Object of Devotion: Medieval English Alabaster Sculpture from the Victoria and Albert Museum

Museum of Art Museum of Art

Exhibition: Object of Devotion: Medieval English Alabaster Sculpture from the Victoria and Albert Museum

Dates:

Location:

Halford Gallery, Center Gallery, Bernard and Barbro Osher Gallery
Alabaster production during the Middle Ages centered on the making and selling of finely decorated, gilded and colored sculpture to churches, nobles, and owners of private chapels. More common examples, however, were intended to brighten the homes and spiritual lives of people of modest means and are now treasured as the folk art of the ordinary medieval English man and woman.

Selected Works

"Panel of the Fifth Sign of the Last Judgment,"
"Panel of the Martyrdom of St. Edmund," alabaster, late 15th century. on loan from the Victoria and Albert Museum.
"Panel of the Annunciation," alabaster. 15th century, on loan from the Victoria and Albert Museum.

About

Alabaster production during the Middle Ages centered on the making and selling of finely decorated, gilded and colored sculpture to churches, nobles, and owners of private chapels. More common examples, however, were intended to brighten the homes and spiritual lives of people of modest means and are now treasured as the folk art of the ordinary medieval English man and woman.  Due to this range in intended audience, this assemblage of English alabasters offers an unrivalled glimpse into the spiritual lives, hopes, fears and religious aspirations of both aristocratic and non-aristocratic society during the Middle Ages.

This exhibition was organized and circulated by Art Services International, Alexandria, Virginia. This exhibition is supported by a grant from The Samuel H. Kress Foundation.

Lecture by Kathryn Smith, Thursday, February 17 at 4:30 p.m. in Smith Auditorium

Thursday, February 17 at 5:30 p.m. in the Bowdoin College Museum of Art

Lecture by Jessica Brantley, Thursday, February 24 at 4:30 p.m. in Smith Auditorium

Lecture by Jamal Elias, Thursday, March 3 at 5:00 p.m. in Smith Auditorium