Laetitia La Follette
Professor | Ancient Art and Archaeology, Art History and Cybertechnology
Educated at Harvard-Radcliffe (B.A., Classics) and Princeton University (MA, PhD, Art and Archaeology, 1986), Dr. La Follette specializes in the physical culture of the ancient Mediterranean.
Initially drawn to this area of the world by her love of languages (French, German, modern Greek, Italian), she discovered monuments spoke to her more powerfully than texts. Since her arrival at the University she has developed two other passions, the teaching and learning of art history and the protection of cultural heritage. As Director of "A History of Art for the 21st Century," she produced, edited and contributed as co-author to a collaborative grant-funded e-text involving departmental and Five College colleagues. The multimedia online modules (known as DATAS: Digital Assignments for the Teaching of Arthistorical Skills) help students in introductory surveys of master skills and learn basic concepts.
Research Areas
- Roman Portraiture
- Greek and Roman Art and Architecture
- Roman Religion
- Roman Women
- Computer Applications for Teaching and Learning
- Cultural Heritage Policy
Publications
Edited volumes
- Negotiating Culture: Heritage, Ownership, and Intellectual Property. (Amherst and Boston: University of Massachusetts Press 2013)
- Teaching Art History with New Technologies. Reflections and Case Studies (Newcastle UK: Cambridge Scholars Publishing 2008) co-edited with A. Pappas and K. Wallace
Recent articles and book chapters
- “The Impact of the 1970 UNESCO Convention on Unprovenanced Etruscan Antiquities in the United States.” Selected Papers in Ancient Art and Architecture 4 (Jan 2018)
- “Bloom's Taxonomy for Art History. Blending A Skills-Based Approach into The Traditional Introductory Survey.” Art History Pedagogy and Practice 1.2. (July 2017)
- “Looted Antiquities, Art Museums and Restitution in the United States since 1970.” Journal of Contemporary History 52.3: 669–687. (Published online July 2016 by Sage Journals online at DOI: 10.1177/0022009416641198
http://journals.sagepub.com/doi/pdf/10.1177/0022009416641198) - "The Trial of Marion True and Changing Policies for Classical Antiquities in American Museums," chapter 2 in Negotiating Culture: Heritage, Ownership, and Intellectual Property (2013)
- “Parsing Piety: The Sacred Still Life in Roman Relief Sculpture," MAAR (=Memoirs of the American Academy in Rome) 56-57 (2011-2012),15-35.
- “Se parer en Vestale: un travail de funambule?” essay in Parures et Artifices dans Les Mondes Antiques, eds.L. Bodiou, F. Gherchanoc, V. Huet and V. Mehl (Paris: l'Harmattan Collection "Histoire, texte et societe," 2011), 155-171.
RECORDED TALKS
- "Archaeology as Storytelling", mOppenheim TV (November 1, 2022)
- "Archaeology and the Art Museum in the 21st Century", interview with curators of ancient art at the Boston Museum of Fine Arts (May 12, 2021)
- "The background behind the Netflix movie, The Dig", interview with Dr. Martin Carver, excavator at Sutton Hoo (April 21, 2021)
- "A Conversation with Dr. C. Brian Rose", former President of the AIA and excavator at Troy and Gordion in Turkey (November 18, 2020)
Work
For the Archaeological Institute of America (AIA), North America’s largest archaeological organization, she has served as President (2020-2023), First Vice President (2017-2020) and Vice President for Cultural Heritage (2011-2017.) She is currently working on a book under contract with Oxford University Press on the portraits of a Roman noble family, the Licinii Crassi, discovered in Rome in 1884-1885. The sixteen marble portraits were smuggled out of Italy to Paris, and then sold to a Danish collector so they are now in the Ny Carlsberg Glyptotek in Copenhagen.
Awards and Accolades
- Corresponding Member, Deutsches Archäologisches Institut (German Archaeological Institute) (2021)
- Innovative Teaching Fellow, Center for Teaching and Office of Faculty Dev., University of Massachusetts Amherst (2014-15)
- Visiting professor, Univ. de Paris VII (2009)
- Whiting grant (2009), NEH summer stipends (2007, 1988)
- College Outstanding Teaching Award (2003)
- Davis Foundation (2003)
- FIPSE/U.S. Dept. of Education (1998-2002)
- Fellow, American Academy in Rome
- Member, American School of Classical Studies at Athens
Courses Recently Taught
- ART-HIST 397V/697V: Vexed Antiquities: Exploring Looted Antiquities in the 21st Century
- ART-HIST 701: Roman Portraiture: Reading Ancient Faces
- ART-HIST 382/672: Leisure and Luxury in Roman villa culture: the villas at Oplontis near Pompeii
- ART-HIST 100/115: Introduction to the History of Art
- ART-HIST 302: Greek art
- ART-HIST 303: Roman Art (Team-Based Learning class)
- ART-HIST 370: Junior Year Writing
- ART-HIST 391/791: Death and Commemoration in Roman Art