Sam Rose

Dr. Sam Rose is a Senior Lecturer in Art History at the University of St Andrews' School of Art History. He specializes in modern art theory, focusing on interpretation, formalism, and the interplay between art history and aesthetics. His research explores methodologies such as 'close looking' and the publication history of art writing. He has authored influential books like Interpreting Art (2022) and Art and Form (2019), challenging traditional historiographical frameworks.

His academic work spans global modernism, post-impressionism, and figures like David Hockney and Walter Sickert. At St Andrews, he teaches courses on art writing, modern British art, and global modernism surveys. Beyond academia, he served on the editorial board of Art History (2017-2024) and the British Association for Modernist Studies' Executive Steering Committee (2016-2019).

Research Interests

• Modernist formalism and its global dimensions
• Art interpretation methodologies
• Relations between art history and aesthetics
• Peer review practices in humanities
• Post-impressionism's transnational legacy

Professional Roles

• Member of the Centre for Contemporary Art and Institute for Museums, Heritage and Society
• PhD supervisor for Hemdat Kislev and Anne Renahan

His recent publications (2022-2023) emphasize reinterpreting post-impressionism’s global reach and formalism’s communicative potential. Earlier works (2017-2019) address perception theories and the role of aesthetics in interdisciplinary discourse.