pothos.org

The most interesting aspect of the British Museum exhibition 'Defining beauty - the body in ancient Greek art' is the number of items on loan from other museums. These include the Croatian Apoxyomenos:

http://archaeology-travel.com/friday-fi ... oxyomenos/
(and no, it is not Hephaestion)

The painted archer from the temple of Aegina and the Athena:

http://harvardmagazine.com/2007/11/dazzlers-html

The amazingly modern veiled dancer from the Metropolitan Museum of art:

http://www.metmuseum.org/collection/the ... rch/255408

And the Belvedere torso from the Vatican:

http://www.bbc.co.uk/news/entertainment-arts-30727007

There are also a couple of statues from the British Museum that I don't recall seeing before: statue of two boys fighting, one of which is missing, and the remaining boy is biting the arm of the other boy; and a statue of Heracles about 2 feet high.

One thing I learnt, which is logical really although I hadn't thought about it before is that only Aphrodite of the goddesses was depicted naked.

But why, o why, though are these exhibitions so poorly lit? I know it allows them to spotlight the exhibits but it is like walking through a cinema it is so dark.

I also found a link to this lecture on the subject http://www.britishmuseum.org/whats_on/e ... eauty.aspx, which I haven't watched yet.

Thank you for posting the news of this exibition. I think it's a real opportunity to watch together so many famous statues scattered all round the world! As for the light so poor now in museums and exibitions, unfortunately it's a fashion very strong in all world. I know the scholars think light is dangerous nearly for all works of art, but perhaps they exaggerate : sometimes they shut even the windows!

And a thank you from me too.....it is always interesting to see informative posts.....

I also agree that 'dark' museums where you can't see things clearly are a stupid fashion, and very frustrating. Exhibits generally are not as susceptible to light damage as all that, which is the usual excuse.

Alexias wrote: But why, o why, though are these exhibitions so poorly lit? I know it allows them to spotlight the exhibits but it is like walking through a cinema it is so dark.

I've yet to figure this out myself. Arguments about excessive light causing damage don't make much sense when the atrium of the Greek and Roman Galleries at the Metropolitan Museum in NY looks like this:
And yet, whenever there is a exhibition on loan at the Met the room(s) are always darkened and the exhibits spotlighted! A friend and I went there late last year to see a loaned exhibit of Treasures from India: Jewels from the Al-Thani Collection and, yes, it was like being in a movie theatre. But, realistically, does anyone believe that gold and diamonds and the like can be damaged by excessive light??? Maybe Xenophon is correct and it's just a "fashion" to light traveling exhibitions in this manner? Whatever the reason, I'm still envious that I can't see the exhibit at the British Museum.

Best Regards,

Thanks a lot for this interesting post. I too wish I could see it but it the meantime I live in the excited anticipation of visiting in the end of July another exhibition "The Greeks from Agamemnon to Alexander the Great" in Montreal. I promise to report, including how it was lit.

Thinking back on other exhibitions that I recently saw, such as absolutely fantastic one about Mesopotamia, I have to agree most of them completely submerged in darkness. I don't have an expertize to argue either way but I think statues especially would look fantastic in the broad daylight.

This was actually the link to the lecture https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=NfWd9QZfils