Dr. Lawrence Butler is an art historian whose teaching and scholarly interests range from medieval Europe and the Islamic world across pre-modern Eurasia—including the Silk Road connections between the Mediterranean world and East Asia. While teaching at George Mason University, Larry served as director of the art history program and as coordinator of the Ancient Mediterranean Art and Archaeology minor. 

Larry received his BA and MA from Oberlin College and his PhD from the University of Pennsylvania. He was a Fulbright Research Fellow in Turkey in 1982-83, and has been an active participant in the Semester at Sea program, taking students on academic study tours around the world. He also taught at Hiram College and held research positions at a number of museums.

In 2004, Larry was awarded George Mason University’s Teaching Excellence Award and in 2005 he was elected to Phi Beta Delta, the honorary society for international education. He lectures frequently for the Smithsonian Associates on the arts and cultural history of Spain and Portugal, Turkey, China, and many other places in between.