Art history professor passes away at age 46

By Jane Su     1/23/13 6:00pm

 

Edward M. "Ted" Anderson, assistant professor of art history and Will Rice College associate, died last week. He was 46. 

Anderson had been an associate at Will Rice for about four years. He came to Will Rice for lunch with his dog at least once or twice a week. He hosted Orientation Week lunches for freshmen regularly and was dearly loved at Will Rice, according to Will Rice College Coordinator Joyce E. Courtois. 

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Will Rice senior Kylee Talwar said Anderson was very caring. According to Talwar, Anderson was often seen chatting with students in Will Rice's game room. She said he was extremely passionate about opera and loved to share his thoughts on the subject. 

Anderson began teaching at Rice in 2006 and became an assistant professor of humanities three years later, according to the Department of Art History website. He received his bachelor's degree from the University of California, Berkeley, a Master of Arts from Middlebury College and a doctorate from the University of Cambridge. His scope of study focused on Italian early modern culture, especially the intersection of literature and music. His book manuscript, Ariosto, Opera, and the Seventeenth Century - Evolution in the Poetics of Delight, was just accepted for publication at a prestigious Florentine publishing house, according to Department of Art History Chair Diane Wolfthal. 

"He led the medieval [and] early modern workshop on campus with tremendous organization and grace," Wolfthal, who is also the David and Caroline Minter Chair in Humanities, said. "He was due to speak in a symposium I organized at the Museum of Fine Arts, Houston." 

According to Wolfthal, Anderson was popular among the students. She said he put tremendous energy into his students and into enhancing collegiality on campus. 

Assistant professor of art history Leo Costello said he remembered the time he and Anderson were both in Rome. 

"He always spoke Italian passionately and loudly," Costello said. "He loved his research on Italian operas." 

Will Rice sophomore Cara Sylvester took Anderson's HUMA 102: From Renaissance to Present: Introduction to Western Literature, History and Philosophy. She said Anderson's class gave her an opportunity to examine complicated problems with new approaches. 

"I really feel that Ted was an outstanding example of the Rice 'Unconventional Wisdom' in that he truly encouraged us to think out of the box and helped us to actually engage with the texts in our class discussions, applying them to our own experiences," Sylvester said. 

Bradley Houston (Baker '10) said it was Anderson who inspired him in his decision to major in art history. 

"[Anderson] used to hold a dinner party for every course he taught at the end the semester-that was where I knew him personally," Houston said. "He knew the potentials of his students and always encouraged his students to be themselves." 

Wolfthal said Anderson was a gentle, thoughtful and passionate man. 

"We lament the loss of a wonderful person," Wolfthal said. "We remember his many fine qualities. He will be sorely missed." 

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