Prof. Annetta Alexandridis, history of art and visual studies, died on Monday morning, according to an email sent to the Cornell community by Peter Loewen, the Harold Tanner Dean of the College of Arts and Sciences.
In addition to serving as an associate professor within the department of history of art and visual studies, Alexandridis also taught in the classics department, the archeology program and the Institute for German Cultural Studies, according to her Cornell biography.
Alexandridis was the author of several books and journal articles, about topics ranging from women in the Roman imperial family to the archaeology of photography. She studied “the art and archaeology of ancient Greece and Rome with a particular interest in gender studies, animal studies, and the media of archaeology,” her biography states.
She also taught many classes at Cornell, including ARTH 4233: “Greek and Roman Art and Archaeology” and ARTH 2200: “Introduction to the Classical World in 24 Objects.”
After receiving her Ph.D in classical archaeology from Ludwig-Maximilians-Universität Munich, Alexandridis taught at Rostock University in Germany and worked at two museums in Berlin, her biography states. She was a fellow at Cornell’s Society for the Humanities from 2015 to 2016.
Since 2008, she also served as associate director of the Harvard-Cornell Exploration of Sardis, Türkiye, which has been working since the 1950s to uncover ancient Lydian ruins in the area.
“Annetta was deeply engaged in the Cornell community and dedicated to her students at all levels,” Loewen wrote in the email. “She was a beloved advisor and mentor to her graduate students and she served multiple terms as Director of Undergraduate Studies.”
Alexandridis, along with Prof. Verity Platt, classics, co-curated Cornell’s plaster-cast collection, several statues of which can be found in Cafe Zeus in Goldwin Smith Hall.
Alexandridis is survived by her husband Michael.
Individuals can have a diverse range of feelings, needs and reactions when facing loss. This information about Grief and Loss may be helpful to you or a friend. The Ithaca-based crisisline can be reached at 607-272-1616, and the 988 Suicide & Crisis Lifeline is available throughout the U.S. Additional support resources are listed at mentalhealth.cornell.edu.
Students in need of professional support can email Student Support and Advocacy Services at studentsupport@cornell.edu or call Counseling and Psychological Services at 607-255-5155. Employees can call the Faculty and Staff Assistance Program at 607-255-2673.
Coral Platt is a member of the Class of 2029 in the College of Arts and Sciences. She is a staff writer for the News department and can be reached at cplatt@cornellsun.com.
