Art historian and philosopher. Primary education and academic high-school graduation in Linz. Master studies and doctoral programmes in theology, art history and philosophy in Linz, Salzburg, Munich and Basel.

Since 1996, professor of art history and aesthetics at the Faculty of Philosophy and of Art History at the Catholic Private University Linz; teaching assignments and visiting professorships at various universities in Austria, Germany, Switzerland, Central Eastern Europe (Montenegro, Poland, Romania, Georgia), and the USA (Los Angeles); conception of international conferences and workshops, lectures and moderations in the fields of education, university and museum; curating of exhibitions, consulting and jury work; development of projects at the interface of art and Argentine tango.

2003–2013 Deputy Chairperson of the Advisory Committee of the Johannes Kepler Universität Linz, 2005–2014 Praeses (Chair) of the Institute of Art History and Philosophy 'ad instar facultatis' (IKP) Linz, 2007–2011 Deputy Chairperson of the Austrian Association of Art Historians. Since 2025 professor emerita.

Since 2014 regular research stays at different institutions in Basel, Switzerland; since 2019 also in Krakow, Poland.

Links to the Laudatio of Julia Allerstofer-Hertel, the accompanying Powerpoint on the occasion of Monika Leisch-Kiesl's emerita retirement at KU Linz on June 25, 2025, and to the report of the event.