ANS COINS FEATURED IN MUSEUM EXHIBITS

Dangerous Beauty: Medusa in Classical Art

Beginning in the fifth century B.C., Medusa—the snaky-haired Gorgon whose gaze turned men to stone—became increasingly anthropomorphic and feminine, undergoing a visual transformation from grotesque to beautiful. A similar shift in representations of other mythical female half-human beings—such as sphinxes, sirens, and the sea monster Scylla—took place at the same time. Featuring 60 artworks, primarily from The Met collection, this exhibition explores how the beautification of these terrifying figures manifested the idealizing humanism of Classical Greek art, and traces their enduring appeal in both Roman and later Western art.

The connection between beauty and horror, embodied above all in the figure of Medusa, outlived antiquity, fascinating and inspiring artists through the centuries. Medusa became the archetypical femme fatale, a conflation of femininity, erotic desire, violence, and death. Along with the beautiful Scylla, she foreshadows the conceit of the seductive but threatening female that emerges in the late 19th century in reaction to women's empowerment.

For more information on the exhibit, see:
Dangerous Beauty: Medusa in Classical Art (https://www.metmuseum.org/exhibitions/listings/2018/dangerous-beauty)

The Horse in Ancient Greek Art

The Horse in Ancient Greek Art presents imagery of mythical horses like the winged Pegasos, who becomes a constellation, as well as horse-hybrids like centaurs and satyrs, creatures that are part human and part horse. Many artists depict chariots, sometimes rushing into battle and sometimes in thrilling races, while others focus on horse races, carefully indicating the goads, bridles, reins, and bits. These images as well as scenes of grooming and feeding well-bred steeds reveal striking parallels between ancient and modern horse care and horsemanship.

The Horse in Ancient Greek Art features Greek vases, sculpture, and coins from the 8th through the 4th centuries BC drawn from private collections, the Virginia Museum of Fine Arts, the Tampa Museum of Art, and other museum collections. The exhibition and accompanying publication explore the significance of the horse in ancient Greek culture, and imagery of the horse in ancient myth, war, sport, and competition. From some of the earliest examples of the horse in Greek art, to stunning examples of black and red-figure vases, the objects on view illustrate ancient equestrian life.

For more information on the exhibit, see:
The Horse in Ancient Greek Art (https://www.vmfa.museum/exhibitions/exhibitions/horse-ancient-greece/)

To read the earlier E-Sylum article, see:
NUMISMATIC NUGGETS: FEBRUARY 25, 2018 : Parion Hemidrachm with Gorgon Face (http://www.coinbooks.org/v21/esylum_v21n08a29.html)

For more information about the American Numismatic Society, see:
http://numismatics.org/

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