Yusen Yu

Dr. Yusen Yu is a Lecturer in Iranian Islamic Art History at the School of Art History, University of St Andrews. He joined in 2021 following a research fellowship at Corpus Christi College, Oxford. His academic journey includes studies in History, Persian Studies, and Islamic Art History across China, Iran, and the UK, culminating in a PhD from Heidelberg University, Germany.

Education:

• PhD in Islamic Art History, Heidelberg University, Germany
• Research Fellowship, Corpus Christi College, Oxford
• Studies in History, Persian Studies, and Islamic Art History (China, Iran, UK)

Research Interests:

• Early and medieval Islamic art and culture, focusing on the Persian-speaking world during the Mongol and Timurid/Turkmen periods
• Reception of Chinese objects in Persianate contexts
• Cultural history of the caliphal period (650–1250 CE)
• Art and technology, comparative medieval studies

Teaching:

• Iranian and Islamic art history (late antiquity to 19th century)
• Art and culture in Mongol Eurasia and Timurid studies
• Approaches to book history and cross-cultural medieval comparisons

Publications: Dr. Yu’s work explores cross-cultural exchanges, particularly between China and the Islamic world. His articles and chapters analyze material culture, such as Ming-era diplomatic gifts, Persian painting symbolism, and Chinese paper’s impact on Persian book arts. His research bridges historical periods, from the Arab caliphate to Timurid-era artistic innovations.

Professional Activities:

• Invited lectures at Silsila: Center for Material Histories (NYU, 2023) and SOAS, London (2022)
• Participant in the Iran and Persianate Culture in the Indian Ocean World conference (2022)