Paul Smith

Professor Paul Smith is a distinguished faculty member in the Department of History of Art at the University of Warwick, where he has been since 2005. He holds the title of Professor and is actively engaged in research and teaching, currently on research leave. He has held visiting positions at UC Berkeley, the Getty Research Institute, and the Clark Institute, reflecting his international academic presence.

Education:

• PhD in Art History, Courtauld Institute of Art, supervised by Robert Ratcliffe
• Undergraduate degree, University College London, taught by philosopher Richard Wollheim

Paul Smith's research centers on 19th-century French painting, with deep expertise in Cezanne, Manet, Impressionism, Seurat, and Baudelaire. He integrates art history with philosophy (especially Wittgenstein and phenomenology), neuroscience, and color theory. A major current focus is the science and perception of colored shadows, and he is co-editing The Blackwell Companion to Colour. His interdisciplinary approach bridges aesthetics, visual theory, and cognitive science.

His recent publications reflect a strong trend toward the intersection of art and science, particularly in visual perception. Articles like 'Looking Slowly with Cezanne' and 'Painting, Science, and the Perception of Coloured Shadows' demonstrate a sustained inquiry into how artists see and represent the world, informed by psychology and philosophy.

Scientific Awards and Grants:

• Leverhulme Major Research Fellowship (2021–2023) for 'Unfolding Vision: Cezanne’s way of seeing'
• Funding from AHRC, Leverhulme Trust, and British Academy

Paul Smith has supervised numerous PhD students on topics including Baudelaire, Barnett Newman, visual poetry, and Cezanne (many AHRC-funded). He currently supervises research on Georges Petit and Venetian color, though he is no longer accepting new PhD candidates. His research is supported by significant grants and collaborations with major institutions.

He works closely with museums and galleries worldwide, contributing essays to exhibitions at the Musée Granet, Courtauld Galleries, Museum of Fine Arts Budapest, National Gallery of Art (Washington DC), and the upcoming 2025 exhibition at the Juan March Foundation in Madrid. He is also involved in the online Cezanne catalogue for the Art Institute of Chicago.