Jutta Sperling teaches a wide variety of courses on medieval and early modern European history. Her emphasis is on gender history and history of the family; sexuality and the body; comparative legal history; religion; and visual culture. Her current research projects include a book-length project on Global Perspectives on the Madonna Lactans as well as articles on "Venus Lactans / Venus Pudica;" "The Anachronic Madonna Lactans;" and "Female Reader Portraits and the Emergence of Skepticism in Illuminated Prayer Books." Prior research focused on convent culture in late Renaissance Venice; the marriage reform of the Council of Trent; Portuguese women's property rights; Roman Charity; eroticized depictions of the Madonna Lactans in Flemish art; and portrayals of the lactation of Saint Bernard of Clairvaux.