The International Association for the Study of Ancient Mural Painting Committee is organizing the XII Conference on ancient painting to be held September 16 to 20 in Athens, Greece. The Conference’s theme is “Context and Meaning”.

In recent decades there is a growing interest among researchers in the analysis of decorative systems in terms of their context rather than as expressions of art in and for itself. It therefore seems the right time for a synthetic approach to figural themes, and to the iconographical and iconological problems of paintings considered in context.

What were the messages that images in wall painting, from the archaic to the late-antique (ca. 700 BC-AD 500) wanted to convey to contemporary viewers and how were they received?

In the poster section there will be space for themes other than the iconographical-contextual, such as new discoveries, the analysis of systems, and problems regarding the techniques of mural painting.