History of Art Faculty & Department Administrators
Kristina L. Durocher has been named visual arts director at the University of Massachusetts Amherst Fine Arts Center. She served as director of the Museum of Art at the University of New Hampshire. Durocher holds a dual Bachelor of Fine Arts degree in art history and painting from Massachusetts College of Art and Design and a Master of Arts degree in art history from UMass Amherst.
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Recent MassArt graduate Alyxandria Zavetnya, ’24 BFA Art History, works with Craig Uram and the Cambridge Art conservation team to assess and restore outdoor murals, mosaics and sculptures.
“Not a lot of people think about the art as they’re walking by,” the recent MassArt graduate said. “But it is cool to actually get in and see who did this piece, this is why it was made, this is who commissioned it. And being part of the process that keeps them alive is really satisfying.”
From MassArt’s own Morton R. Godine Library to the Museum of Fine Arts Boston (MFA), there is a wide array of resources available to art historians within our student body. Opportunities abound to connect with local museums and library research staff. Curators from the Isabella Stewart Gardner Museum, current and emeriti curators from the MFA, and guest lecturers from local galleries frequently teach courses with and for MassArt.
The Isabella Stewart Gardner Museum is adjacent to MassArt’s Tower Building on Evan’s way.
MassArt classes frequent the Museum of Fine Arts (MFA), our neighbor on the Avenue of the Arts.
The History of Art Student Research Symposium is an annual event that allows students from any discipline to present their art-historical research.
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As members of the ProArts Consortium, MassArt students, faculty, and staff have access to all libraries of the member schools. Each library houses a unique selection of circulating and non-circulating materials.
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Our library holds an impressive collection of books, media, and other resources, and brings programming and events to the community.
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Boston Public Library
Location: On Campus (Boston)
Format: In-person, Full Time
Length of Program: 4 years
Degree Awarded: Bachelor of Fine Arts in History of Art
History of Art students learn about the incredible range of art from all over the world – across cultures, regions, mediums, and time periods. Through their studies, students learn how to understand artworks in their historical contexts, to recognize common elements of artworks from different eras and regions, and to describe materials and processes used to create works of art.
History of Art students explore Copley Square, taking advantage of Boston’s world-class museums, architecture, and cultural institutions as an extension of the classroom.
Students gain first-hand exposure to works of art by visiting nearby museums and galleries, and through internship experiences in conservation, and in gallery and museum operations, through our very own MassArt Art Museum.
Through international travel courses, many students visit monumental works and museum collections abroad.
Students who complete the BFA History of Art program are expected to be able to demonstrate the following learning outcomes.
Graduates of the History of Art program go on to pursue graduate degrees in art history, visual culture, and museum studies. Many also go on to work at museums, galleries, auction houses, and in publishing, among other industries.
MassArt’s History of Art students have access to extensive resources, including libraries, museums, and community partnerships for innovative research and learning.
Learn MoreAll undergraduates at MassArt are required to study art history as part of their core curriculum and overall education. Majoring in History of Art enables interested students to take a deeper dive into the histories of art, design, and creation across human history and cultures. Our History of Art alumni work at museums, auction houses, community nonprofits, and in the education and publishing industries. Many alumni are also practicing artists alongside their professional careers as historians.
The History of Art Student Research Symposium is an annual event that allows students from any discipline to present their art-historical research.
Learn MoreArt in urban public space contends with human patterns of attention and distraction, just as monuments, buildings, and advertisements do. Fixtures of public visibility, regardless of authorship, accrete meaning in their materiality, which is captured by collective spatial memory and other media of reference. A new article by MassArt’s Gabriel Cira, assistant professor in the History of Art at MassArt.
