Paul Benjamin

Paul Benjamin is an Associate Professor of Art History at Rutgers University, specializing in Italian Renaissance art with a focus on Venetian architecture and painting of the early 16th century. He holds a Ph.D. from Harvard University and has published extensively, including the book Nuns and Reform Art in Early Modern Venice (2012) and an edited volume on late Cinquecento Venice (2014). His research explores themes such as ducal tombs, semiotics of style, and art’s role in political and religious reform. He curates exhibitions, including Wolfgang Tillmans’ first U.S. solo show, and contributes to Artforum and Springerin.

Benjamin teaches courses on Venetian art, the High Renaissance, and methodologies of art history. His current projects include a monograph on Jacopo Tintoretto and a study on art’s agency in post-Lepanto Venice. His work bridges historical scholarship with contemporary art critique, emphasizing Venice’s cultural dynamics and material culture.