Figures from the fire: J. Pierpont Morgan's ancient bronzes at the Wadsworth Atheneum Museum of Art

Abstract

"This beautiful publication presents a collection of exquisite ancient bronzes from the Wadsworth Atheneum that were collected by John Pierpont Morgan. It accompanies a special exhibition of the bronzes at Bowdoin College. This fully illustrated catalogue presents highlights of the ancient bronzes that were collected by J. Pierpont Morgan and are currently in the collection of the Wadsworth Atheneum. Purchased between 1904 and 1916, the bronzes were given to the museum by Morgan's son in 1917. Morgan was a passionate collector and spent years of his life acquiring exquisite works of art. He had a discerning eye and discriminating taste, and his driving motivation was to find works of quality and beauty. His Greek and Roman bronzes include a range of figure and vessel types: males and females, gods and mortals, humans and animals and hybrid mythological creatures, free-standing statuettes, and furniture embellishments. This is the first exhibition and publication to consider the bronzes as a group."-- Provided by publisher.

Contents

Director's foreword / Matthew Hargraves -- Ancient bronzes from the Morgan Collection at the Wadsworth Atheneum / Lisa Brody -- Small bronzes in context / James Higginbotham -- Catalogue / Lisa Brody.