The Timken Museum of Art is pleased to announce its spring exhibition, An Archaeologist’s Eye: The Parthenon Drawings of Katherine A. Schwab, opening Friday, April 1rst and running through June 5th, 2016. This exhibition provides a glimpse into a world once inhabited by the ancient Greeks by exploring the famed sculptural reliefs of the Parthenon in Athens. These legendary works have long been compromised by natural age, weather, pollution and damage. Katherine A. Schwab has brought her combined knowledge of art history and archaeology, and her considerable skills as a fine artist, to bear on this problem, creating arresting drawings that address the tone, depth, texture and subtle illumination of this classical work, effects that might otherwise appear barely visible to the naked eye. Schwab’s experimentation with graphite and pastel result in a unique collection of more than 30 drawings celebrating the Parthenon’s sculptural legacy and the famed mythological battles between the Olympian Gods and Giants, as well as the Sacking of Troy.
Combining exquisite draftsmanship, historical insight, and archaeological expertise to powerful effect, An Archaeologist’s Eye: The Parthenon Drawings of Katherine A. Schwab was selected for exhibition at the Timken back in early 2014. The exhibition has been organized by the Bellarmine Museum of Art, Fairfield University and Creighton University, with considerable help from the Timken Museum of Art’s previous Executive Director, John Wilson.
“An Archaeologist’s Eye offers something quite different from what Timken’s visitors may expect to find in our galleries,” noted Derrick Cartwright, curatorial director of the Timken and professor of art history at the University of San Diego. “Yet, in studying these contemporary interpretations of sculpture that was created 2500 years ago, we remind ourselves of the enduring quality that informs the best creative practices.”
The Timken’s fall exhibition features Jan Brueghel’s The Entry of the Animals Into Noah’s Ark, on loan from the J. Paul Getty Museum, in celebration of the San Diego Zoo’s 100th anniversary. Admission to the Timken, including exhibitions is always free.
The following events will accompany the exhibition:
April 6, 2016, 6:30 p.m.
Art in the Evening – Ticketed Event – Katherine Schwab, Professor of Art History at Fairfield University
“Revealing the Invisible Parthenon: The Hidden Classical Sculpture”
April 11, 2016, 10:00 a.m.
Guest Lecture – Free – Marina Belozerskaya, Art Historian
“The Parthenon Through Many Eyes: Transformations and Rediscoveries from Medieval Pilgrims to Early Modern Archaeologists"
May 5, 2016, 6:30 p.m.
Art in the Evening – Ticketed Event – Katherine Schwab, Professor of Art History at Fairfield University
“Classical Hairstyles: Identity, Society and Fashion”
About the Timken Museum of Art
Affectionately called San Diego’s “jewel box” of fine art, the Timken Museum of Art is located in San Diego’s historic Balboa Park on the Plaza de Panama. It is the permanent home of the Putnam Foundation’s significant collection of European old masters, 19th century American art and Russian icons. Notable works in the collection include Rembrandt's “Saint Bartholomew” (the only painting by the Dutch artist on public display in San Diego); Pieter Bruegel the Elder's “Parable of the Sower;” John Singleton Copley's “Portrait of Mrs. Thomas Gage;” Eastman Johnson's classic “The Cranberry Harvest: Island of Nantucket;” and Jean-Baptiste-Camille Corot's “View of Volterra.” Known as one of the finest small museums in the world, the Timken provides visitors with an accessible and enriching cultural experience featuring a beautiful collection, intimate surroundings, and free admission.
The museum is open from 10 a.m. to 4:30 p.m. Tuesday through Saturday and Sundays, noon to 4:30 p.m. It is closed on Mondays and major holidays. For more information, visit http://www.timkenmuseum.org. Follow the museum on Facebook or Twitter at @TimkenMuseum or call (619) 239-5548.