Art History Illustrated, Small Wonders: A History of Ancient Figurines
Thursday, December 21, 2023
5:30-7:00 PM
In this talk, art historian Brenda Edgar will go beyond the “Greatest Hits” of Art History and help you get to know some of the more easily overlooked treasures– the tiny, precious objects in glass cases around museum walls. You’ll lean in to hear them as they whisper, rather than shout, for our attention. You will notice that diminutive sculptures of animals, humans, and deities are a universal phenomenon in all ancient Western cultures. They range from crude, mundane objects, such as toys, to carefully rendered religious objects, and they can each fit in the palm of your hand. From Mesopotamia, to Egypt, to Greece, to Rome, it’s a small world after all.
Join us for our “Art History Illustrated” talk series, held the third Thursday of every month at 5:30 p.m. This monthly illustrated talk series is presented by art historian Brenda Edgar, in collaboration with the Carnegie Center for Art and History.
Image: “William,” The Standing Hippopotamus, c. 1961–1878 B.C., Metropolitan Museum of Art, New York.