PhD project on Church Architecture

A Funded PhD Project on the Architectural Patronage of William Wardell in Colonial Melbourne

Applications close on 20 January 2017

The School of Culture and Communication at the University of Melbourne is seeking a candidate to undertake doctoral studies as part of a collaborative research project funded by the Australian Research Council on the architectural patronage of the first Catholic Archbishop in Colonial Melbourne and the British born architect William Wardell. The successful candidate will develop their thesis as a member of a dynamic inter-disciplinary team from the University of Melbourne (Professor Jaynie Anderson, Shane Carmody) and the University of Divinity (Dr MaxVodola), working in partnership, over a period of three and a half years, to begin in February 2017.

The ARC project is: A Baroque Archbishop in Colonial Australia

We aim to investigate the cultural vision of the first Catholic Archbishop of Melbourne, James Goold (1812-1886), whose architectural patronage has left a permanent imprint on the built environment of Melbourne. An Irishman educated in Italy, Goold was a passionate collector and missionary bishop. The Bishop imported a library and late Italian Baroque paintings to convey the intensity of European religious experience. When Goold was appointed to Melbourne it was a provincial town, but with the discovery of gold and the commissioning of St Patrick’s Cathedral Melbourne became an international metropolis. Through publications and an exhibition in 2019 the research may transform our understanding of the narratives of Colonial Australia.

The applicant should have a strong Honors and/or Master’s Degree. A research background and/or practical experience in architectural and/or art history would be beneficial. Study will begin at the end of February 2017, and last 3-4 years.

Candidates should express their interest by contacting Professor Jaynie Anderson (jaynie@unimelb.edu.au) as soon as possible, and by 20 January 2017 at the latest.

Further information about graduate research at the University of Melbourne can be found here.