Department of Art History

Our approach is broadly interdisciplinary, theoretically informed, and grounded in close historical and visual analysis. We seek to understand the multiplicity of meanings carried by images and objects, both at the time of their making and for later generations. Our work is guided by a critical awareness of how past and current practices in scholarship and collecting inform what we study.

Active as scholars and curators, our faculty members are committed to sharing their academic knowledge and professional skills. Through formal instruction and mentoring, we prepare students to enter the community of scholars and professionals engaged in the study of art and visual culture. 

In our undergraduate and graduate programs, students build critical thinking, research, and writing skills. These skills directly prepare them for careers in academia and museums, as well as  providing  a solid foundation for other career paths and other areas of advanced graduate study.

Our graduates go on to study at the master’s and doctoral levels or to careers in museums and galleries. They find positions ranging from collections management, education, and development to curator. Undergraduate and master’s students have gone on to study at the University of Virginia, Northwestern and Johns Hopkins, among other institutions. Alumni work at museums and cultural institutions in the Richmond area, in Virginia, across the nation and beyond.