Spring Break
Walters' "Recurrence" fills space but suceeeds
Issue date: 10/11/07
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When an art museum assembles a one-room exhibition drawing upon its own collection and justifies it as a complement to the concurrent featured exhibition, one can safely assume that it is a space-filler. This is exactly the case with The Walters Art Museum's "Recurrence."
Yet, despite this fact, the exhibition should not be derided, for it raises important questions concerning the idea of the artist in pre-modern cultures and the role that imitation has played in the history of art.
Drawing upon The Walters' Egyptian, Ancient Greek and Asian collections, "Recurrence" is intended to complement the museum's special exhibition "Déjà Vu: Revealing Repetition in French Masterpieces." While "Déjà Vu" asks what the meaning of repetition is in artworks created in a self-consciously modern period, "Recurrence" explores the function and meaning of imitation in pre-modern societies where originality was not a value.
The exhibition organizes itself by focusing on several motifs and how they have been transmitted over time and cultures.
When dealing with the issue of images that have been replicated and reinterpreted, one must deal with perhaps the most iconic image in Western history: the Virgin and Child. Thus, included are several small figurines and icons of Mary and Jesus, including a spectacular ivory carving created in the 7th century. Of the Egyptian Coptic style, Mary here is depicted as wide-eyed with exaggerated features, lending the piece an almost modern sensibility.
The exhibition reminds us, however, that the Virgin and Child was not the first iconic image of a mother with her child. One of the most popular, enduring icons in Ancient Egypt was that of the goddess Isis with her son, Horus.
In Ancient Egyptian culture, Isis was worshiped as the supreme mother and wife. Her son, Horus, was the sky or sun god and is frequently represented as a man with a falcon's head.
Similar to attitudes toward medieval Christian icons, worshipers in Ancient Egypt believed that images of divine mothers possessed powers, easing worries and fears as well as providing good fortune.
Yet, despite this fact, the exhibition should not be derided, for it raises important questions concerning the idea of the artist in pre-modern cultures and the role that imitation has played in the history of art.
Drawing upon The Walters' Egyptian, Ancient Greek and Asian collections, "Recurrence" is intended to complement the museum's special exhibition "Déjà Vu: Revealing Repetition in French Masterpieces." While "Déjà Vu" asks what the meaning of repetition is in artworks created in a self-consciously modern period, "Recurrence" explores the function and meaning of imitation in pre-modern societies where originality was not a value.
The exhibition organizes itself by focusing on several motifs and how they have been transmitted over time and cultures.
When dealing with the issue of images that have been replicated and reinterpreted, one must deal with perhaps the most iconic image in Western history: the Virgin and Child. Thus, included are several small figurines and icons of Mary and Jesus, including a spectacular ivory carving created in the 7th century. Of the Egyptian Coptic style, Mary here is depicted as wide-eyed with exaggerated features, lending the piece an almost modern sensibility.
The exhibition reminds us, however, that the Virgin and Child was not the first iconic image of a mother with her child. One of the most popular, enduring icons in Ancient Egypt was that of the goddess Isis with her son, Horus.
In Ancient Egyptian culture, Isis was worshiped as the supreme mother and wife. Her son, Horus, was the sky or sun god and is frequently represented as a man with a falcon's head.
Similar to attitudes toward medieval Christian icons, worshipers in Ancient Egypt believed that images of divine mothers possessed powers, easing worries and fears as well as providing good fortune.
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