In the late 1940s, the United States’ involvement in Greece ushered in a new, unprecedented role for Greek antiquities presented as state gifts to American presidents and other high-ranking officials. Carefully selected by the Greek government during the Cold War, these gifts epitomized a conception of Ancient Greece as the political and cultural paragon of Western civilization. This message was communicated in well-staged ceremonies that resonated with political figures, the press, and diverse publics such as the Greek-American community.
After joining the University of Texas at Austin’s art history faculty, Papalexandrou began researching the under-studied tradition of antiquities as diplomatic gifts. During his lecture, he will present his unfolding research that takes a closer look at the character of these antiquities, their qualities as ancient artifacts, the symbolism behind their selection, and the reception by those who accepted them. The lecture will take place on Saturday, February 27, 2016, at 2:00pm in the Villa Auditorium. Admission is free, but a reservation is required.
About Nassos Papalexandrou
Athanasio “Nassos” Papalexandrou is an associate professor of art history at the University of Texas at Austin. He attended the University of Athens and earned his doctoral degree at Princeton University. His research specialties are the ritual dimensions of early Greek figurative art and archaeology, Orientalizing phenomena, and the archaeology of Cyprus, and he has conducted field work in Athens, Crete, Naxos, and multiple sites on Cyprus. He has published widely in scholarly journals and in 2005 released his first book called The Visual Poetics of Power: Warriors, Youths, and Tripods in Early Greece. His current projects include a new book exploring the role of monsters in the arts and rituals of early Greece and an exhibition showcasing antiquities exchanged as diplomatic gifts between Greece and the United States after World War II.