| By Kelly S. The Worcester Art Museum was first established in the spring of 1898. It was founded by a man named Stephen Salisbury III. The place was supposed to be for the benefit of the people. It stores more than 35,000 pieces from more than 50 countries of the world. The museum has thirty-five galleries that offer the visitors a walk through time and many different cultures. The trip begins with sculpture and decorative arts, such vases, oils, and many other beautiful paintings from ancient Egypt, Rome, and Greece. They also have an Asian collection, which was started in 1901. It includes Japanese prints, textiles, ceramics, sculptures and paintings that represent India, China and Japan. Paintings of some of the most famous artists of Europe hang in the Worcester Art Museum. Artists such as El Greco, Renoir, Monet and Cezanne, to name a few. Pottery and sculpture represent the early history of art in the Western Hemisphere. This art dates back to before Columbus discovered America. Also on display are furniture and oils and watercolors from colonial America. Photographs from the civil war to modern times are displayed in rotating exhibitions. The Greek gallery displays art and everyday objects. These objects date back to 3000-100BC. These objects were used by people living in the Greek world, which included all the land around the Mediterranean Sea. The exhibit has three themes: 1-Greek Vase painting tells about their society. 2-The different ways women were represented in the Greek culture. 3-The importance of sculpture in the Greek religion. The museum’s collection of Greek coins has never before been displayed. Dionysos, the God of wine, is on coins from Thasos advertising the Vineyards of the Island. Sicilian coins celebrate the divine power of the God of the sea, Poseidion. The Roman gallery displays the objects created by the Etruscan people living in the Roman Empire. The topics in the Roman gallery include: 1-Roman religion 2-Bronze-working technology 3-The invention of glass blowing. 4-The Roman’s admiration of the Greek art. Displayed in the Roman gallery are rare pictures of Nero and Caligula, (two very important Roman emporers). Worcester Art Museum was a key sponsor of the search of Roman Antioch, (an ancient Roman city).Other sponsors were Princeton University, the Louvre, Baltimore Museum of Art and Harvard University. In the 1930s, archaeologists traveled to Southern Turkey, near the border of Syria. Antioch was the capital of Syria and the largest city east of Rome. The city was badly damaged by an Earthquake in 526CE. The archaeologists spent ten years digging and revealed 90 public buildings and houses. The archaeologists dug up mosaics, pieces of sculpture, coins, lamps, and other items used by the Romans. Many of the items are hanging on the walls of the museum. The Museum is located on 55 Salibury St.Please make the trip. |
| Worcester Art Museum |