MLitt /PhD Art History in Aberdeen United Kingdom | University of Aberdeen

The Art History Department comprises a dynamic team of scholars, providing specialized guidance to graduate researchers across diverse subjects. These span late medieval art and architecture, Renaissance and Baroque European art, theoretical approaches to art history, modern and contemporary visual culture, as well as the study of art collecting and exhibition practices from medieval times to the present day.

Art historical scholarship at Aberdeen gains advantage from the University's remarkable museum and archival holdings, while faculty members maintain robust international research collaborations. Our five-century-old University Library houses not only an outstanding research collection but also significant historical materials. Aberdeen's special collections excel in medieval illuminated manuscripts, archaeological studies, and travel writings. The distinctive George Washington Wilson archive preserves more than 45,000 original glass plate negatives by this groundbreaking Victorian photographer.

Visual resources are equally impressive. Scotland's northeast boasts remarkable architectural treasures dating from medieval times, complemented by Aberdeen Art Gallery's exceptional holdings of French and British (including Scottish) artworks. Beyond its notable William Dyce collection, the gallery possesses one of the finest Victorian painting collections outside London, featuring masterpieces by Rossetti, Dyce, and other prominent artists.