The Geological Imagination in the Long Nineteenth Century

Over the last decade, there has been a surge of interest in geology and its attendant fields – such as stratigraphy, paleontology, and geomorphology – in the arts and humanities, catalyzed by the notion that we have entered a new geological epoch. This “geological turn” in the academy did not originate with the recent public awareness of anthropogenic climate change. During the long nineteenth century, artists, creative writers, and historians were already intensely preoccupied with the deep material history of the earth. This 2-day conference will chart the multifaceted ways in which the geological imagination can be traced across a variety of artistic outlets, from the ascent of a landscape tradition that was interested in the antiquity of the natural world, to the rise of reproductive technologies and new artist materials predicated on industrial extraction.

Funding provided by Anonymous.

Key Details

• Conference registration is for both days and includes general admission to The Huntington.
• Lunch reservations close on March 31 at noon. A limited number of lunch tickets will be available for purchase at the conference.

Day of Program

• Please bring your registration confirmation with you.

Conference Schedule

Schedule is tentative and subject to change. 

Friday, April 4, 2025

8:30 a.m. | Registration and Coffee