Frank Zöllner

Frank Zöllner is a Visiting Professor in the Department of Art & Archaeology. His research bridges Renaissance art theory, GDR art analysis, and methodological debates inspired by Aby Warburg. He earned his Ph.D. from the University of Hamburg and held an Aby Warburg Fellowship at the Warburg Institute in London. His scholarship emphasizes rigorous source study and visual evidence, particularly in Leonardo da Vinci studies and controversies like the Salvator Mundi attribution.

Key research areas include Renaissance humanism, optical theory in art, and the intersection between architectural anthropomorphism and political aesthetics. Recent work examines Aby Warburg’s methodology and its contemporary relevance.

Publications span monographs on Leonardo’s expression techniques to analyses of East German socialist art. His 2019 catalog of Leonardo's works remains a landmark resource. Awards include the prestigious Aby Warburg Fellowship.

Zöllner’s teaching philosophy prioritizes scholarly rigor and attention to visual detail, reflected in his pedagogical approach and publications. He has held visiting appointments at multiple institutions and continues active research into Renaissance art’s methodological frameworks.