Old College Gallery hosts exhibition featuring treasures of ancient Greece, Rome

10:54 a.m., Sept. 26, 2014--An exhibition featuring Greek, Roman an Etruscan antiquities, “Treasures and Tales of Italy’s Art Recovery Team: Antiquities from the Guardia di Finanza,” will be on view at the University of Delaware’s Old College Gallery from Oct. 2-Dec. 7.

The exhibition complements another on view concurrently at the Grand Opera House in Wilmington.

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The two displays showcase the results of the work of the Art Recovery Team of the Guardia di Finanza, Italy’s financial guard, in tracking down and repatriating antiquities.

The exhibition at UD will include an opening reception at 5 p.m., Wednesday, Oct. 1, in Old College Gallery. The event will feature remarks by Col. Massimo Rossi, chief in command of the Art Recovery Team. 

Those who plan to attend should RSVP at 302-831-8037 or via email at universitymuseums@udel.edu.

About ‘Treasures and Tales’

The Old College Gallery exhibition feature more than 30, Green, Roman and Etruscan objects covered by the Guardia di Finanza team, and it highlights the Italian government’s ongoing efforts around the world to recover and repatriate works of art.

The ancient symposium was an occasion for men to gather, drink, and engage in spirited intellectual conversation, as immortalized in Plato’s dialogue The Symposium. 

It also provides the theme for this exhibition, focusing on the Bacchic aspects of the symposium and on the cult of the Greek god Dionysus (the Roman god Bacchus), god of vines, wine, and mystical delirium. 

Represented on a Greek black figure vase dated to the 6th century BCE, the god is shown on his chariot pulled by four horses and accompanied by his mythical courtiers; centuries later a younger Bacchus appears in a Roman mosaic also on view. 

In addition to these and other representations of the god are footed bowls, or craters, for mixing the wine to be served in shallow cups (kylixes). 

In addition, a full set of serving implements gives the vessels context.

The exhibition is made possible by the International Council of Delaware and the Guardia di Finanza, which is preparing to mark its 100th anniversary in 2016.

‘Treasures and Tales’ programming

Several special events will be held in conjunction with the exhibition. They include the following:

• Wednesday, Oct. 1, 4:30 p.m., Old College Gallery. Perspective series presentation, “Party Time? What You Didn’t Know About Dionysus,” Annette Giesecke, professor of classics and interim chair of UD’s Department of Foreign Languages and Literatures.

• Wednesday, Oct. 1, 5 p.m., Old College Gallery. Opening reception, with remarks by Col. Massimo Rossi, chief in command of the Art Recovery Team. Those who plan to attend should RSVP at 302-831-8037 or via email at universitymuseums@udel.edu.

• Thursday, Oct. 30, 12:30-1:15 p.m., Old College Gallery. Perspective series presentation, “The Lives and After-Lives of Ancient Objects,” Lauren Petersen, professor of art history.

• Thursday, Dec. 4, 5:30-7:30 p.m., Old College Gallery. First Thursday Open House.

Image courtesy of DeBooks