A specialist in Dutch and Flemish art of the sixteenth and seventeenth centuries, Barbara Haeger is particularly interested in the role of art as an instrument of power and persuasion and as a vehicle for fostering religious beliefs, identities, and devotions. Her recent seminars have reflected this interest and have explored the changing conception of the image during this period. She is currently engaged in a number of research projects focusing on art, architecture, and ritual use of urban space in Counter-Reformation Antwerp.