE will be worth in financial terms, there is no doubt that it represents an accolade for History of Art at Sussex. Perhaps particularly so as only two other institutions were awarded a 5* in the subject: Cambridge and the Courtauld Institute. This research success followed on from a good outcome in the teaching quality assessment held in November in which History of Art was accorded a score of 20 out of a maximum score of 24, the assessors declaring themselves "immensely impressed" by the high quality of the seminars.

There was further good news on January l4 when it was announced at a reception at Dulwich College Picture Gallery that Art and Authority in Renaissance Milan, by art historian Evelyn Welch, which was recently published by Yale University Press, was joint runner-up for the prestigious Longman/History Today prize for the best first or second book by a scholar in the field of history for l996.

Looking ahead to March, members of the group will be playing host to l50 of the world's leading scholars of Byzantium who will be coming to the University for the 3lst Spring Symposium of Byzantine Studies (March 22-24). The conference is being organised by art historian Liz James, who has been known to protest frequently at meetings across the University when the word 'Byzantine' is used merely to suggest stagnation or unnecessary complexity. The fabulous empire of the eastern Mediterranean experienced sex, scandal and murder on a gigantic scale and the theme of the conference Desire and Denial in Byzantium is designed to explore Byzantine attitudes to their own humanity and its frailties. All are welcome to share in the revelations; for further information, contact Karen Wraith in Essex House l07, ext. 2257.

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Friday January 24th 1997