Conference entitled “Animals in the History and Culture of Past Centuries (16th–19th Centuries)” 21.10.2026
On 15–16 October 2026, we had the pleasure of co-organising the First International Academic Conference, “Animals in the History and Culture of Past Centuries (16th–19th Centuries)”. The event was organised by the Institute of History and Archival Studies at the University of the National Education Commission, Krakow, the Institute of History at the University of Wrocław, and the Villa Decius Institute for Culture, in partnership with Zoophilologica. Polish Journal of Animal Studies, the Museum of Kraków, and the Seweryn Udziela Ethnographic Museum in Kraków.
What were relationships between humans and animals like centuries ago? What can they tell us about the culture and everyday life of the past—and about ourselves? On 15–16 October 2026, these questions took centre stage at Villa Decius during the First International Academic Conference, “Animals in the History and Culture of Past Centuries (16th–19th Centuries): Coexistence – Relationships – Agency”. The event continued the Villa’s 30-year tradition as a meeting place for people, ideas and diverse perspectives.
The two-day conference explored the presence of animals in past societies—their roles in everyday life, culture and the economy, as well as their relationships with humans. Across eight panels, the programme brought together perspectives from scholars based in Poland and abroad, offering a view of the past through the shared lives of humans and other species.
Topics ranged from dogs and cats in homes and art, through children’s animal companions, to horses in warfare. The programme included nineteenth-century notices about missing dogs, depictions of cats in Dutch painting, animal motifs in toys and the presence of animals in historic Kraków. Literature, correspondence, paintings and archival records served as sources of insight into the bonds, habits and beliefs of past generations.
Animal care, veterinary treatment, and the legal and social dimensions of human behaviour were also key themes. This broad perspective reveals that the history of relationships between species encompasses affection and care alongside dependence, exploitation and fear. It also provides a starting point for contemporary questions about human responsibility towards other living beings.
For the entire Villa Decius team, engaging with such topics is a natural part of our mission. For 30 years, the Villa has been a place of encounter and open dialogue—a space for important and diverse topics, and for people who bring different experiences and ways of seeing the world to the conversation. Here, culture, scholarship and social reflection come together, with room for discussion and exchange.
The event was organised by the Institute of History and Archival Studies at the University of the National Education Commission, Krakow, the Institute of History at the University of Wrocław, and the Villa Decius Institute for Culture.
The two-day conference explored the presence of animals in past societies—their roles in everyday life, culture and the economy, as well as their relationships with humans. Across eight panels, the programme brought together perspectives from scholars based in Poland and abroad, offering a view of the past through the shared lives of humans and other species.
Topics ranged from dogs and cats in homes and art, through children’s animal companions, to horses in warfare. The programme included nineteenth-century notices about missing dogs, depictions of cats in Dutch painting, animal motifs in toys and the presence of animals in historic Kraków. Literature, correspondence, paintings and archival records served as sources of insight into the bonds, habits and beliefs of past generations.
Animal care, veterinary treatment, and the legal and social dimensions of human behaviour were also key themes. This broad perspective reveals that the history of relationships between species encompasses affection and care alongside dependence, exploitation and fear. It also provides a starting point for contemporary questions about human responsibility towards other living beings.
For the entire Villa Decius team, engaging with such topics is a natural part of our mission. For 30 years, the Villa has been a place of encounter and open dialogue—a space for important and diverse topics, and for people who bring different experiences and ways of seeing the world to the conversation. Here, culture, scholarship and social reflection come together, with room for discussion and exchange.
The event was organised by the Institute of History and Archival Studies at the University of the National Education Commission, Krakow, the Institute of History at the University of Wrocław, and the Villa Decius Institute for Culture.