Retired professor inspires research

​Rachael Vause, doctoral student in the Department of Art History, and department alumni Caitlin Hutchinson, Emily Shartrand, and Christine Bachman presented research inspired by the career of art history professor Lawrence Nees at the annual meeting of the Medieval Academy of America. Nees, who retired in January 2023 after more than four decades at UD, devoted his career to illuminating the study of medieval art for fellow scholars, students and the public. The group presented two sessions at the meeting: Translating the Medieval Image: Networks of Meaning focused on Nees' emphasis on the originality of medieval artists in translating images into their own creative vision. Globalizing Medieval Art Education honored Nees' efforts to broaden and diversify the medieval curriculum and included a discussion by museum curators and academics about the ongoing process of decentering medieval art from western Europe. Both sessions were prefaced by a video greeting from Nees who also participated in the question-and-answer portion of the sessions via Zoom.