Sebastian Schütze

Sebastian Schütze is a distinguished Professor of Modern Art History at the University of Vienna, where he also serves as Rector. He is affiliated with the Institute of Art History within the Faculty of History and Cultural Studies. His academic career spans prestigious institutions across Europe and North America, including significant roles at the Bibliotheca Hertziana (Max Planck Institute) and Queen's University in Canada.

Dr. Schütze's research focuses on Italian art of the early modern period, particularly examining art patronage in Papal Rome, Naples as an artistic center, Spanish art of the Siglo de Oro, and the social history of artists. His work uniquely bridges art history with literary studies, with special attention to interactions between art and literature around 1900 (particularly Nietzsche, George, Rilke, and Hofmannsthal) and collection history.

His scholarly output reveals consistent engagement with Baroque art, Caravaggio studies, Bernini research, and Neapolitan painting traditions. These publications demonstrate his expertise in both Italian and Central European art contexts, with particular attention to cultural transfer between Naples, Vienna, and other Central European centers.

• Member of the Austrian Academy of Sciences
• Scientific Advisory Board member for numerous international journals and institutions
• Curator for major international exhibitions including those at the Albertina, National Gallery of Canada, and Bundeskunsthalle Bonn
• Recipient of the Hanno and Ilse Hahn Prize (1998) and Daria Borghese Prize (2008)

As an educator, Professor Schütze has supervised numerous doctoral and master's students, establishing a significant academic lineage in art history. He co-directs the international study course 'Theory and Practice of Drawing' with the Albertina and leads the Vienna Center for the History of Collecting, demonstrating his commitment to both scholarly research and institutional development in the field of art history.