Research assistant Marta Jurković took part in the annual Postgraduate and Early Career Scholars’ Conference organised by the British Society for Eighteenth-Century Studies. The conference, entitled Façades, was held at Bath Spa University on 30–31 July 2025.
She presented her paper, Sicuro, salubre, e comodo: Enlightenment Sociability and Spa Culture at the Baths of Nocera, on the first day of the conference, as part of a thematic panel on eighteenth-century Italy. In her presentation, she introduced the life and work of Miho Sorgo (1739–1796), with particular emphasis on his views concerning medical services and the sociable opportunities offered by spa towns.
The discussions were both stimulating and engaging, and international colleagues showed interest in the cultural life of eighteenth-century Dubrovnik. Marta also took the opportunity to direct interested participants to the project website for further information and updates.
Photographs and the presentation can be viewed below.
Abstract:
Much has been written about the distinct character of British spa culture. However, similar forms of sociability emerged across 18th-century Europe. Life at the baths was often highly regimented, structured around open-air physical activities like long walks and horse riding, followed by meals tailored to patients’ individual needs. At the same time, these spaces promoted social interaction, even among members of different ranks. Drawing on theoretical insights from historical praxeology, in this presentation I will apply Theodore Schatzki’s concept of “the site of the social” to the baths of Nocera in the Papal States. By examining an episode from the life of the Ragusan nobleman Michele di Sorgo [Miho Sorgo, 1739–1796], a frequent visitor to Nocera, I will argue that the baths functioned as a dynamic social site where health, leisure, and status were negotiated through spatial organisation and embodied practices. The analysis will consequently move beyond models that treat material conditions as secondary to social life and illustrate how everyday routines co-emerged with the physical setup of the baths.
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