History of Art Seminar Series

The Department of the History of Art hosts lectures, symposia, and workshops throughout the academic year, with the support of generous donors and friends of the department. The History of Art Seminar Series hosts monthly talks by academic and museum colleagues whose work illuminates questions at the heart of our discipline.

Past seminar series included lectures by Beate Fricke, Elizabeth Marlowe, Michael Cole, Sven Dupré, Verity Platt, Saloni Mathur, Diane Bodart, Sarah Guérin, Sylvia Houghteling, and Jesús Escobar. The department has also welcomed and co-hosted, in symposia, workshops, or individual talks, colleagues including Shigehisa Kuriyama, Reiko Tomii, Michelle Kuo, Kevin Tervala, Maria Gough, Joan Kee, Yael Rice, ShiPu Wang, and Milette Gaifman.  

Caplan-Rosen Lecture 

Each Spring, the department invites a distinguished modern and contemporary art historian to give the Caplan-Rosen Lecture, established in 1989 to honor Dr. Israel Rosen and continuing today with the generous support of longtime friend of the department, Connie Caplan. Past Caplan-Rosen lecturers include Pamela Lee, Molly Nesbit, Mary Roberts, Michael Leja, Darby English, and Carol Armstrong. 

Distinguished Lecture in the Art of the Ancient Americas 

The department also hosts the annual Distinguished Lecture in the Art of the Ancient Americas, bringing scholarly attention to the visual culture of Mesoamerica and the Andes. Past Distinguished Lecturers include Colin McEwan, Joanne Pillsbury, Mary Ellen Miller, Carolyn Dean, Stephen Houston, and Charles Stanish.