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November

Two women stand in front of a dark blue gallery wall looking closely at a large anatomical drawing of a human figure on a pedestal.

Dig deeper this month into our Dare to Know: Prints and Drawings in the Age of Enlightenment exhibition and explore the many facets of the Enlightenment era—a time of profound shifts in science, philosophy, the arts, and social and cultural encounters in Europe and America. Attend a gallery talk to learn more about female artists during this period or perhaps explore 18th-century astronomical events through the work of British artist Paul Sandby. Boston Globe critic Murray Whyte called the exhibition “impressively earnest in its breadth.” Come see for yourself and dare to know!

While you’re here, go back even further in time with our exhibition of funerary portraits of ancient Egyptians. Spend time with an encaustic painter to learn new skills and honor the people in these portraits. Or join us online for a chat with conservators about how these paintings were made.

Remember, if you’re a Massachusetts resident, arrive before noon on Saturdays and spend the rest of the day at the museums for free!

A painted portrait of a woman in green and purple clothing with her dark hair pulled back from her face.

LECTURE

Mind Your Beeswax

On Thursday, November 3, join encaustic artist Francisco Benitez and paintings conservator Kate Smith as they discuss the ancient process of painting with beeswax in this free lecture. Seating is limited, so be sure to make a reservation. Want to try to make a portrait of your own? Sign up for a Materials Lab Workshop led by Benitez happening on Saturday, November 5 in Allston.

A hand points to a page in a book with prints of red leaves and black filigree on the edges of the page.

VIDEO

Printing Nature

Dare to Know is rich with Enlightenment investigations into science, philosophy, history, and the arts—all of which are explored in a series of videos featuring conservation experts and curators. Find out more about how the physical properties of the objects in the exhibition bring the works to life, such as a book of nature prints.

A print features an endless, many-looped knot. Text is written along the inside of and around the image.

GALLERY TALK

It’s All Ephemeral

On Tuesday, November 8, curatorial assistant Casey Monahan will take a close look with visitors at a dynamic display of ball invitations, advertisements, trade cards, and currency notes in the Dare to Know exhibition.

A group of several women gather in a dormitory setting with draped windows. It’s a monochromatic image, lightly and loosely drawn.

GALLERY TALK

Fragonard in Focus

Join curator Joachim Homann on Thursday, November 10 for an in-depth discussion of Jean-Honoré Fragonard’s drawing The Girls’ Dormitory (c. 1770), on view in Dare to Know.

A young woman looks to her right with a simple expression.

FILM

Overcoming the Odds

Catch two films about teenage athletes overcoming cultural barriers on Sunday, November 6. Icebreakers and Olga are part of the Screens for Teens film series—screenings of contemporary and classic films that are specially curated for teenagers in Cambridge and beyond.

A ceramic pitcher with a handle on the left and a spout on the right. It is primarily dark orange with a brown and beige abstract geometric pattern in the front.

EXHIBITION

Last Look

The long-term exhibition Clay—Modeling African Design is coming to a close on Sunday, November 13. Spend time with the remarkable diversity of ceramic objects from the African continent, on loan from Harvard’s Peabody Museum of Archaeology and Ethnology, alongside contemporary photographs from the Harvard Art Museums collections.

Index

Events

Mark your calendar! On Thursday, November 17, join us from 6 to 7:30pm for a screening of Angola Do You Hear Us? Voices from a Plantation Prison. A conversation with playwright Liza Jessie Peterson, producer Catherine Gund, and professor Brandon Terry will follow. Free admission, but seating is limited. Reservations are encouraged and open on November 7.

Dare to Know: Prints and Drawings in the Age of Enlightenment is supported in part by an award from the National Endowment for the Arts. Support for the exhibition is provided by the Melvin R. Seiden and Janine Luke Fund for Publications and Exhibitions, the Robert M. Light Print Department Fund, the Stanley H. Durwood Foundation Support Fund, the Catalogues and Exhibitions Fund for Pre-Twentieth-Century Art of the Fogg Museum, and the Gladys Krieble Delmas Foundation. The accompanying catalogue was made possible by the Andrew W. Mellon Publication Funds, including the Henry P. McIlhenny Fund. Related programming is supported by the M. Victor Leventritt Lecture Series Endowment Fund.

Support for the Funerary Portraits exhibition is provided by the Kelekian Fund, the Christopher and Jean Angell Charitable Fund, and the Kornfeld Foundation (through Christopher Angell). Related programming is supported by the M. Victor Leventritt Lecture Series Endowment Fund.

Images: (Header) © Caitlin Cunningham Photography. Overcoming the Odds: © Kino Lorber. Last Look: Pitcher with spout and handle, Algeria, Kabyle, late 19th–early 20th century. Ceramic. Peabody Museum of Archaeology and Ethnology, Harvard University, Gift of Dr. Algernon Coolidge, 31-27-50/B5085, TL41971.42. Photo courtesy of Peabody Museum of Archaeology and Ethnology.