The Art of Teaching/The Teaching of Art: Gabriel Weisberg’s Legacy

When Gabriel Weisberg joined the Department of Art History at the University of Minnesota in 1985, he was already a seasoned professional—having taught at Queens College, the University of New Mexico, NYU, the University of Cincinnati, and the University of Pittsburgh, as well as having served as Curator of Art History and Education at the Cleveland Museum of Art and as the Assistant Director of the Humanities Projects in Museum and Historical Organizations Program at the National Endowment of the Humanities.

He was an experienced curator and educator, with an impressive list of exhibitions—perhaps the most ground-breaking being “The Realist Tradition: French Painting and Drawing, 1830-1900”—and an equally remarkable record of mentoring and advising both undergraduate and graduate students.

Gabe spent an astonishing thirty-two years in the department here, from 1985 until his retirement in 2017, during which time he offered a wide range of courses, at all levels, which spanned the nineteenth and early twentieth centuries. His roster of courses—taken by generations of undergrad and grad students—included his survey of 19th and 20th Century European Painting, Off the Wall: A History of Graphic Arts in Europe and America in the Modern Age, The Art of Picasso and the Modern Movement, East West/West East, Design Reform in the Era of Art Nouveau, and seminars on—among other topics—19th-Century European Sculpture, Franco-American Interrelationships, Art Academies and Their Exhibitions, Impressionism, Realism, Modernism and Anti-modernism, and the History of Museums.

What this list cannot convey, however, is the scholarly knowledge (based on years of research), the curatorial experience, not to mention the humor that he brought to each of his classes. As anyone who took a course with Gabe can attest, his teaching engaged his students’ eyes and minds in ways they hadn’t expected. He not only taught them how to look at art, but how to see and understand what they were looking at.

He emphasized the formal qualities of the works he presented no less than the historical context in which they were made, and how they were both shaped by and gave expression to the social, political, religious, and theoretical concerns of the time. And, as one might expect, his courses were not “easy A’s;” they challenged students to push themselves and to think critically and imaginatively.

Gabe was the consummate educator—brilliant, generous, demanding, supportive, and encouraging. To quote just a few of the many glowing comments written by his students over the years:

• “Weisberg is an incredible professor and really knows his stuff. It’s a privilege to be taught by someone who is more than qualified to write your textbook. He actually cares about his students and is very helpful if you have questions.”
• “Professor Weisberg’s course provides in-depth information and insight into 19th- and 20th-century art. Don’t miss the opportunity to study with someone who is not only internationally respected, but also a funny, engaging lecturer. If you’re looking for a real education instead of an ‘easy A’, this is the course to take.”
• “This was my first art history course, and I left with a working knowledge of 200 years of art, with visual knowledge that I couldn’t have learned otherwise. It was hands down one of my best learning experiences at the University thus far. Every day in class was valuable, and Professor Weisberg is incredibly knowledgeable and helpful.”
• “Professor Weisberg is a fantastic lecturer and teacher. He actually wants to get to know his students and help them in any way he can. He makes lectures interesting by adding his own clever comments, which made class time fun and kept me engaged with the topics. I would definitely take another course with him.” 

For Gabe, scholarly research, curating of exhibitions, and teaching were integrally connected. Whether it was an exhibition on Japonisme, Siegfried Bing and Art Nouveau, Naturalist Painting, or any other subject, his cutting-edge research informed the catalogues he wrote and the content of the courses he taught.

And this commitment to the curatorial profession led him and his wife (and collaborator) Yvonne, to establish in 2015 the Weisberg Curatorial Fellowship, designed to offer financial support for graduate and undergraduate students interested in a curatorial career—which will continue as one of his (and their) many legacies.

Gabe nurtured the intellectual and creative development of more students than one can count. The lives of myriad undergraduates were enriched and transformed by his efforts—making them visually literate, museumgoers, art lovers, and more engaged and critical thinkers. Equally exceptional is his record of advising and mentoring graduate students, facilitating their entry into academic and curatorial careers, and then continuing his mentorship—and the friendship that developed between them—for many years after.

The list of students trained by Gabe at the University of Minnesota and the positions they achieved is nothing short of extraordinary. It includes:

• Joan Rothfuss, who was a curator at the Walker Art Center from 1988 to 2006 and is now an independent curator and writer.
• Alastair Wright, formerly Assistant Professor, Princeton University, and now Lecturer in Art History, Oxford University.
• Lisa Michaux, former Associate Curator of Prints and Drawings at the Minneapolis Institute of Arts and now an independent art dealer and lecturer.
• Jennifer Komar Olivarez, the Associate Curator of Decorative Arts at the Minneapolis Institute of Art.
• Colleen Denney, Professor of Art History, University of Wyoming.
• Elizabeth K. Mix, Associate Professor, Butler University; Julie L’Enfant, who was Associate Professor of Art History, College of the Visual Arts, St. Paul.
• Janet Whitmore, Adjunct Professor of Art and Design, Ohio University.
• Erica Warren, former Assistant Curator, Textile Department, Art Institute of Chicago, and now Assistant Instructional Professor, University of Chicago.
• Taylor Acosta, Chief Curator and Willis A. Strauss Curator of European Art at the Joslyn Art Museum.
• Nikki Otten, Associate Curator of Prints and Drawings, Milwaukee Art Museum. 

For both undergraduates and graduate students, Gabe opened doors. He wrote countless letters of recommendation; led tours of and gave lectures in museums; facilitated access to private collections and archives; helped them navigate those archives; encouraged their participation in conferences; and invited them to publish their work in catalogues and scholarly journals.

This is to say that his role as educator and mentor went far beyond the classroom. To be a “Gabe student” meant a life-long relationship, characterized by thoughtful guidance, both intellectual and personal. An educator and adviser of the highest order—as rigorous and generous a teacher as he was a scholar—Gabe was awarded the College Art Association's Distinguished Teaching of Art History Award in 2012.

His impact on the department, on the field of art history, and on the lives of many students and colleagues will be felt for many years to come. He will be missed.