Catherine Harding

Catherine Harding is an Associate Professor and Acting Associate Dean in the Department of Art History and Visual Studies at the University of Victoria. She holds a BA from McGill University and MA/PhD from University College London. Her career spans teaching roles at McGill University, Queen’s University (1992 and earlier), and the University of Victoria since 1992, with a focus on Medieval Studies and late medieval/early Renaissance art.

• Education: BA (McGill), MA/PhD (London)
• Affiliations: University of Victoria, Queen’s University, McGill University

Her research explores Gothic Art and Architecture in Europe, medieval cosmographical diagrams, pilgrimage relics in Italy, and the material culture of doubt. She investigates how images functioned as information systems in pre-modern Europe and contributes to pre-modern feminist theory. Her teaching includes the capstone 4th-year course and AHVS Undergraduate Research Poster Fair.

Her publications analyze text-image relations in works by Brunetto Latini and Francesco da Barberino, façade mosaics in Rome and Orvieto, and comparative Mediterranean material culture. Current projects examine doubt and belief in medieval Orvieto. She served as President (2005-2010) and Past President (2011) of the Universities Art Association of Canada (UAAC) and as Editor-in-Chief of RACAR (2012-2014).

• Scientific Awards:
  • President, UAAC (2005-2010)
  • Past President, UAAC (2011)
  • Editor-in-Chief, RACAR (2012-2014)
  • Editor, RACAR (2014-2016)
  • Grants Facilitator, Faculty of Fine Arts (2009-2014)