This lovely statue is found in the open air museum in Memphis, Egypt. It is called the "Alabaster Sphinx" or the "Calcite Sphinx" due to the yellow coloration of the stone. It is unknown which pharaoh is depicted here, but it is known it is from the 18th dynasty. Museum Monday is an every other week series about museum news, objects, and reviews.
Dionysus taking a Selfie When I was visiting the Roman section of the Royal Ontario Museum in Toronto, Canada the lighting wasn't that great. I didn't want to use my flash, as that would wash out the details of the statue. So instead I risked using the existing lighting. And it makes it look like this Dionysus statue is taking a selfie. Dionysus at ROM Museum Monday is an every other week series about museum news, objects, and reviews.
I was lucky to have taken an entire class on Ancient Italian Art & Architecture the semester before I went to Italy. So when I turned a corner in the Vatican Museum and saw this statue I was very excited. This statue was re-discovered in 1506 but is thousands of years older. It is unknown if this was an original Hellenistic Greek Statue, or if it still dates from that period but is a copy based on a lost bronze version of the statue. It is so old that the famous ancient historian, Pliny the Elder, even referenced the statue on the
This statue is from the Städtische Galerie Liebieghaus collection in Frankfurt, Germany. This is only the top half of the statue, the other is nude and preparing to throw the discus. I loved the bright red background of this part of the museum. A marble discobolus Museum Monday is an every other week series about museum news, objects, and reviews.
I didn't make it to the official Gold museum in San Jose but the Museo Nacional de Costa Rica had a small section on gold. Museum Monday is an every other week series about museum news, objects, and reviews.
A statue of a woman from Pompeii I love statues, there is something captivating from being able to walk around and seeing the artwork from all sorts of angles. This statues is from Pompeii, and was part of the A Day in Pompeii exhibit at the Denver Museum of Nature and Science in 2012. Museum Monday is an every other week series about museum news, objects, and reviews.
Romeo and Juliet is one of the best known plays by Williams Shakespeare and takes place in Verona, Italy. In Verona you can visit "Juliet's Balcony" which is in a courtyard and use to have a statue of Juliet. It is said that those who touch her right breast you'll be lucky in love. So many people touched her breast that it destroyed the statue and was recently removed. People also leave pleas on notes or graffiti on the way into the courtyard also looking for Juliet's help. I found it a bit ironic due to how the story ends.
My family use to live in San Diego when I was very little. Every trip that either they or I have gone, I have received a Sand Castle as a gift. Here is one of my favorites, and it is one of the larger castles. They are made from real sand! Souvenir Saturday is an every-other week series on the items that represent travel memories.
Today's feature comes from Städtische Galerie Liebieghaus in Frankfurt, Germany. It is a statue of Athena, the goddess of war and wisdom. I was struck by the detail the folds of her dress and her helmet. This ancient greek statue would have been painted. Athena goddess of wisdom and war. Close up on the detail of her helmet. Museum Monday is an every other week series about museum news, objects, and reviews.