Press Releases

Assyrian kings in the ninth to seventh centuries B.C. decorated their palaces with masterful relief sculptures that represent a high point of Mesopotamian art, both for their artistic quality and sophistication and for their vivid depictions of warfare, rituals, mythology, hunting, and other aspects of Assyrian court life. The importance of these ancient treasures has only increased with the recent destruction, by ISIS, of many of the reliefs that remained in Iraq. Curated by Timothy Potts, assisted by Sara Cole. 

The history of the book in the late Middle Ages is a story of competing media as the handwritten and the illuminated encountered the print revolution in Europe. New printing technologies gave rise to a rich period of experimental cross-fertilization during which artists created hybrid works, books printed to look like manuscripts, and painted compositions modeled after prints. This exhibition includes masterpieces of both media, challenging the division between them considering the culture of the book as technology met artistry. Curated by Larisa Grollemond. 

On April 15, 2019, an accidental fire ravaged the 850-year-old cathedral of Notre-Dame in Paris. In recognition of this historic event and its aftermath, the exhibition offers a glimpse into the history and art of this architectural and religious icon. Paintings, photographs, prints, and rare books elucidate the importance of the cathedral in European art history from its construction in the Middle Ages to its restoration in the mid-1800s, including its central place in Victor Hugo’s novel The Hunchback of Notre-Dame. Curated by Anne-Lise Desmas.