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Ancient Rome at the British Museum with Dr. Alan Montgomery

Ancient Rome at the British Museum with Dr. Alan Montgomery


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Can't make this time? A video recording will be sent to all participants after the seminar.

The British Museum in London has one of the world’s finest collections of ancient Roman artefacts. From elegant marble sculptures to tiny carved gems and delicate glass vases, these objects reveal much about life and culture in the Roman period. Many of them were once owned by rich private collectors, young British gentlemen who headed off to Rome in the eighteenth century to complete their classical educations and came back with stunning souvenirs of their journey.

This seminar will explore the British Museum’s Roman collection, focusing in particular on the exhibits that once formed part of eighteenth-century Grand Tour collections. It will include discussions of iconic marble sculptures, such as the Discobolus and the Townley Venus, wonders of ancient art that were highly prized by early modern English collectors. Also featured will be smaller objects, such as the exquisite Portland Vase, a wonder of ancient glassmaking covered in finely formed but enigmatic images. As we will discover, these objects tell us much about both the Roman world and the way that it has been admired, interpreted and misinterpreted in more recent centuries.

Led by a historian, writer and Context guide with a special interest in Classical civilization, this interactive seminar will explore a selection of the Roman artifacts in the British Museum. Designed to inform curiosity as well as future travels, participants will come away with an insight into both the ancient world and its influence in modern times.

Alan Montgomery was born and raised in Scotland but has spent most of his adult life in London. Having achieved an MA in Art History at Glasgow University, he worked for many years in the art world at both an international auction house and an antique dealer. In recent years he has returned to academia, achieving an MA in Classical Civilisation in 2011, and has recently completed a Ph.D. in which he analyzed eighteenth-century attitudes towards the ancient Roman world. In addition to his work for Context Travel, Alan also writes catalog essays on Contemporary Art for a leading auctioneer. Elected a Fellow of the Society of Antiquaries of Scotland in 2017, his first book, entitled 'Classical Caledonia', was published by Edinburgh University Press in August 2020.

This conversation is suitable for all ages.

90 minutes, including a 30 minute Q&A.

Customer Reviews

Based on 2 reviews
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L
Linda Hoagland (Lafayette, US)
Enjoyable presentation!

Good selection of items described. Interesting to hear the back stories about the statues and vases selected.

R
Rebecca Balcarcel (Euless, US)
Excellent!

Informative and interesting!

Customer Reviews

Based on 2 reviews
100%
(2)
0%
(0)
0%
(0)
0%
(0)
0%
(0)
L
Linda Hoagland (Lafayette, US)
Enjoyable presentation!

Good selection of items described. Interesting to hear the back stories about the statues and vases selected.

R
Rebecca Balcarcel (Euless, US)
Excellent!

Informative and interesting!