Michael Aschenbrenner

Michael Aschenbrenner is an Adjunct Associate Professor of Art History at the Milwaukee Institute of Art & Design (MIAD), where he has taught continuously since 2006. His expertise spans American art and architecture, the Italian Renaissance, the Northern Renaissance, and the Medieval era. He has led month-long study-abroad courses in Florence, Italy, and delivered lectures at the Milwaukee Art Museum. A member of the American Art Society of Milwaukee, he holds an M.A. in Art History from the University of Wisconsin-Milwaukee.

• Education: M.A. in Art History, University of Wisconsin-Milwaukee

His research focuses on the intersection of philosophical, theological, and artistic ideals in historical contexts, including the Hudson River School of American painters. His graduate thesis on Frederic Edwin Church’s works has informed research at the Smithsonian American Art Museum. Aschenbrenner emphasizes immersive teaching methods, blending storytelling with historical analysis to connect past artistic cultures to contemporary perspectives.