Henri de Riedmatten

Henri de Riedmatten is an Assistant Professor at the University of Geneva and Privatdozent (equivalent to Associate Professor) at the University of Zurich, specializing in Art History with a focus on early modern European art. His academic journey spans multiple prestigious institutions including the University of Fribourg, University of Zurich, Swiss Institute in Rome, and visiting positions at Harvard University, University of Basel, Zentralinstitut für Kunstgeschichte in Munich, Bibliotheca Hertziana in Rome, and Centre André Chastel in Paris.

Dr. de Riedmatten earned his Master's degree in Philosophy from the University of Fribourg in 2004, followed by a PhD in Art History from the same institution in 2009. He completed his Habilitation in Art History at the University of Zurich in 2021. His academic career includes serving as an assistant at the University of Fribourg (2005-2008), head of the academic program at the Swiss Institute in Rome (2009-2014), postdoctoral assistant at the University of Zurich (2014-2018), and Swiss National Science Foundation scholarship professor (2018-2024).

Henri de Riedmatten's research focuses primarily on the art of the early modern period in its material and anthropological dimensions. His work explores the intersections of art history, political history, and material culture, with particular attention to iconoclasm, restoration practices, and the representation of classical myths in Renaissance and Baroque art. A central theme in his scholarship is the figure of Lucretia and her representations across different media and periods, examining how these images functioned within political and gender discourses. His research also extends to the aesthetics of the veil, transparency and opacity in Renaissance art, the myth of Narcissus, and animal representation in early modern art.

De Riedmatten's publications reveal a consistent engagement with how artworks are transformed through historical processes, particularly restoration and reinterpretation. His work demonstrates how political agendas shape artistic production and reception, with a special focus on the Italian Renaissance. He has developed innovative methodologies that combine material history with political and anthropological approaches to art historical analysis.

• Principal Investigator, Swiss National Science Foundation research project "Restoration as the Factory of Origins. A Material and Political History of Art in the Italian Renaissance" (2018-2024)

As an educator, de Riedmatten has supervised doctoral students including Mathilde Jaccard (whose thesis "The Renaissance of the Etruscans. Medicean Uses of Etruscan Myth in the 15th and 16th Centuries" was defended in 2024) and Fabio Gaffo. His teaching for Fall 2024 includes courses on "Myth and Animality in Modern Painting," "Renovatio Urbis. Papal Rome in the 15th and 16th Centuries," and "Saying and Making the Image: Theories and Artistic Productions in Italy in the 16th Century."

De Riedmatten's scholarly activities extend beyond traditional academic boundaries through his involvement with transdisciplinary research initiatives like Studio Roma, which fosters collaboration between artists, scholars, and scientists. His work exemplifies a commitment to exploring the intersections between historical analysis and contemporary artistic practices.