Assistant Professor of Art History - Early Modern/Renaissance Art

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Job Category:

Faculty

Employment Type:

Regular

Job Profile:

Assistant Professor

Job Summary:

The Department of Art History at the University of Wisconsin-Madison invites applications for a tenure-track position at the rank of Assistant Professor in the history of Early Modern /Renaissance art (ca. 1400-1700) in Europe. We seek candidates who are engaged in innovative interdisciplinary research that centers the role of art, architecture, material and/or visual culture in diverse media in relation to the history of ideas, including philosophical, political, scientific, literary, and religious thought.

The successful candidate will teach courses at all levels. The teaching load is four courses per year, contributing to both undergraduate and graduate curriculum. The successful candidate will be expected to teach innovative, thematically conceived, large-enrollment, introductory courses (including gateway courses), and intermediate and advanced courses required for the major, including seminars in their area of specialization addressed to advanced undergraduates and graduate students.  The Assistant Professor will be encouraged to participate in the activities of interdisciplinary programs and centers including the Center for the Humanities, the Institute for Research in the Humanities, the Integrated Liberal Studies Program, the Center for the Study of Liberal Democracy, the Center for Visual Cultures and Performance Studies, the Nancy M. Bruce Center for Design and Material Culture, the Programs in Religious Studies, European and Medieval Studies, and the Center for Early Modern Studies,  and to make use of the outstanding collections of the Chazen Museum of Art, UW Special Collections, and other resources where pertinent such as the Helen Louise Allen Textile Collection.

The successful candidate will engage in significant ongoing research and publication and will perform department service appropriate to the rank of Assistant Professor. The successful candidate, as a member of the College of L&S, will proactively contribute to, support, and advance the college’s commitment to excellence among all aspects of their teaching, research, and service.

In the College of Letters & Science, we provide a liberal arts education that is both broad and deep through excellent, empathic teaching. We hire faculty who are interested in pursuing difficult questions, making new discoveries, and making an impact in their field. We reward excellent teaching and classroom innovation, and we are committed to shared governance. Learn more about the L&S mission on our webpage: https://ls.wisc.edu/about/mission.

Key Job Responsibilities:

The successful candidate will advance the educational mission of the College of Letters & Science that values, prioritizes, and actualizes evidence-based and student-centered teaching and mentoring. They will contribute to an environment that fosters engagement and a sense of belonging for faculty, staff, students and members of the broader community.

Department:

College of Letters and Science, Department of Art History

Compensation:

Negotiable – 9 months / ongoing / renewable

Required Qualifications:

Candidates must hold a Ph.D. in Art History and show evidence of outstanding teaching and research potential and be willing to teach upper and lower-level courses. Applicants who have not yet been awarded the degree but will have the degree in hand by August 1, 2027, must submit a letter from their department chair confirming that the degree is expected by the start of the Assistant Professorship.

Candidates should demonstrate evidence of creativity and excellence in teaching and scholarly research. In addition, the successful candidate will demonstrate experience with fostering or the ability to foster a teaching, learning, departmental, and research environment where all can thrive.

Education:

Required PhD in Art History by start of appointment.

How to Apply:

Interested candidates will find the position announcement online at jobs.wisc.edu under Job Requisition JR10015382. Applications must be received through UW- Madison's online application system. Applications submitted outside of this system will not be considered. Click on the "Apply Now" button and submit the following:

1) a cover letter describing research and teaching;

2) a curriculum vitae;

3) a teaching statement, including discussion of successes and challenges in the classroom, innovative approaches to student-centered learning, and experience with and strategies for communicating with students from diverse backgrounds;  

4) sample syllabi including both introductory and advanced courses.

For full consideration, all materials must be received no later than November 15, 2026. Applications will be accepted until position is filled. Please note that applicants will be evaluated based upon submitted application materials and therefore should speak to and include evidence of their qualifications. Application materials must clearly demonstrate the applicant’s dedication to excellence in student-centered teaching and mentoring. Additionally, materials should showcase the applicant’s ability to purposefully plan their teaching practices, evidenced through goals, action plans, reflection, and related documentation. This portion of the application materials must be created by the applicant and may include supporting letters. It cannot be only in the form of letters and testimony by others.

Applicants who move forward in the process will receive an email requesting confirmation of  the names and contact information for three references; each reference will receive an electronic link through which they can upload a signed letter of reference.

Additional materials, including a writing sample [which may include a dissertation chapter, a peer-reviewed book chapter or journal article], and teaching evaluations may be requested at a later stage.

Initial interviews will be conducted remotely in January or February in the expectation of on campus visits for finalists in late February or early March, 2027.

Contact Information:

For additional information, please consult the departmental website: http://arthistory.wisc.edu or direct questions to Professor Thomas Dale, [email protected]

Relay Access (WTRS): 7-1-1. See RELAY_SERVICE for further information.

Institutional Statement on Diversity:

Diversity is a source of strength, creativity, and innovation for UW-Madison. We value the contributions of each person and respect the profound ways their identity, culture, background, experience, status, abilities, and opinion enrich the university community. We commit ourselves to the pursuit of excellence in teaching, research, outreach, and diversity as inextricably linked goals.

The University of Wisconsin-Madison fulfills its public mission by creating a welcoming and inclusive community for people from every background - people who as students, faculty, and staff serve Wisconsin and the world.

The University of Wisconsin-Madison is an Equal Opportunity Employer. 

Qualified applicants will receive consideration for employment without regard to, including but not limited to, race, color, religion, sex, sexual orientation, national origin, age, pregnancy, disability, or status as a protected veteran and other bases as defined by federal regulations and UW System policies. We promote excellence by acknowledging skills and expertise from all backgrounds and encourage all qualified individuals to apply. For more information regarding applicant and employee rights and to view federal and state required postings, visit the Human Resources Workplace Poster website.

To request a disability or pregnancy-related accommodation for any step in the hiring process (e.g., application, interview, pre-employment testing, etc.), please contact the Divisional Disability Representative (DDR) in the division you are applying to. Please make your request as soon as possible to help the university respond most effectively to you.

Employment may require a criminal background check. It may also require your references to answer questions regarding misconduct, including sexual violence and sexual harassment. 
 
The University of Wisconsin System will not reveal the identities of applicants who request confidentiality in writing, except that the identity of the successful candidate will be released. See Wis. Stat. sec. 19.36(7). 
 
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