Barbara Baert

Barbara Baert is a Professor Ordinarius at the University of Leuven specializing in Iconology, Medieval Art, and Art Theory & Analysis. She founded the Iconology Research Group (2006) and the academic series Studies in Iconology and Art&Religion.

Research Interests: Her work bridges medieval visual culture, gender studies, and art-anthropology intersections. Key projects include interdisciplinary analyses of biblical narratives (John 20:17, Matthew 9:20-22) and sensory dimensions of medieval art.

Publications: Her research appears in A1/peer-reviewed journals across religious art, visual studies, and textile history. Notable monographs include Caput Joannis in Disco (2012) and Pneuma and the Visual Arts (2015).

Awards:

• Francqui Prize (2016)
• Member ad vitam of the Royal Academy of Sciences of Belgium (2014)

Collaborations: She works with international scholars across disciplines, including James Elkins, Jeffrey Hamburger, and Gerhard Wolf, and has held senior fellowships at institutions like IKKM Weimar (2015).