Julio Macián Ferrandis

Julio Macián Ferrandis is a researcher and faculty member at the University of Alicante, affiliated with the Department of Medieval History, Modern History and Historiographic Techniques within the Faculty of Geography and History. He holds a PhD in Medieval History from the Universitat de València, awarded in 2022 for his comprehensive thesis on inscriptions in Valencian painting from 1238 to 1579.

His research lies at the intersection of paleography, art history, and the history of written culture, focusing on how texts function within visual art, particularly religious paintings. His work explores themes such as the legibility, visibility, and symbolic intent of inscriptions, the multilingual environment of medieval Valencia, and the role of writing in shaping religious and societal messages. He examines script types, textual sources (biblical, liturgical, patristic), and the agents involved in the production of epigraphs, including patrons, painters, and cultural intermediaries.

His recent publications reflect a strong chronological and thematic coherence, analyzing the use of religious texts in art, the evolution of writing styles, and the cultural significance of inscriptions across the late medieval and early modern periods in the Valencian region. He has contributed to journals and collective volumes on topics ranging from the Credo in altarpieces to the graphic Renaissance led by the Macip-Joanes workshop.

Julio Macián Ferrandis's scholarly approach integrates theoretical frameworks such as the iconicity of writing, textual agentivity, and epigraphic intention, drawing from both Spanish and international (particularly French) academic traditions. His work emphasizes that inscriptions in art are not merely informative but performative and symbolic, serving to make words present in space and time, often beyond the need for actual reading.

He collaborates with scholars such as Alfredo García Femenia and contributes actively to interdisciplinary dialogues in Medieval Studies, Manuscript Studies, and the history of literacy. While no formal advising or awards are listed in the provided material, his extensive publication record and academic affiliation confirm his active and significant role in the field of medieval cultural history.