Michael Koortbojian

Michael Koortbojian is the M. Taylor Pyne Professor of Art and Archaeology at Princeton University, specializing in Roman art, Hellenistic art, and Renaissance antiquarianism. He previously held the Nancy H. and Robert E. Hall Professorship in the Humanities at Johns Hopkins University and taught at the University of Toronto. His research focuses on Roman sarcophagi, text-image relationships, historical imagery as ideology, and the historiography of classical studies.

Education: Ph.D. in Art History from Columbia University (1991).

Research Interests: Koortbojian examines Roman art's role in historical narratives, including the systematic study of antiquity by Renaissance scholars. He investigates how ancient artifacts like sarcophagi reflect societal values and political propaganda. Current projects include a book on spatial representation in Roman relief sculpture and its impact on art historiography.

Awards & Grants: Fellowships from the Warburg Institute, King's College Cambridge, and the American Academy in Rome. Recipient of grants from the Kress Foundation, Mellon Foundation, and Social Sciences and Humanities Research Council of Canada.

Teaching & Academic Roles: Teaches undergraduate courses on Roman sculpture, architecture, and painting, along with advanced graduate seminars on topics like historical relief and provincial monuments. Serves on Princeton's Committee for the Study of Late Antiquity, Program in the Ancient World, and Italian Studies.曾 served as advisor for the National Gallery of Art's Center for Advanced Study in the Visual Arts.

Future Work: Preparing to teach ART 203: “Roman Art” starting Fall 2023. Research focuses on the intersection of space, relief sculpture, and historiography in Roman art.