Sean Hemingway – författare

Featuring decorative, religious, and utilitarian objects from the Geometric period to the Hellenistic Age, this is the ideal introduction to Greek sculptureIntroducing eight centuries of Greek sculpture, this latest addition to The Met’s compelling and widely acclaimed How to Read series traces this artistic tradition from its early manifestations in the Geometric period (ca. 900–700 BCE) through the groundbreaking creativity of the Archaic and Classical periods to the dramatic achievements of the Hellenistic Age (323–31 BCE). The 40 works of art featured represent a broad range of objects and materials, both sacred and utilitarian, in metal, marble, gold, ivory, and terracotta. Sculptures of deities and architectural elements are joined by depictions of athletes, animals, and performers, as well as by funerary reliefs, perfume vases, and jewelry. The accompanying text both provides insight into Greek art as a whole and illuminates centuries of Greek life. Detailed commentaries on each work and an overview of major themes in Greek art offer a fascinating, object-focused introduction to one of the most influential cultures in Western civilization.Published by The Metropolitan Museum of Art/Distributed by Yale University Press

New discoveries of surviving color on sculpture spanning two millennia and across the globe, from ancient Greece to Tenochtitlán to Renaissance Europe  Many ancient and early modern works that are viewed in monochrome today were once painted in vibrant colors. Lost to time until recently, the pigments and other surface treatments that originally adorned these objects offer a deeper appreciation of the cultures from which they originate. This handsome volume features new research by more than thirty international experts in polychromy, including art historians, conservators, scientists, and photographers. Identified through advanced technologies, scientific analyses, and in-depth research, their discoveries of surviving traces of color span the globe and vary in material, including an Archaic Greek marble sphinx, an ancient Phoenician cloisonné furniture plaque, Mexica (Aztec) lime-stone sculptures, and medieval and Renaissance European marbles and bronzes. This wide-ranging publication explores how these works further our understanding of ancient ideas around skin color, race, and gender; summarizes recent advances in the field; and considers polychromy’s controversial rediscovery and modern reception— highlighting the role of reconstructions such as 3D-printed replicas and virtual animations in contemporary museum practice as well as the resurgence of polychromy techniques in postmodern and contemporary European architecture.  Published by The Metropolitan Museum of Art/Distributed by Yale University Press

A comprehensive collection of early Cycladic antiquities presented through an unprecedented partnership between Greece and The Metropolitan Museum of ArtCreated more than four millennia ago in an archipelago in the Aegean Sea, the sculptures of the ancient Cyclades are among the most arresting representations of the human form ever created. Little is known about these enigmatic and mesmerizing objects, which have inspired generations of modern artists, from Constantin Brancusi and Pablo Picasso to Amedeo Modigliani and Henry Moore. This book presents more than 150 works spanning three thousand years (5300–2200 BCE), including small marble sculptures, metalwork, stone and terracotta vessels, and an astonishing four-foot-long reclining female figure that represents one of the few monumental Early Cycladic statues to survive. Scholarly essays illuminate the mysteries behind these ancient objects—providing cultural context, detailing the materials and techniques used, and uncovering traces of painted decoration not visible today. An eloquent reflection on the subtleties of craftsmanship during the Neolithic and Bronze Ages, Cycladic Art attests to the power and relevance of Cycladic stone carving over the centuries.Published by The Metropolitan Museum of Art/Distributed by Yale University Press

The collection of Roman art at The Metropolitan Museum of Art is one of the finest in the world. It contains more than 5,000 objects, including exquisite cameos, refined silver vessels and utensils, spectacular Pompeiian frescoes, monumental sculptures in stone and bronze and elaborate sarcophagi. This handsome guide features a selection of over 200 of the most important works that exemplify this rich and diverse collection, each presented in detail and illustrated with stunning colour photography. Every work is accompanied by an engaging text written by prominent scholars that establishes the object's significance in antiquity, providing new insights for a contemporary understanding of ancient Roman art.Contents: Acknowledgments; Director's Foreword; Introduction; Roman Copies and Adaptations of Greek Sculpture; The Decoration of House and Villa; Luxury Art; Shrines of the Lares and Offerings to Other Divinities; Roman Egyptomania; Tombs and Funerary Monuments; Imperial and Private Portraits; Gladatorial Games, Sports, and the Military; Architectural Elements; A Selection of Roman Works and their Modern Histories; Bibliography; Index.