Open University researcher receives prestigious prize for putting Renaissance Rome on art history map.

Dr Carol Richardson, Lecturer in Art History at The Open University, has scooped one of the prestigious Philip Leverhulme prizes for 2008. The prizes, worth £70,000 each, are awarded to outstanding young scholars who have made a substantial and recognised contribution to their particular field of study.

One of Dr Richardson’s most significant research achievements to date has been to help put Renaissance Rome on the art historical map. Her scholarly initiatives and substantial archival research have enabled a series of articles, book chapters, conferences and international seminars, and a forthcoming monograph and edited collection, which have redrawn and enriched cultural and art historical assumptions about Renaissance Rome. Her work addresses the relationship between history, culture and art, as is illustrated in her pioneering studies of artefacts created to mark, celebrate or defend monuments of triumph and crisis in Papal Rome.

In her nomination, Professor Gill Perry, Head of Art History, praised Dr Richardson for being a researcher of exceptional abilities, and said: “Her commitment to disseminate and enhance art historical research has led to the production of several important collaborative publications and projects, and her planned future research shows enormous promise.”

Commenting on the award, Dr Richardson said: “I am delighted to receive recognition for this exciting part of my work. Renaissance Rome is generally viewed as a poor cousin of Florence, and my research involves careful reconstruction of fifteenth century monuments, those in old St. Peter’s being the prime example; close scrutiny of some renaissance stereotypes, such as the unchanging nature of the papacy; and an approach that combines the study of art, architecture, archaeology, religion and history.”

Dr Richardson's book "Reclaiming Rome: Cardinals in the Fifteenth Century" will be available from Brill in Spring 2009. For more information see: http://www.brill.nl/default.aspx?partid=210&pid=23897

For full list of Philip Leverhulme Prize 2008 winners see: http://www.leverhulme.ac.uk/news/PLP/2008