Smithsonian Journeys Experts

Martha Easton is an art historian specializing in medieval art, with a particular expertise in France. She is Associate Professor of Art History and Program Director of Museum Studies at Saint Joseph’s University in Philadelphia, PA, where she teaches a wide variety of courses ranging from prehistory to the present day. She became interested in France after spending the spring term of her sophomore year at Carleton College in the beautiful city of Pau, and she has returned to Europe many times since then for research and travel. After college graduation, Martha lived and worked in Japan for six years, and while there traveled extensively in Asia. She then went back to the United States for her Ph.D. from New York University’s Institute of Fine Arts with a focus on late antique and medieval art, as well as a minor in Japanese art. She also received a Certificate of Curatorial Studies, jointly offered with The Metropolitan Museum of Art, and she spent 10 years as a Lecturer at the Met Cloisters. Martha has published widely on a variety of topics, including medieval illuminated manuscripts, gender and hagiography, the collecting of medieval art by museums and private collectors; and medievalism, or the appropriation of the Middle Ages in later periods.

Despite all the countries Martha has visited in Europe, Asia, and Central America, Martha’s first love is still France. She especially loves the layers of history that are present in so many locations. As just one example, the incredibly charming city of Arles has extensive Roman ruins, the important medieval church and cloister of St. Trophime, and a variety of vistas painted by Vincent van Gogh during the time that he lived there toward the end of his life.