Adrienne Baxter Bell

Adrienne Baxter Bell is Professor of Art History at Marymount Manhattan College (MMC), where she also directs the College Honors Program, Honors in the Major, and the External Student Scholarships program. She is a leading scholar in American art and cultural history, with a focus on the 19th century, George Inness, and transnational artistic movements.

• University: Marymount Manhattan College
• School: Department of Art and Art History
• Department: Art and Art History
• Academic Rank: Professor
• Email: abell@mmm.edu

Dr. Bell’s research centers on American landscape painting, spirituality in art, embodiment, and the work of overlooked figures such as Anne Hampton Brewster and Charles Caryl Coleman. Her scholarship bridges art history, American studies, and women’s studies, often exploring the intersections of art, religion, and cultural identity. She has made significant contributions to the understanding of George Inness, curating a major exhibition and authoring foundational texts on his philosophical and spiritual approach to painting.

Her recent publications and presentations reflect a sustained engagement with visionary landscapes, Gilded Age expatriates, and the role of women in art history. She is currently preparing a study of Anne Hampton Brewster and a collection of essays on women represented in museum collections worldwide.

• Key Research Areas: American Art, 19th Century Art, Tonalism, Hudson River School, Art and Spirituality, Women in Art, Art and Social Justice, Transnational Art.

Dr. Bell has received numerous accolades, including the Charlotte W. Newcombe Doctoral Dissertation Fellowship, a Teaching Excellence Award from MMC, and a Teaching Art in Context Grant from the Council of Independent Colleges. She has mentored over 100 students in internships at institutions like the Metropolitan Museum of Art, Christie’s, and Sotheby’s, and has guided students to prestigious awards including Fulbright and Boren Scholarships.

She founded and leads the Art and Anti-Racism Initiative at MMC, which supports student research on BIPOC artists, postcolonial art, and social justice. She also created and mentors students in “Marymount at the Museums,” a program that trains students in exhibition interpretation. Her teaching emphasizes experiential learning, often conducted in New York City galleries and museums.