معرفی
Markus Ritter is a full Professor of Islamic Art History and Head of the Institute of Art History at the University of Vienna's Faculty of History and Cultural Studies. He has held this position since August 2012, following an Assistant Professorship at the University of Zurich (2010-2012) and research work at the Austrian Academy of Sciences (2004-2009). His academic career spans over two decades of dedicated scholarship in Islamic art history.
Professor Ritter's research focuses on Islamic architecture, particularly typology and iconography in Iran from the early Middle Ages to the 19th century, early medieval Arab palace construction, architectural decoration, and columned mosques. His visual art research encompasses wall painting, book illustration, and ruler iconography, with special interest in transfer and adaptation processes, particularly Islamic art in European contexts (collecting history and reception) and the history of Islamic art historiography.
Ritter's scholarly output demonstrates consistent engagement with both historical and contemporary aspects of Islamic art. His recent publications explore topics ranging from Umayyad palace architecture to the reception of Islamic art in European historicism, reflecting his broad chronological and geographical expertise. His work often examines architectural elements like glass floors in Abbasid palaces, luster tile panels, and manuscript illumination, connecting technical analysis with cultural interpretation.
Among his notable recognitions are the 2012 Farabi Award and the 2007 European Award for Iranian Studies. He serves as Chairman of the Ernst Herzfeld Society for the Study of Islamic Art and Archaeology (since 2017), sits on the Academic Advisory Board of the Institute for Islamic Studies (since 2013), and is a Member of the Advisory Board of the Swiss Asia Society (since 2010).
Professor Ritter actively supervises numerous graduate students, with several Master's and Doctoral theses completed under his guidance and others currently in progress. His teaching includes courses on Islamic art history, with recent offerings for 2025W including Art History Survey III, Thesis Seminar, Islamic Art in Israel and the Syrian Lands, and Case Study on Islamic Architecture in Historic Photographs.
