The Art of Ancient Greece: The Walters Art Museum

Edited by Sabine Albersmeier

Contributions by Amalia Avramidou, Wendy E. Closterman, Helene Coccagna, Angeliki Kokkinou, Leigh Lieberman, Michael Maaß, John H. Oakley, Timothy Phin, Alan Shapiro, and Allison Surtees

The magnificent collection of ancient Greek art at the Walters Art Museum is presented in this lavishly illustrated volume. The museum's collection, assembled by Henry Walters and supplemented by gifts and acquisitions, includes fine and historically important pieces: enigmatic Cycladic statues; rare sculpture from the Classical period that continues to define our ideals of the human body; diverse examples of pottery design and decoration; Roman copies of Greek sculpture otherwise lost forever; the gorgeous and intricate jewelry of the Olbia Treasure.

The collection, which extends from the Cycladic to the Hellenistic period, is presented in chronological order with an introductory essay for each period, contextualizing the work and tracing the development of artistic techniques and themes. Each piece is then discussed individually and in comparison with other known pieces, to bring out its distinctive features and to emphasize its importance for our understanding of the customs and values of the period. These lucid analyses enable the reader to appreciate the depth of cultural wealth embodied in this magnificent collection.

Softcover
208 pp.
11 x 8 inches