Dr. Jaś Elsner

Biography

Jaś Elsner studied Classics and Art History at Cambridge and Harvard, receiving his doctorate from King's College, Cambridge. His research primarily focuses on the art of the Roman Empire, encompassing late antiquity and the early Middle Ages, as well as Byzantine and pre-Christian classical worlds. His work began with an investigation into how art was viewed in antiquity, which led to his interest in the receptions of religious art, ritual pilgrimage, and the literary description of art, including the rhetorical technique known as ekphrasis. He has held visiting positions at prestigious institutions such as the British School at Rome and the Institute of Fine Arts at NYU, and has served on several editorial boards and as a joint editor for monograph series. Elsner was the Principal Investigator for the Empires of Faith Project at the British Museum, which explored visual cultures of world religions in the Mediterranean from 200 to 800 AD. In recent years, his work has increasingly addressed comparative questions within artistic and religious traditions, particularly across Eurasia. In recognition of his contributions, he was elected as an External Member of the Max Planck Society in 2019.

Research Interests

Experience

Awards