Postgraduate Profile Clarissa Frascadore

Biography: Clarissa Frascadore earned her Bachelor's degree with honours in Art History, History, and Antiquity in 2020, followed by a Research Master’s degree in Art History in 2022, both from Utrecht University. During her Master’s, she also completed an Honours program on Interdisciplinarity; and prior to moving to Ireland, Clarissa worked as an assistant researcher at the Netherlands Institute for Art History (RKD).

Currently in the second year of her PhD at University College Dublin, she specializes in Modern Art History. Her doctoral research focuses on the biographical history of artists from the late 19th century to the first half of the 20th century, with a specific emphasis on Piet Mondrian. She holds several positions at UCD, including Resident Scholar at the Humanities Institute, Assistant Curator of the University Art Collection, Writing Centre Tutor, and Tutor/Occasional Lecturer for the modules Introduction to European Art I, Art and the Modern World, and The Modern to the Contemporary.

Research: Clarissa’s research investigates the reception history of Piet Mondrian, focusing on the conflicting portrayals of his character and artistic identity. While some contemporaries described him as a reclusive, solitary figure, others highlighted his sociability and engagement with dance and nightlife. Drawing on biographical literature, personal recollections, and unpublished archives, this study examines how Mondrian's image as both a "hermit-genius" and a socially active artist was constructed and evolved over time. Utilizing grounded theory and digital humanities tools such as NVivo, the research will critically analyse these diverse narratives to fill a gap in the scholarship on Mondrian’s legacy. Clarissa plans to use this case study to discuss the use and relevance of biographies as a methodology to study artists.

Keywords: Reception history; Oral history; Artist mythologies; Piet Mondrian; Biography; Textual analysis; Europe; United States of America; Modernism.

Contact: (opens in a new window)clarissa.frascadore@ucdconnect.ie

Supervisor: Dr Róisín Kennedy

Professional Activities:

• Frascadore, C., 'A Journey up the Lange Jan: Investigating Early Tourism in Middelburg', History of Zeeland in the World (volume II), the Drukkery, 2023.
• Frascadore, C., (opens in a new window)'Mondrian: man or myth', Mondrian Papers, 2022.
• Frascadore, C., 'A Response to Peter Schultz', Speaking the Past: Heritage, Discourse, and Publishing in the Digital Age, Theran Press, 2021.

• Conference paper: '"An unhappy loner in misery": are biographies still a relevant source in art history?', SOCIN Conference, Macerata University, 23 – 26 September 2025. 
• Conference paper: 'A study on the relation between economic stability and creativity in the EU society', GHIS Conference, University of Utrecht, 4 June 2021.
• Conference paper: 'A Response to Peter Schultz', Speaking the Past: Heritage, Discourse, and Publishing in the Digital Age, Roosevelt Institute for American Studies, 23-24 October 2019.
• Conference paper: 'Epidaurian Inscriptions: Understanding Asclepius Sanctuary', Brawny Breasts & Brainy Bodies: Perspectives on Health in Ancient Greece, Netherlands Institute in Athens, 10 January 2019.