[1][2] After receiving a baccalauréat in philosophy in 1967, he continued his studies at University of Strasbourg, where he graduated in Archaeology and History of Art in 1971.
[3][4] His doctorat ès lettres (1985) was on the iconography of the "Calumny of Apelles", a Renaissance theme recommended by Leon Battista Alberti.
It was based on an ekphrasis in the works of Lucian, describing a supposed painting of Apelles (4th century BCE), of which Botticelli's picture is but one example of treatment.
In 2016, a festschrift was published in his honour upon his retirement; it was titled "Tributes to Jean Michel Massing: Towards a Global Art History".
[15] He has been a major contributor to large exhibitions, such as Circa 1492: Art in the Age of Exploration[16] and Encompassing the Globe: Portugal and the World in the 16th and 17th centuries.