The project will focus on the hitherto largely neglected depictions of tragedy actors in role-costumes from throughout the Graeco-Roman world in order to contribute to the overall question of which gender aspects are addressed and how these are conceptualised. In doing this, it will explore the extent to which the respective designs drew on earlier representations in terms of content and/or form, and in how far they adapted or reshaped them; it will search for regional and temporal differences regarding selection and conceptualisation; and it will examine the extent to which selection and conceptualisation differ in different contexts of use.

The project will analyse depictions of every variety from terracotta figurines to lamps, to wall painting and to book illustration, taking into consideration the material from the 4th century B.C. to Late Antiquity. In doing so, additional sources (e.g., texts underlying or referring to performance), as well as a well-established set of methods (e.g., iconography, iconology, typology) and theoretical concepts (e.g., frame theory, discourse analysis) will have to be brought into play. Overall, the broad material basis, the linking of various sources of information, and the use of a diverse set of methods will enable us to better understand not only the impact of the depiction, but also the interplay between depictions and performance in general.

For further information on the project, please contact Prof. Heide Frielinghaus (frieling@uni-mainz.de).