Greetings from the Art History Program. We have had a wonderful year, and, once again, I have the privilege of sharing with you some of our recent accomplishments. As always, it is the support of our current and past students that helps make this work possible.
Our master’s degree program is now entering its third year and is still growing. Our enrollment is up to 13 master’s students, and we expect the number to keep increasing. Many of these students are former undergraduates who have returned to us, ready to take on the challenges of graduate work, and even more have come to us from programs outside of Mason.
Professors Michele Greet and Larry Butler are on research leave working on book projects this year. Right on the heels of finishing her first book, Greet was awarded a prestigious research fellowship at the Phillips Collection to begin her second book, “Transatlantic Encounters: Latin American Artists in Paris between the Wars.” Butler will split his time between teaching courses around the globe as part of the Semester at Sea Program and completing his current research on the Hagia Sophia in Istanbul. We wish them all the best with their projects.
Carol Mattusch was invited to be a guest curator for a major show of ancient Roman art at the National Gallery of Art in Washington, D.C. The show, “Pompeii and the Roman Villa: Art and Culture around the Bay of Naples,” opened this fall. Be sure not to miss it. We also have plans to invite former graduates to a walkthrough of the show led by Mattusch herself.
And, finally, it is with mixed feelings that we wish a happy retirement to Sheila ffolliott. She is a world-renowned and world-class scholar of the Renaissance whose accomplishments, professionalism, and dedication to teaching set the standard for the program. She was at Mason from the very start in 1978 and has played a central role in building the Art History Program into what it is today. Much of the success we have achieved over the years has been due to her guidance and perseverance. We will selfishly miss having her around but wish her all the best.
Also, please mark your calendars for March 5 when the Art History Program and the Art and Visual Technology Department will sponsor our third public lecture in the Visual Voices series. This year’s lecture will be given by respected art historian Lucy Lippard. I am sure it will be a captivating talk. The specifics of time and location will be given later in the term.
Robert Decaroli
Director, Art History Program