Rachel Wise

Rachel Wise is a Visiting Assistant Professor of Art at Vassar College, specializing in early modern art history with a focus on northern Europe. Her research interrogates political and religious disarray, scarcity, and cultures of memory during the 16th and 17th centuries.

Education:

• PhD, University of Pennsylvania (2020)
• MA, Brigham Young University

Rachel’s scholarly work bridges material culture studies and historical trauma, analyzing objects like linen damask, Goltzius’s prints, and counting jetons to reveal societal anxieties during the Eighty Years’ War. Her teaching includes courses on the Northern Renaissance, Northern Baroque, and art in times of war.

Scientific Awards:

• Belgian American Educational Foundation Fellowship (2021)
• Dr. Anton C.R. Dreesmann Fellowship, Rijksmuseum
• Andrew W. Mellon-funded Fellowship, Philadelphia Museum of Art

At Vassar since 2025, she continues to explore intersections of art, memory, and conflict in early modern Europe.