is Professor of Visual Studies and Dean of Research in the Design department (AMD School of Design) at the Fresenius University of Applied Sciences in Berlin. He is also a lecturer at the Humboldt University. He studied History of Art, Archaeology and Modern History in Munich and Rome. From 2002 to 2010, he was an academic assistant in the art history seminar at the Humboldt University of Berlin and was head of the »REQUIEM – Roman papal and cardinals’ tombs in the early modern period«research project. His research interests are the architecture and art of the Renaissance, Mannerism and Baroque, particularly in Italy, political iconography, clothing in visual imagery, textile art, material culture, representation and real presence.