معرفی
Paul H. D. Kaplan is Professor and Chair of the Department of Art History within the School of Humanities at Purchase College, State University of New York. He is a leading scholar in the political dimensions of Venetian Renaissance painting and the historical representation of people of African descent in Western art from the Middle Ages through the 19th century.
His research focuses on the intersection of race, identity, and visual culture across Europe and the Americas. Key areas include the iconography of the Black Magus, transatlantic racial discourse during the Civil War era, and the presence of Africans in Renaissance Venice. His work critically examines how power, empire, and religious ideology shape artistic representation.
His recent publications reflect a sustained engagement with race and representation in art history, moving from medieval typologies to contemporary curatorial interventions. These works demonstrate a trajectory from historical analysis to critical museology, particularly evident in his role in Fred Wilson’s Venice Biennale project. The recurring themes include Black agency, colonial memory, and the reclamation of marginalized narratives in art.
Selected Scientific and Scholarly Contributions:
- Author of The Rise of the Black Magus in Western Art (1985)
- Author of Contraband Guides: Race, Transatlantic Culture and the Arts in the Civil War Era (2020)
- Author of African Venice (2024)
- Contributor to The Image of the Black in Western Art, Vols. 2–4 (2010–2012)
- Project Scholar, Fred Wilson’s 'Speak of Me as I Am', 2003 Venice Biennale
Dr. Kaplan has advised numerous students and contributed to major research initiatives, though specific names of advisees are not listed. His academic leadership as department chair underscores his institutional impact. He has been involved in curatorial and interdisciplinary projects that bridge historical scholarship with contemporary artistic practice.
He is affiliated with critical race and art history research communities and continues to advance discourse through publications and public scholarship. His work is foundational in understanding the visual construction of race in Western art.
