Matthias Müller

Matthias Müller is a full Professor of Art History at the Institute of Art History within the Faculty of History and Cultural Studies at Johannes Gutenberg University Mainz. He holds numerous leadership roles including Chairman of the State Advisory Board for Monument Preservation of Rhineland-Palatinate since 2023, Spokesperson for the research platform 'Early Modern History' at Mainz University since 2019, and Chairman of the Rudolstadt Working Group for Residence Culture since 2017.

His research spans medieval and early modern art history with particular focus on architectural representation, cultural memory, political iconography, and courtly residence cultures. Müller's work examines how architecture functioned as political metaphor in European royal courts, with special attention to the interplay between visual forms, historical consciousness, and spatial organization in shaping power structures from the Middle Ages to contemporary memory practices.

Müller's scholarly output reveals consistent engagement with residence cities as sites of political negotiation, where architectural forms served as vehicles for dynastic memory and territorial integration. His publications demonstrate expertise in analyzing how rulers used built environments to construct identity, with particular strength in examining the symbolic dimensions of architectural spaces across temporal boundaries.

• Schinkel-Preis 2005 for exhibition 'Schinkel und seine Schüler'
• Leadership in major research initiatives including SFB initiative 'Figurations of the National'
• Extensive service on scientific advisory boards across European institutions

Müller directs multiple large-scale research projects examining medieval and early modern court cultures, including DFG-funded studies on Dresden's 17th-18th century garden theater and the Dresden Kunstkammer. His work with the 'Network for Cultural Heritage Protection Ukraine' has coordinated over 400 transports of endangered cultural artifacts worth 6 million euros. Müller leads interdisciplinary teams exploring the intersections of architecture, political representation, and sensory experience in historical contexts.

His institutional leadership extends to directing the Mainz branch of the Göttingen Academy's long-term project 'Residence Cities in the Old Empire (1300-1800)' and coordinating international research networks focused on medieval architecture in the Baltic region.