معرفی
Janetta Rebold Benton is Distinguished Professor of Art History at Pace University, affiliated with the Dyson College of Arts and Sciences and the Art Department at the Pleasantville campus. She holds advanced degrees from Harvard, Brown, George Washington, and Cornell Universities. Her academic work spans decades of scholarship in medieval and Renaissance art, with a unique focus on iconography, humor, and fantastic creatures such as gargoyles.
Her research interests include Medieval and Renaissance Art History, Iconography, and Humor in Visual Culture. She explores the symbolic meanings of fantastical imagery in architectural and manuscript contexts, bringing scholarly depth to underexamined aspects of visual narrative. Her interdisciplinary approach bridges art, literature, and cultural anthropology.
Recent publications such as How to Understand Art (2021) and Andy Warhol: King of Pop (2020) reflect her ability to connect historical art with modern and contemporary visual expression. These works demonstrate a trajectory from medieval symbolism to modern iconography, emphasizing continuity in how art communicates meaning across time.
Scientific Awards:
- Fulbright Scholar Award (China, 2018)
- Fulbright Senior Scholar Award (Russia, 2012)
- Dyson College Excellence in Scholarship Award and Grant (2011)
- Award for Outstanding Faculty Member, Pace University (2004)
- Distinguished Professor, Pace University (2004)
- Dyson College Distinguished Achievement Award for Distinguished Faculty (2004)
- Joseph E. Houle Award
Dr. Benton has served in significant academic and administrative roles, including Acting Chair of the Art Department and Director of the Pforzheimer Honors College. She has reviewed books for publishers such as University of Chicago Press and Wiley-Blackwell, and grant proposals for the Fulbright Commission. She is actively involved in professional service through the International Center of Medieval Art, where she served on the Board of Directors for three years.
She is affiliated with major institutions such as the Metropolitan Museum of Art and the Guggenheim Museum, and frequently lectures for the Smithsonian Associates and 92nd Street Y. She also speaks on cultural tours sponsored by the Smithsonian and the Met, extending her scholarly reach beyond the classroom.
