Néo-baroque in Central Europe: Literature, Theatre, Cinema, and Other Arts

Research area: 1

Helga Mitterbauer, full professor of German literature at the Université libre de Bruxelles, is joining CEFRES from January to March 2025 thanks to the ‘Visiting scholars’ international mobility support programme funded by the CNRS. Previously, she was a visiting professor at a number of universities, including the University of Alberta (2010-2015) and ELTE Budapest. She taught at the University of Graz (1993-2013) where she habilitated in 2008.

She was chair of the coordinating committee of the ICLA CHLEL book series (2022-2024; Amsterdam, Benjamins) and is currently co-editor of the book series Forum: Österreich (Frank & Timme, Berlin).

Her project Neo-baroque in Central Europe focuses on the revival of baroque stylistic elements in literature, theatre, film and other arts in Germany and Central Europe. The aim is to study the extent to which this historical perspective is still valid today. Part of the project is to investigate how historical changes in society and power politics are reflected in literature and art, which art forms are used in response or to what extent art and literature facilitate the accumulation of power (the emergence of private galleries and libraries).

link to the full list of publications here.