Todd Larkin

Dr. Todd Larkin is a Professor of Art History at Montana State University (MSU), affiliated with the School of Art within the College of Arts & Architecture. His research focuses on 17th- to 19th-century European art and visual culture, particularly examining political portraiture, Marie-Antoinette’s identity construction, and transnational cultural exchanges. He holds a B.A. from San Jose State University (1990), M.A. and Ph.D. from the University of California, Santa Barbara (1994, 2000).

His major works include monographs like In Search of Marie-Antoinette in the 1930s (2019) and What Ever Happened to the U.S. Congress’ State Portraits of Louis XVI and Marie-Antoinette? (2021). He has curated exhibitions such as Northeastern Asia and the Northern Rockies (2025) and organized conferences on topics like Asian migrant representations. His research integrates archival work, collaborative curation, and public scholarship.

Awarded grants from the Terra Foundation, Henry Luce Foundation, and Samuel H. Kress Foundation, Larkin’s work bridges academic rigor with public engagement. He has served as Graduate Coordinator for MSU’s Art History M.A. Program (2009-2020, 2023-2024) and teaches courses on Baroque art, revolutionary-era art, and art historiography. His recent projects include a magnum opus on Marie-Antoinette’s portraits and ongoing collaborative research on trans-Pacific art histories.

• Key Awards: Milestones in Service Award (2021), Terra Foundation Grants (2013, 2022)
• Grants: Funded projects on Marie-Antoinette’s historiography, political portraiture, and Asian migrant art
• Collaborations: Co-organized 2024 conference on Asian migrants’ art with Dr. Hua Li; co-curated 2025 Yellowstone Art Museum exhibition with Dr. Stephen Little