Villa I Tatti – The Harvard University Center for Italian Renaissance Studies in Florence, Italy, and the Warburg Institute School of Advanced Study at the University of London offer a joint, residential fellowship for the 2025-2026 academic year. Fellows will spend the fall term (September – December 2025) in London and the spring term (January – June 2026) in Florence. The fellowship is designed for early and mid-career scholars in any subject; all things being equal, preference will be given to advanced research projects that address the history of science, knowledge, and/or technology related to early modern Italy, including transnational connections between Italy and other cultures. Scholars can also apply to work on the transmission and circulation of ideas, objects, and people during the Renaissance, into and beyond the Italian peninsula, or on the historiography of the Italian Renaissance, including the rebirth of interest in the Renaissance in later periods.
Eligibility
At the time of application, scholars must have a PhD in hand and will be asked to upload a scan of the certificate. They may not be working on a second PhD at the time of application. Applicants must be conversant in English and have at least a reading knowledge of Italian, with a solid background in Italian Renaissance Studies. Each successful candidate must be approved by both the Warburg Institute and Villa I Tatti and will spend the fall term (September – December) at the Warburg Institute in London and the spring term (January-June) at Villa I Tatti in Florence. During both terms, it must be possible for Fellows to carry out most of their research with the resources available in the city where they are resident. The proposed research project may represent a segment of a larger project. Priority will be given to applicants with no previous association with either I Tatti or the Warburg Institute. Renewals, repeats, or deferments of this Fellowship are not granted. The fellow will be expected to carry out original research on the topic for which they have been awarded their fellowship. Applications will not be accepted from candidates proposing to revise their doctoral dissertation for publication.
Terms and details relating to Villa I Tatti
- Fellows will be expected to spend the Spring Term, January – June 2026 at I Tatti.
- Fellows may not take on any other obligations such as teaching positions, even part-time ones, during any part of their fellowship period.
- The Fellowship may not be held concurrently with another fellowship or award.
- This is a residential fellowship. Fellows must live in the Florence area, spend at least three days a week at I Tatti, and participate in and contribute to the activities at the Center.
- Fellows enjoy all the privileges of I Tatti, including use of the Biblioteca Berenson seven days a week and lunch with other Appointees from Monday through Friday.
- Fellows are offered a reserved desk or carrel in the Biblioteca Berenson.
- Fellows will receive a monthly sum of USD 5,200, plus a one-time supplement (maximum USD 1,800) towards relocation expenses. When possible, an apartment will be set aside for the Fellow’s use, rent free, but with charges for utilities. If an apartment is not available, a housing subsidy will be offered to help offset rental costs.
- The Fellow is responsible for obtaining a visa, permesso di soggiorno, and health coverage (and, if appropriate, for accompanying family members). The Fellow must determine if a visa is required and, if necessary, obtain one before travel.
Terms and details relating to the Warburg Institute
- Fellows will be expected to spend the Autumn Term (September – December 2025) at the Warburg Institute.
- Fellows are required to spend their research period in London except for research-related trips, and to participate in and contribute to the activities of the Warburg Institute.
- The Fellowship may not be held concurrently with another Fellowship or award.
- Candidates from outside the EU will need to check the regulations for acquiring a visa to visit the UK for their Fellowship. Information is available at: https://www.gov.uk/browse/visas-immigration
- Fellows are given a space to work within the Institute and are allocated an Academic Supervisor for the duration of their stay.
- Fellows enjoy the use of the Warburg Institute Library, Photographic collection, and Archive.
- Fellows will receive a monthly sum of £3000.
- For more information on the Warburg Institute, click here.
Application
Applications must be written in English and must be submitted electronically by midnight (Cambridge, MA time) on November 15, 2024. Scholars can apply to only one type of fellowship at I Tatti per academic year.
Letters of Recommendation
Applicants must have two scholars who know their work well submit recommendations online by November 20, 2024. These recommendations must be written in English. In order to give your referees adequate time to submit letters of recommendation, click the reference tab and register them as early as possible. Referees will receive an email explaining how to access the system and submit their letters electronically. It is the applicants’ responsibility to inform the scholars writing on their behalf of the nature of the project and the deadline for submission.
About
The Warburg Institute is one of the world’s leading centres for studying the interaction of ideas, images and society. It is dedicated to the survival and transmission of culture across time and space, with special emphasis on the afterlife of antiquity. Its open-stack Library, Photographic Collection and Archive serve as an engine for interdisciplinary research, postgraduate teaching and a prestigious events and publication programme. The annual group of fellows benefits from and contributes to the vibrant intellectual life of the Institute. They are given a space to work, are able to offer an introduction to their work in a Tea Time Talk and are encouraged to contribute the Institute’s blog: Mnemosyne. Situated in the heart of the Bloomsbury Knowledge Quarter, the Warburg offers scholars the opportunity to engage with academics not only within the institute, but also at local universities, museum and galleries and research institutes.
Villa I Tatti, The Harvard University Center for Italian Renaissance Studies is one the world’s leading institutions for advanced study of the early modern period in Italy and its global repercussions; defined historically as the period ranging from the 14th to the 17th centuries and geographically to include transnational dialogues between Italy and other cultures (e.g. Latin American, Mediterranean, African, Asian, etc.). The historic villa contains a unique collection of Renaissance and Asian art and also houses the Biblioteca Berenson, one of the over seventy libraries that make up the Harvard Library system. In addition to its holdings of nearly 185,000 volumes, an extensive and historically important photograph collection and archive, and the Morrill Music Library, the Biblioteca Berenson also provides access to a vast range of online journals and other electronic resources, offering Fellows comprehensive interdisciplinary resources for the study of late medieval and early modern Italy. The most important goals of I Tatti are to advance the understanding of the Italian Renaissance, to encourage the fruitful interchange of ideas, and to create an atmosphere conducive to research and writing. I Tatti offers Fellows the precious time they need to pursue their studies with a minimum of obligations and interruptions together with a maximum of scholarly resources. Subjects covered include art and architecture, history, literature, material culture, music and performance, philosophy, religion, and science.