Stephen Clancy

Stephen Clancy is an art and architectural historian with expertise in ancient, medieval, and Renaissance art and architecture. He recently retired as professor of art history at Ithaca College in New York, where he taught for 27 years. He received his PhD from Cornell University, and his research career began with a focus on 15th-century French and Flemish illuminated manuscripts, for which he received a Fulbright scholarship in Brussels, Belgium. Stephen also received grants from the Hewlett and Keck foundations to investigate how technology can open up new avenues for understanding the architecture of the distant past. This culminated in his work with a team from the University of Melbourne in Australia on an interactive tool entitled “Virtual Chartres Cathedral.” As a visiting fellow at the Australia National University in Canberra, he focused on interactions between Muslims, Jews, and Christians in the Mediterranean basin during the Middle Ages.

The academic pursuit he has enjoyed above all others is teaching and sharing his knowledge of art and architecture. A popular Smithsonian Journeys Expert, he has led more than 20 tours and cruises through the Mediterranean region and northern Europe.

Language spoken: English