Fresh Look at Old Vases at MFA-St. Pete

"A Fresh Look at Old Vases:  What ancient artifacts teach us about the Greek and Roman Theater."

This Museum of Fine Arts exhibition of approximately 50 antiquities, dating from the sixth century B.C. to the fourth century A.D., celebrates the theater tradition in Greek, Roman, and Etruscan art and culture.

The artworks recreate a theatrical experience that was communal, often celebratory, and sometimes erotic. Found here are not only large-scale vases with finely executed paintings, but also objects used in daily life such as oil lamps, loom weights, and a theater ticket.

Highlights include the Calyx Krater—depicting Orestes, his sister Electra, and Apollo, the god of Delphi—and two vessels by the Darius Painter, considered the most erudite and important artist of Apulian pottery (present-day southern Italy).

These holdings, on extended loan to the Museum by trustee William Knight Zewadski, comprise one of the most comprehensive American collections of its kind and rival similar groupings in the Getty Museum and the Metropolitan Museum of Art.

Non-FODA members can attend programs for $5, plus MFA admission.

Please RSVP to: Carolyn Nygren at cnygren@mindspring.com

 
FODA programs and trips enhance understanding of the decorative arts and provide an ideal opportunity to make friends with similar interests.

Annual dues are $20, in addition to Museum membership. To join, please contact Membership Coordinator Steve Hack at 727.896.2667, ext. 248, or steve@fine-arts.org. Non-FODA members can attend programs for $5, plus MFA admission.