Terryl Kinder Visiting Distinguished Professor of Art History
Bio
A.B., Syracuse University
M.A., Syracuse University
Ph.D., Indiana University
Areas of expertise
Medieval art
Architecture
Ancient and medieval archeology
Medieval monasteries
Medieval pilgrimages
Stone quarrying and medieval construction
History and architecture of the Cistercian Order
Courses I Teach
AH 251 Introduction to Ancient and Medieval Art
AH 347 Saints, Kings & Barbarians
AH 348 Cathedrals, Castles & Cities
AH 280 Academic study trip in France: Culture and Society in Medieval Burgundy
AH 381 Topics in Art History: Cathedrals
My Saint Mike’s
St Michael’s College has always been a very special place to me, and I’m honored to be a bridge between Pontigny Abbey––where the Society of St Edmund was created in the 19th c.––and the College today. It’s my pleasure to bring students to Burgundy (France) each year and to teach them them about the roots of SMC while exploring the history of this region through its historic architecture, museums, cities, castles, battlefields (as well as food, of course!). At SMC this medieval world view–– and my excitement about it––spills over into my courses, whether a survey of Europe and the Middle East from prehistoric times to the Renaissance, or specialized seminars in various aspects of the Medieval World, such as arts made by nomadic tribes in the 7th century, stained glass of the soaring cathedrals, or the architecture of monks who lived in silence in immense, exquisitely designed stone buildings. “Material culture” is so relevant for today when communication is, above all, visual, and I love being a conduit for the SMC community.
"There is nothing like hands-on teaching. Art and architecture reflect humanity's aspirations in stone, wood, bone, or steel, and they affect everyone who sees them, whether the viewer is conscious of this or not. All my courses are infused with 30 years' experience working in, under, and on the roofs of medieval buildings, and on archaeological sites in Europe and the Middle East."
Recent News
Terryl Kinder, distinguished visiting professor in fine arts, gave a slide presentation in Nicolle Hall on January 20, with more than 50 community members in attendance, focused on Pontigny Abbey’s future based on recent development plans there. Terryl’ research into the Edmundite archives at Saint Michael’s – as well as her knowledge of Pontigny’s history – were woven together in this presentation, sponsored by the Society of St Edmund, the Pontigny Society, and the Center for Global Engagement. The speaker has lived and worked in Pontigny (Burgundy, France) for more than 30 years and published numerous articles and books on the abbey’s celebrated architecture, archeology, and land management. Since 2004, she has taught Ancient and Medieval Art at Saint Michael’s College and taken more than 200 students from the College to Pontigny for a summer course. Many attending this recent talk had visited Pontigny as alumni of Edmundite Heritage trips to France sponsored by the College and Edmundites over recent decades. Kinder regularly hosts and greets such visitors at the abbey and her nearby home when they come.
(posted February 2023)
Terryl Kinder, visiting distinguished professor of art history, delivered the annual Saint Edmund Lecture late Thursday afternoon, November 15, 2018 (the eve of the St. Edmund feast day) in the Roy Event Room of the Dion Family Student Center. The title of the lecture was “Arms and the Man: Saint Edmund of Canterbury and Material Culture.” This lecture was open to all students, faculty, and staff, as well as the public, and a reception followed in the Archway Lounge of the Dion Family Students Center.
(posted January 2019)
Research
The Cistercian contribution to the development of medieval Paris
Tracking the Masons: a comprehensive study of the masons’ marks in Pontigny Abbey
Awards and Recognitions
Fellow of the Society of Antiquaries, London
Professional memberships in the US, Canada, France, England