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Prof. Dr. Gabriele Rippl is a Full Professor and Chair of Literatures in English/North American Literature and Culture at the University of Bern, Switzerland, where she has served as Director of the Department of English since 2005. She previously held professorial positions at the University of Göttingen (2003-2005), and lecturing positions at the Universities of Freiburg, Zurich, Bern, Tübingen, and Bielefeld. Her extensive administrative experience includes serving as Dean of the Faculty of Humanities (2021-2023), Vice-Dean (2019-2021), and President of the Collegium generale (2007-2015) at the University of Bern. Her educational background includes a 'Habilitation' at the University of Constance (2002), a PhD in English and American Studies from the same institution (1995), and a DFG doctoral grant at the postgraduate school 'Theory of Literature and Communication' (1989-1995). She has held numerous prestigious fellowships including at Sidney Sussex College, Cambridge (2002), the University of Wales (2003), UCLA (2015), and the Center for Advanced Studies in the Humanities Morphomata Kolleg, Cologne (2017). Current Research Focus: Cultural Sustainability Key Area: Intermediality (text-picture relationships, particularly ekphrasis and eco-ekphrasis) Specialization: Anglophone world literatures across historical periods Theoretical Framework: Literary theory with emphasis on postcolonial and transcultural perspectives Additional Interests: Autobiography and life writing, literature and anthropology, seriality studies Prof. Rippl's recent publications demonstrate a clear trajectory toward environmental humanities, particularly through the lens of eco-ekphrasis, while maintaining her longstanding expertise in intermedial studies. Her work bridges literary analysis with broader cultural, ecological, and sustainability concerns, reflecting an increasingly interdisciplinary approach that connects literary studies with environmental science and cultural sustainability frameworks. The publications reveal a sophisticated integration of visual culture studies with contemporary ecological concerns, particularly in how literary texts represent and engage with environmental imperatives. 2020-present: Member and President of Specialised Committee Careers, Swiss National Research Council 2017: Fellowship at Center for Advanced Studies in the Humanities Morphomata Kolleg, Cologne 2015: Visiting Scholarship at UCLA supported by SNSF 2014-present: Member of AcademiaNet – European Expert Database of Outstanding Female Academics 2008: Fellowship at University of Western Ontario As an advisor, Prof. Rippl has supervised numerous doctoral candidates working on diverse topics including world literature, intermediality, postcolonial studies, and environmental humanities. Her current research projects include 'Anglophone Life Writing Today: Transcultural Figurations – Intermedial Constellations,' 'Mediating the Ecological Imperative: Modes and Formats of Engagement,' and interdisciplinary work on 'Cultural Sustainability.' She leads the 'Der ökologische Imperative' SNSF Sinergia project (2021-2024), which brings together scholars from English studies, art history, and social anthropology. She also serves on multiple Swiss National Science Foundation committees, demonstrating significant influence in national research policy. Prof. Rippl directs the interdisciplinary Walter-Benjamin-Kolleg research platform 'Auto_Bio_Graphie,' collaborating with Dance Studies, Spanish Literature, and Visual Anthropology. She previously led the SNF Doctoral research group on 'Seriality and Intermediality in Graphic Novels' and the project 'Cosmopolitanism and Identity in Contemporary Indian Literatures in English.' Her editorial work includes the peer-reviewed journal Anglia and the Anglia Book Series, where she has published extensively on intermediality, cultural sustainability, and world literatures.

• Cultural sustainability
• Literature and ecology
• Reception of classical antiquity in Anglophone literature
• +20 more

Sandra Hindriks is Assistant Professor of Medieval and Modern Art History with a Focus on the Netherlands and Central Europe at the University of Vienna's Faculty of History and Cultural Studies, Institute of Art History. She maintains an active research profile in Northern Renaissance art with particular expertise in 15th-16th century Netherlandish painting traditions. Her educational background includes a Doctorate from Rheinische Friedrich-Wilhelms-Universität Bonn (2015) with dissertation The 'Vlaemsche Apelles' – Jan van Eyck's Early Fame and the Dutch 'Renaissance' , supervised by Professors Roland Kanz and Dagmar Eichberger, and a Magistra Artium from the same institution (2008) in Art History, Political Science and Medieval and Modern History. Hindriks' research centers on Northern Alpine painting of the 15th and 16th centuries , with significant contributions to understanding Theories of the image and visual perception in the late Middle Ages and the early modern period . Her work demonstrates how painting interacted with contemporary philosophy and theology, particularly through her analyses of medial synthesis in altarpieces, vanitas motifs, and cognitive discovery in Dutch painting. Recent publications reveal her growing interest in followership networks like the Order of the Golden Fleece and their visual representation. Her scholarly output shows consistent focus on Jan van Eyck's legacy, visual perception theories, and the intermedial relationships between artforms. The publications span monographs, peer-reviewed journal articles, exhibition catalogues, and critical reviews, with increasing attention to cognitive approaches to visual culture since 2020. Slifka Foundation Interdisciplinary Fellowship at The Metropolitan Museum of Art (2012-2013) Doctoral scholarship from the German Academic Scholarship Foundation (2009-2012) Hindriks actively participates in professional networks including the DFG-funded 'Synagonism in the Fine Arts' (since 2017), the Graduate School 'Changing Frameworks' at University of Konstanz (since 2018), and serves as founding member of the Dutch Art and Cultural History Working Group. She is also affiliated with Historians of Netherlandish Art (HNA) and the Association of German Art Historians (VDK).

• Art History
• Northern Renaissance Art
• Netherlandish Painting
• +3 more

Mario Jorge Barroca is a Full Professor at the Faculty of Arts and Humanities, University of Porto (FLUP), where he has taught since 1983 and served as Vice-Dean since 2019. He specializes in Portuguese Medieval Archaeology, focusing on fortifications, military architecture, and epigraphy from the 9th–17th centuries. As coordinator of the 'Territories and Landscapes' research group at CITCEM, he leads projects on historical landscapes and rock-cut graves inventories. Research Interests: His work spans medieval sarcophagi, arms and armour, manor houses, and Christian epigraphy, with fieldwork including interpretive centers for castles at Guimarães, Aljubarrota, and Soure. Awards & Honors: National Defense Prize (1990) for castle studies Portuguese Institute of Heraldry Prize (2000) for Portuguese Medieval Epigraphy Honorable Mention in A. Almeida Fernandes Award (2012) Administrative Roles: Editor of PORTVGALIA archaeology journal, Director of FLUP's BA in Archaeology (2014–2019), and Scientific Council member for the Battle of Aljubarrota Foundation.

• Medieval Archaeology
• Military Architecture
• Medieval Epigraphy
• +4 more

Hans Belting (1935–2023) was a German art historian renowned for redefining art history through interdisciplinary approaches. He held professorships at the University of Hamburg, Heidelberg University, Ludwig-Maximilians-Universität München, and the Staatliche Hochschule für Gestaltung in Karlsruhe. His academic career included visiting roles at Harvard, Columbia, and the Collège de France. Belting specialized in medieval and Renaissance art, image theory, and contemporary visual culture. His seminal works include Bild und Kult (1990) and Florenz und Bagdad (2008), which explore trans-cultural visual paradigms. He received the Balzan Prize (2015) and was honored with membership in prestigious academies such as the Heidelberg Academy of Sciences. Belting’s research bridges art, religion, and science, emphasizing the social and cultural functions of images. He pioneered the concept of “image anthropology” and led projects like the Global Art and the Museum initiative. His work influenced contemporary artists and reshaped global art historiography.

• Art History
• Image Theory
• Medieval Art
• +3 more

Bernard Aikema is a leading art historian specializing in Venetian and early modern European art. He currently holds the title of full professor (professore ordinario) for art history of the early modern period at the University of Verona , appointed through an excellence chair (chiamata per chiara fama). Previously, he taught at the University of Nijmegen and held the chair for the history of Italian art at the University of Louvain. Research Focus : Venetian art (15th-18th centuries), painting and graphic arts, diffusion of the Renaissance in Europe, and methodological reflection in art history. Curatorial Contributions : Curator for major exhibitions like Jheronimus Bosch e Venezia (2017), Durer e il Rinascimento (2018), and co-organizer of scholarly exhibitions on Titian, Veronese, and Renaissance themes. Honors : Ufficiale nell’Ordine del Merito of the Italian Republic (1992) Member of Ateneo Veneto and Academia Europaea Leadership Roles : Chairman of the scientific committee at the Fondazione Centro Studi Tiziano e Cadore, director of Studi Tizianeschi , and president of the Netherlands Foundation for the Saveguarding of Venice, collaborating with UNESCO on monument preservation.

• Venetian Art
• History of Painting and Drawing in Northern Italy
• European Renaissance

Dagmar Thoss is a Lecturer at the University of Vienna's Faculty of History and Cultural Studies, affiliated with the Institute of Art History and based at the Research Lease Archive/Research Center for Medieval Book and Picture Culture. Her academic journey began at the University of Vienna in 1961 with French interpreting studies, followed by a scholarship at the University of Lausanne (1963). She later specialized in Romance Studies and Art History, earning professional translator (1965) and interpreter (1966) certifications before completing her Dr. phil. in Romance Studies (1970). Research Expertise Thoss specializes in Medieval Art History with emphasis on French and Flemish book illumination. Her research examines Gothic and Renaissance manuscript traditions, Burgundian court culture, codicology, and artistic techniques in medieval miniature painting. She has curated major exhibitions on French Gothic/Renaissance illumination and Flemish manuscript treasures. Professional Contributions As a long-term researcher at the Austrian Academy of Sciences (1970-1990s), Thoss co-directed the landmark catalog The Illuminated Manuscripts and Incunabula of the Austrian National Library , editing volumes on French and Flemish schools. She authored significant facsimile commentaries including the Black Prayer Book and Croy-Gebetbuch, establishing methodologies for stylistic analysis in Flemish illumination. Since 1992, she has taught Medieval Art History at the University of Applied Arts while continuing research at Vienna's Pächt Archive. Publications Overview Thoss's publications (1974-2018) demonstrate sustained focus on Burgundian and Flemish manuscript cultures, with recent work expanding into Southern Netherlandish Gothic traditions. Her scholarship combines meticulous codicological analysis with investigations of text-image relationships, artistic patronage, and the sociopolitical contexts of medieval book production.

• Medieval Art History
• Book Illumination
• French Gothic Art
• +3 more

Diane Bodart is the David Rosand Associate Professor of Italian Renaissance Art History at Columbia University's Department of Art History and Archaeology, where she has held progressively senior positions since 2013. She previously served as David Rosand Assistant Professor (2016-2019) and Assistant Professor of Southern Renaissance and Baroque Art (2013-2016) before achieving tenure. Prior to Columbia, she was a 'Maître de conférences' (Assistant Professor) at the University of Poitiers (2004-2013) and held teaching positions at several European institutions including the University of Marne-la-Vallée, University of Paris X, and University of Paris I. Bodart earned her 'Laurea' (B.A.) from Rome's University 'La Sapienza' in 1994, an M.A. from the School for Advanced Studies in the Social Sciences in Paris in 1996, and completed her Ph.D. at the same institution in 2003. Her doctoral dissertation, 'Pouvoirs du portrait sous les Habsbourg d'Espagne. 1500-1700' (Powers of the Portrait under the Spanish Habsburgs), was published in 2011 and received the 'Prix Eugène Carrière' silver medal from the Académie Française. Her research focuses on Art and Politics in the Spanish Habsburg Empire, Image Theory and Artistic Practice in Renaissance and Baroque Italy, and Renaissance Venice. Bodart's work explores how visual culture intersects with political power structures, with particular attention to portraiture, the body, optical phenomena, and artistic techniques. She examines how artistic practices convey authority and identity across the Renaissance and Baroque periods, frequently analyzing how visual representation serves political functions within the Spanish Habsburg territories. Her scholarly output demonstrates a consistent evolution from traditional art historical analysis toward interdisciplinary approaches that incorporate political theory, disability studies, and visual culture studies. Recent work has expanded to include contemporary art connections, as evidenced by her co-curated exhibition on scribbling and doodling from Leonardo da Vinci to Cy Twombly. 'Prix Eugène Carrière', silver medal from the Académie Française (2012) Multiple Lenfest Faculty Development Grants from Columbia University Casa Muraro Research Fellowships in Venice (2021, 2018-2019) Provost Grant for Junior Faculty Who Contributes to the Diversity Goals of the University (2017-2018) Ahmanson Fellowship at Villa I Tatti (2007-2008) Aby-Warburg-Stiftung Award, Hamburg (2003) Bodart has secured numerous research grants supporting her work on Renaissance art and Spanish Habsburg visual culture. She currently serves as Faculty Chair of Casa Muraro, Columbia University Research Center for Venetian Studies. Her collaborative projects include the joint research project 'Scribbles and Scribbling in the Early Modern Period' with Francesca Alberti and Philippe Morel. She has co-curated the exhibition 'Gribouillage/Scarabocchio. De Léonard de Vinci à Cy Twombly' (2021-2023) and organized numerous academic conferences including 'Rire en images à la Renaissance' (2012) and 'The anthropology and aesthetics of arms and armor' (2018). Her international collaborations reflect her work across European and American academic institutions, with frequent presentations at major museums and research centers including the Metropolitan Museum of Art, Yale University, Harvard University, and the Museo Nacional del Prado in Madrid.

• Art and Politics in the Spanish Habsburg Empire
• Image Theory and Artistic Practice in Renaissance and Baroque Italy
• Renaissance Venice
• +5 more

Ralph Dekoninck is a full-time Professor at the Université catholique de Louvain (UCLouvain) and Chair of the Department of Art History, Archeology and Musicology (2014–present). He co-founded the Centre for Early Modern Cultural Analysis (GEMCA) in 2006 and has held leadership roles in multiple academic institutions, including the Institute of Civilizations, Arts and Letters (2011–2012). His work bridges iconology, early-modern art theory, and Jesuit spirituality, with a focus on Antwerp engraving and Baroque festival culture. Key Research Themes: Iconology, image anthropology, Counter-Reformation visual culture, Jesuit contributions to art theory, and Baroque spectacle. Academic Leadership: Served on scientific committees for ERC grants, AERES evaluations, and the Royal Museums of Fine Arts of Belgium. Publications: Explored topics such as the role of religious images in polemics, meditative art in Northern Europe, and the interplay between sacred rites and aesthetics. His research has attracted significant funding, including grants from the Belgian Science Policy Office and the National Funds for Scientific Research (F.R.S.-FNRS). He has mentored 5 completed and 5 ongoing PhDs, all funded by major research bodies. Scientific Awards: Member of the Académie Royale de Belgique (2015) Member of the Académie Royale d’Archéologie de Belgique (2015) Honorary Chair at UCLouvain (2012) Prize Jacques Lavalleye-Coppens (2006) Frances Yates Fellowship (2000)

• Iconology
• Image Anthropology
• Early-Modern Art Theory and Image Theology
• +3 more

Jasmin Mersmann is Professor of Art History at the University of Art and Design Linz since 2019, holding a professorship within the School of Fine Arts and Cultural Studies and the Department of Art History and Art Theory / Gender Studies / Curatorial Practice. Her research spans art and cultural history from the early modern period to contemporary practices, with core focuses on historical anthropology, NatureCultures, body studies, demonology, and the intersections of art and science. Her current projects include Shaping bodies. On modeling living beings 1500–1800 , UnBinding Bodies: Lotus Feet and Corset , Deal with the Devil: On the Cultural History of the Devil's Pact , and coordination of the IMAGE+ Platform for Open Art Education. Mersmann's scholarly work demonstrates consistent engagement with bodily transformations, anamorphic techniques, and truth claims in visual culture across historical periods. Key publications include the monograph Lodovico Cigoli. Forms of Truth around 1600 (2016) and co-edited volumes such as UnBinding Bodies: On the History of Footbinding in China (2023) and Clean Cube. On the Critique of Pure Reason (2021). Her extensive essay output reveals recurring analytical threads connecting early modern scientific paradigms with contemporary artistic practices, particularly through examinations of castration, negation gestures, and devotional imagery. Mersmann's academic trajectory includes doctoral research through the Franco-German University program, postdoctoral fellowships at IKKM Weimar and IFK Vienna, and foundational contributions to the journal ilinx. Berliner Beiträge zur Kulturwissenschaft . She maintains active engagement with both theoretical frameworks and material practices in art historical scholarship.

• Art History
• Cultural History
• Gender Studies
• +7 more

Wolfgang Prohaska serves as Associate Professor at the University of Vienna's Faculty of History and Cultural Studies, Institute of Art History, while concurrently holding the position of Deputy Head of the Picture Gallery at Vienna's Kunsthistorisches Museum (KHM) since 1976. His dual institutional affiliation represents a significant bridge between academic scholarship and museum curation in art historical studies. His educational foundation includes doctoral studies under Otto Pächt at the University of Vienna (completed 1973), following interdisciplinary training in art history, history, German studies, and archaeology across Göttingen and Vienna institutions. This academic trajectory established his expertise in Baroque visual culture. Prohaska's research concentrates on Italian, Flemish and Central European Baroque Painting with specialized focus on Neapolitan artistic production and Restoration History . His scholarly approach integrates technical analysis with historical context, examining how Caravaggio's innovations spread across Europe and how Rubens' oil sketches functioned within creative processes. This dual methodology connects artistic practice with material conservation. Analysis of his publication record reveals consistent engagement with cross-cultural artistic exchanges during the Baroque period, particularly between Naples and Central Europe. His work demonstrates increasing integration of scientific examination techniques with traditional art historical analysis, as evidenced by studies spanning from Raphael's Madonna in the Meadow to 17th-century Neapolitan painting following Vesuvian eruptions. Prohaska has directed major collaborative projects including the Catalogue raisonné of Roman Baroque painting in the Kunsthistorisches Museum (2005-2009), involving the KHM restoration institute and Rome's EMMEBICI group. His international recognition is reflected through appointments as Wittkower Professor at the Bibliotheca Hertziana (2003) and guest curatorship at The Metropolitan Museum of Art (1992-1993).

• Italian, Flemish and Central European Baroque Painting
• Restoration History