Anne Heath

Dr. Anne Heath serves as Professor of Art History and Department Chair at Hope College, where she has taught since 2007. Her instruction spans Introduction to Art History through specialized courses in Medieval, Islamic, Renaissance, and Baroque art and architecture, all emphasizing global perspectives and hands-on engagement with art objects through research projects and professional training at the Kruizenga Art Museum.

Her educational foundation includes a Ph.D. in History of Art and Architecture from Brown University (2005), an M.A. in History of Art and Criticism from Florida State University (1998), and a B.A. in Art History and German from the University of Maine (1992).

Heath's research centers on the social, political, and spiritual dimensions of pre-modern art and architecture, with specialization in Gothic structures and monastic visual culture. She pioneers sensory studies in art history, examining how medieval spaces activated multiple senses to shape worship, identity, and power dynamics. Her work integrates archaeological fieldwork (including excavations in Italy and France) with extensive archival research supported by major foundations.

Her publication trajectory reveals deepening focus on the Benedictine Abbey of La Trinité in Vendôme, evolving from studies of Auxerre's religious topography to multisensory analyses of the Holy Tear relic cult. Recent works demonstrate interdisciplinary convergence of architectural history, performance studies, and digital reconstruction.

Major recognitions include the National Endowment for the Humanities Summer Stipend (2022) and service on the International Center of Medieval Art Board (2019-2022). Her grant portfolio features repeated Hope College Faculty-Student Collaborative Grants (Borgeson and Nyenhuis programs, 2008-2019) and the Great Lakes Colleges Association Expanding Collaborations Initiative (2014).

A dedicated mentor, Heath received Hope College's Mellon Scholars Excellence in Mentoring Award (2013) and actively involves students in her research. She directs an ongoing digital project reconstructing La Trinité's architecture, visual culture, and liturgical music through interactive maps and sound recordings, exemplifying her commitment to collaborative, experiential scholarship.