19th c european art

[loubun85]

Hi everyone,

I'm applying to programs with an interest in 19th century European art (specifically French and German). I've narrowed my list of schools down to the following, but was wondering if anyone had any other suggestions?

UChicago: Martha Ward

Northwestern: Hollis Clayson

Duke: Patricia Leighten

Chapel Hill: Mary Sheriff

CUNY: Patricia Mainardi

IFA-NYU: Linda Nochlin

Stanford: Michael Marrinan

I majored in Art History in UG, and wrote my thesis on a painting by Manet. Since graduating I have been been working at a prominent art gallery (5 years now)...Not sure how much this will hurt my chances.

Any advice is much appreciated! Thank you!

[abdefghijkl]

Working at an art gallery is an advantage, I would think. When we do admissions in my Department we are always interested in people who have worked in the field (which for yours would be an art gallery, for us it would be a museum or tv production or newspaper or archive) and thus will have lots of life experience and insight that will produce a more clever thesis (potentially) since you've lived a bit. In fact, if there is a way to incorporate your work at the gallery into the story you tell in your statement of intent in your application, do so. It will make you and your personality stand out. Broadly speaking, admission committees like to admit students that seem like interesting people who will enhance the intellectual culture of the department.

All the schools you've listed are obviously excellent. I would note though: it's a good idea to apply to programs where you'd have more than one potential supervisor, just in case the one you've chosen to work with becomes ill, moves to another school, drives you crazy... or your research interests change and you just need a different supervisory expertise.

Best of luck with those apps. I love Linda Nochlin's work...

[oh_la_la]

On that list should probably also be:

University of Michigan: Susan Siegfried/Howard Lay

UC Berkeley: Darcy Grigsby

Columbia: Anne Higonnet, Jonathan Crary

also: FYI, Linda Nochlin is going to be retiring soon...You might also think about Nancy Troy at Stanford, not just Marrinan.

[loubun85]

Thank you for the advice, this is all very helpful! I'll definitely look into the Michigan and Berkeley programs a bit more.

Also, good to know that the gallery work won't hinder me. I was nervous since it's a contemporary art gallery and I want to study 19th c. art.

Thanks again!

[d1991]

Daniel Sherman at UNC is also great in addition to Mary Sheriff. He's a great scholar of all things French, especially 19th century modernism.

[jakebarnes]

What about Ewa Lajer-Burcharth at Harvard, or Michael Fried at John Hopkins?

[mooncake88]

Nochlin retired at the end of this year. Looks like you have a solid list though, so good luck!

[trompel'oeil]

Susan Sidlauskas at Rutgers, Christiane Hertel and Steven Levine at Bryn Mawr, June Hargrove at University of Maryland, and Elizabeth Childs at Washington University in St. Louis are all 19thc. European scholars who have done/are doing some fantastic work.

You probably already know this, but it is important to note that even within 19th c. European art, there are many different possible research areas. These programs are going to want to see if you have more specific focused areas of interest within this period, especially for a PhD. The scholars on your list may have different (perhaps even conflicting) approaches, methodologies, preferred topics of research. When you reach out to your various PoIs and when you write your SoPs, make sure to adapt your essay for each program to present yourself as best a match as possible.

I hope this made sense. Feel free to ask me any more questions...Good Luck!

[2013app]

Hello,

I'm not sure if you're still determining your list, but I if you're still interested in Manet (or, even if you're not!), I'd definitely recommend applying to Yale to work with Carol Armstrong. Her most famous book is Manet/Manette, and she is one of the strongest in the 19th c. field.

Good luck with your applications!

[loubun85]

Hi 2013app: Yes, I LOVE Carol Armstrong's work and am very familiar with Manet/Manette! I applied a few years back to Yale's program and didn't get in, however, so I am looking into other programs for this round. Thanks for the suggestion, though!

Does anyone know if Abigail Solomon-Godeau is still teaching at UCSB? I would imagine that she is about ready to retire, but if anyone has heard otherwise please let me know.

I'm planning on sending her an e-mail but may not hear from her...

Thanks!

Edited August 17, 2012 by loubun85

[2013app]

Hi loubun85,

I don't know about Abigail Solomon-Godeau...but did you see that Pat Mainardi retired? good luck!! I'm just starting this process myself, albeit a bit late in the game

[loubun85]

Hi 2013app,

It seems like so many great professors are retiring this year

Where are you applying to? I've altered my list considerably since my initial post. I'm trying to find two "easier" programs to get into but I'm having a hard time with it.

[ameshu205]

If you haven't considered them already, may I suggest adding Margaret Werth and Nina Kallmyer (University of Delaware) to your list? Best of luck to all!

[2013app]

Hi loubun85,

I'm still figuring out my list of where to apply...I am thinking about both terminal Masters and PhD programs, and am probably more interested in early 20th century than 19th century strictly, so I still have some thinking to do...AH!!

I definitely agree with ameshu205 about Margaret Werth and Nina Kallmyer at Delaware! They are both really terrific. I met them earlier this year and they are so nice--also Liz Childs from WashU was wonderful, too. All the suggestions on here have been great -- thank you!

Also, have you thought about Terry Dolan at Temple?

Good luck to all!

[anonymousbequest]

Solomon-Godeau retired from UCSB, and in any case she was notorious for driving students away (and crazy). If you become interested in Liz Childs at Washington University, do look into that program very carefully. On the surface it seems like it should be fine--good (although small) faculty, full-funding incluiding summer stipends, lots of funded travel opportunities, but it has some serious idiosyncracies. Childs's husband John Klein also teaches at WashU and works on Matisse (and I mean ONLY on Matisse), but could be another member of your committee. I like Hollis and from my intereactions with her I'd guess that she would be a down-to-earth advisor for whatever that anecdotal evidence is worth.

Edited September 9, 2012 by anonymousbequest

[loubun85]

Hi anonymousbequest--

Thank you for the information. Can you be more specific regarding the idiosyncrasies at Washington U?

[mrb1145]

Marni Kessler at University of Kansas. Not sure if you're interested in MA or PhD, but UMass recently hired a new 19th century professor, Gulru Cakmak. That's a terminal MA, however.

[2013app]

Hi all,

Just wondering -- does anyone know if Kathryn Tuma is leaving Johns Hopkins? I heard this from a former professor last year, but she seems to still be teaching this year. I did, however, also see a job posting on CAA for a new modernist at Johns Hopkins (though that certainly could be intended as a replacement for Michael Fried, who is bound to be retiring soon!).

If anyone here goes to Johns Hopkins or knows if Prof. Tuma is planning to leave, I'd love to hear your thoughts!!

Thanks so much.

Edited September 20, 2012 by 2013app

[EloiseGC]

I'm fairly certain that the above poster IS Dr. Weingarden..... 

 

The user created their account yesterday.... for the sole purpose of promoting Lauren Weingarden on two seperate threads....

 

Not sayin', just sayin'...

[oh_la_la]

or likely one of her students....

[losemygrip]

My advice:

 

If you want to study Manet, DO NOT go to a program with a famous Manet expert.  S/he will already know it all, and it will be hard for you to surface from beneath your advisor's research. 

 

Find a place (or person) that more generally suits your scholarly disposition instead.  (Theory-oriented; object-focused; social history; whatever)

[Atlantis]

Try to dig deeper, too. For example, the University of Chicago has Anne Leonhard at the Smart Museum, who works on the 19th century and teaches classes. There is Chelsea Foxwell, who works on 19th century Japanese Art. There is Elizabeth Helsinger, who works on English art and literature of the 19th century and image/text relationships. There is WJT Mitchell. There's Joel Snyder and his important work on early photography. There is Tom Gunning and his explorations of early cinema and viewing machines, in a vein of Crary. The possibilities are endless.