History of the Dept. of Art History and Archaeology

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History of the department

Classical archaeology has been taught at the University of Missouri since 1891, when Walter Miller, who had begun the first American excavation in Greece in 1886, joined the faculty. In the following year John Pickard, trained in classical art at Leipzig, Berlin, and Munich, and a member of the American School of Classical Studies at Athens and the American Academy in Rome, was hired. Pickard became the first chairman of the Department of Art History and Archaeology, while Professor Miller became the first Dean of the Graduate School in 1914. In that year the graduate program in Classics and Classical Archaeology included the Ph.D. program. Pickard was also the second president of the College Art Association, and during his five-year term, The Art Bulletin was founded and edited at the University of Missouri.

Following Pickard's retirement in 1935, the program was split between the Departments of Art and of Classics, but it was re-established as an independent unit by Saul Weinberg and Homer Thomas in 1960. Weinberg, an architect trained in classical art at Johns Hopkins University and at the American School of Classical Studies in Athens, had come to Missouri in 1948, while Thomas, whose training included the study of Byzantine art at the University of Edinburgh, joined the faculty in 1950. Weinberg founded the Museum of Art and Archaeology in 1957 and saw it installed in its present quarters in 1976. Thomas directed his efforts to building the library, which now houses one of the best archaeological and art historical collections in the nation. Between 1965 and 1975 the faculty was enlarged to its present size.

The Department and the Museum of Art and Archaeology are located in Pickard Hall on Francis Quadrangle. The quadrangle, designed by M.F. Bell, was built between 1892 and 1895 and is entered in the National Register of Historic Places. In 1995, Francis Quadrangle celebrated its Centennial.

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about us info for students courses degree programs faculty and staff research events giving to AHA home	<< back History of the department Classical archaeology has been taught at the University of Missouri since 1891, when Walter Miller, who had begun the first American excavation in Greece in 1886, joined the faculty. In the following year John Pickard, trained in classical art at Leipzig, Berlin, and Munich, and a member of the American School of Classical Studies at Athens and the American Academy in Rome, was hired. Pickard became the first chairman of the Department of Art History and Archaeology, while Professor Miller became the first Dean of the Graduate School in 1914. In that year the graduate program in Classics and Classical Archaeology included the Ph.D. program. Pickard was also the second president of the College Art Association, and during his five-year term, The Art Bulletin was founded and edited at the University of Missouri. Following Pickard's retirement in 1935, the program was split between the Departments of Art and of Classics, but it was re-established as an independent unit by Saul Weinberg and Homer Thomas in 1960. Weinberg, an architect trained in classical art at Johns Hopkins University and at the American School of Classical Studies in Athens, had come to Missouri in 1948, while Thomas, whose training included the study of Byzantine art at the University of Edinburgh, joined the faculty in 1950. Weinberg founded the Museum of Art and Archaeology in 1957 and saw it installed in its present quarters in 1976. Thomas directed his efforts to building the library, which now houses one of the best archaeological and art historical collections in the nation. Between 1965 and 1975 the faculty was enlarged to its present size. The Department and the Museum of Art and Archaeology are located in Pickard Hall on Francis Quadrangle. The quadrangle, designed by M.F. Bell, was built between 1892 and 1895 and is entered in the National Register of Historic Places. In 1995, Francis Quadrangle celebrated its Centennial.	more information John Pickard (scroll down) Pickard Hall map

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