Dr. Thomas Kaufmann

Biography

Professor Kaufmann teaches and publishes on European art and architecture from 1500 to 1800 in a global context, exploring themes like the theory and practice of world art history, the intersection of art and science, and humanism. He has continued to publish significant work on northern and central European art history, including the curation of collections. Notable past research includes the completion of dissertations addressing subjects from the arts of Henri IV France to 18th-century imperial palaces in Prague, Brussels, and Florence. Kaufmann's current doctoral candidates investigate topics such as European clock-making during the Qing Dynasty and Jesuit studies in late 18th-century China. He is actively involved in Latin American Studies and Renaissance and Early Modern Studies at Princeton, alongside participation in national and international advisory committees and regular museum exhibitions globally. His previous roles include vice president of the National Committee for the History of Art and editor-in-chief for the Oxford Bibliography of the History of Art. He has received numerous fellowships and honors, including the Palacký Medal from the Czech Academy of Sciences and several honorary doctoral degrees.

Research Interests

Experience