The thirteenth meeting of the Patrimoine genevois programme, the symposium Exhibitions and Art History is jointly organised by the Société des Arts, HEAD – Genève and the University of Geneva (UNIGE) to mark the 50th anniversary of the Swiss Association of Art Historians, founded in Geneva in 1976. It sets out to trace the history of art-historical practices in Geneva from the 18th century to the present day, highlighting the institutions and the people involved, as well as the modes and media of transmission. Its proceedings will form the 13th volume of the Patrimoine genevois series (Georg).

Thursday, November 12, 2026
Building D, La Fabrique – Espace d’art et de design

14:00 Welcome and introduction
Lada Umstätter and Frédéric Elsig

1. 1702–1851
Chair: Mauro Natale

14:30 “Sentir les beautés”: Léonard Baulacre (1670–1761) and the early practices of art history in Geneva
Camille Larraz

15:00 The collection in the service of teaching: resources and models for the École publique de dessin and the Académie under the aegis of the Société des Arts
Silvia Zuccherini Martello

15:30 Discussion and break

16:00 The Musée Rath collection as a resource for art history
Vincent Chenal

16:30 A pioneering Genevan art historian: Jean-Jacques Rigaud
Rafaël Villa

17:00 Discussion

Friday, November 13, 2026
Building H, Design Room

2. 1851–1941
Chair: Joanna Haefeli

9:00 The driving role of the Société des Arts: Old Master exhibitions, lectures and debates
Fanny Gros

9:30 Old Masters at the 1896 Swiss National Exhibition
Constantin Favre

10:00 Discussion and break

10:30 Teaching art history at the École des Beaux-Arts (1896–1941)
Isaline Pfefferlé

11:00 From the Musée Rath to the MAH: Old Master exhibitions
Marie Mazzone

11:30 Discussion

3. Since 1941
Chair: Lada Umstätter

14:00 Art history at the University (1941–2000)
Frédéric Elsig

14:30 François Fosca and the teaching of art history at the Beaux-Arts de Genève (1944–1953)
Philippe Clerc

15:00 An art publisher: Albert Skira
Grégoire Extermann

15:30 Discussion and break

16:00 Teaching art history at the Collège (upper secondary school)
Réjane Lüthi and Gaël von Arx

16:30 Round table on the challenges of art history in the digital age
Isabelle Burkhalter, Emmanuel Cuénod, Florence Marguerat

17:15 Discussion and closing remarks

Organisation
Art History Unit, University of Geneva (UNIGE)
Geneva University of Art and Design (HEAD – Genève)
Société des Arts de Genève (SDA)

Scientific and organising committee
Frédéric Elsig (UNIGE), Joanna Haefeli (HEAD), Etienne Lachat (SDA), Lada Umstätter (HEAD), Sylvain Wenger (SDA)