Chair of Early Modern and Modern Art History. Focus on the survival of Antiquity
Prof. Arnold Nesselrath (page in German)
This professorship was established in 1995 with the transfer of the Census of Antique Works of Art and Architecture Known in the Renaissance to Humboldt-Universität, and was combined with managing the Census. Arnold Nesselrath, who has been Director of the Census since 1981, was entrusted with the professorship . The focuses of his research and teaching include the reception of Antiquity and Italian art history from Late Antiquity to the present day. His interests cover all artistic genres: from drawing to miniature, easel and mural painting or sculpture right up to architecture and image topics such as images “not painted by human hands”.
Arnold Nesselrath is also director of the Department of Byzantine, Medieval and Modern Art at the Vatican Museums in Rome and is responsible for restoring significant artworks such as the mosaics in Santa Maria Maggiore, the Raphael Rooms or Bernini’s Colonnades. The teaching sessions are therefore held in block seminars alternating in Berlin and Rome. The seminars in Rome give the students from Berlin an opportunity to do in-depth work locally and on original works. The insight into restoration work not only offers an opportunity to see objects up close, but also opens up a particular methodological approach while taking into account conservation and interpretive aspects. This opens up a range of current questions and topics which Master’s and PhD students can tackle. Within the scope of the Chair, Census research staff also offer courses, particularly on the reception of Antiquity.