Alberto Virdis

Alberto Virdis is a Postdoctoral Fellow at the Michalsky Department of the Bibliotheca Hertziana – Max Planck Institute for Art History in Rome, specializing in medieval stained glass and color theory. Previously, he held postdoctoral positions at Masaryk University's Center for Early Medieval Studies (2020-2025), where he directed Czech Science Foundation and Marie Curie projects.

His educational background includes:

• PhD (2019) from University of Cagliari and University of Parma
• Additional training at Johns Hopkins University

Dr. Virdis pioneers research on pre-Romanesque stained glass (5th-12th centuries), challenging the misconception that stained glass originated with Gothic architecture. His work reconstructs early medieval visual culture through archaeological glass fragments, written sources, and aesthetic theory—focusing on color symbolism, fragmentation concepts, and Mediterranean connections. Current projects analyze technical transitions in glassblowing and the emergence of narrative glazing.

His notable recognition includes:

• Marie Curie Fellowship (CZ, seal of excellence)

Dr. Virdis has secured competitive funding as Principal Investigator for Czech Science Foundation projects and published the monograph 'Colors in Medieval Art' (2023). While not directly supervising students, he collaborates with senior faculty on interdisciplinary research. His work with Corpus Vitrearum Medii Aevi Italia integrates material studies with art historical analysis to redefine early medieval artistic practices.

He leads the 'Inside the Window' project at the Bibliotheca Hertziana, employing comparative methodology across archaeology, theology, and material science to examine how fragmented evidence reconstructs lost artistic traditions—particularly investigating connections between cloisonné jewelry techniques and early stained glass production.