Ignacio Jose Garcia Zapata

Ignacio José García Zapata is a Professor of Art History at the University of Murcia, affiliated with the Faculty of Arts and Humanities and the Department of History of Art. He holds doctorates from the Universities of Bologna (Arti Visive, Performative e Mediali) and Murcia (Historia del Arte), where he also served as a predoctoral FPU researcher (2015-2019). Previously, he was Assistant Professor at the University of Granada and currently holds a permanent faculty position at the University of Murcia.

Education:

• PhD in Visual, Performative, and Media Arts (University of Bologna)
• PhD in Art History (University of Murcia, with Extraordinary Award)

Research Interests:

His work focuses on decorative and sumptuary arts, particularly silver craftsmanship in the Early Modern period, ephemeral celebrations, devotional sculpture in Toledo, Granada, and Bologna, and artistic exchanges between Spain/Italy and New Spain/the Iberian Peninsula. Key themes include guild dynamics, transatlantic patronage, and liturgical art preservation.

Academic Contributions:

He co-leads the 'Artes Suntuarias' research group at the University of Murcia and participates in projects funded by Spain’s Ministry of Science and regional agencies. Notable publications include monographs on Murcian silversmith guilds (e.g., *El Gremio y ajuares de platería en el Reino de Murcia*) and edited volumes like *Estudios de Platería*. He has curated exhibitions such as 'Cervantes a Bologna' (2017) and 'El arte de la platería en Lorca' (2020).

Grants & Projects:

Active in projects like 'De la desamortización a la auto-desamortización' (PID2020-115154GB-I00) and innovation initiatives at both universities. His work intersects with cultural heritage management and academic outreach.