Back to Calendar

Gallery Talk: Grief Made Marble—Funerary Sculpture in Classical Athens

A marble sculpture depicts a child with a figurine and bird in her hand, with a dog at her feet.
Grave Stele of a Young Girl, “Melisto,” Greek, c. 340 BCE. Marble, probably from Sounion. Harvard Art Museums/Arthur M. Sackler Museum, Alpheus Hyatt Purchasing and Gifts for Special Uses Funds in memory of Katherine Brewster Taylor, as a tribute to her many years at the Fogg Museum, 1961.86.

Gallery Talk

In-Person
Harvard Art Museums
32 Quincy Street, Cambridge, MA

This event does not require registration; see further details below.

In his gallery talk, Harvard professor Seth Estrin will explore an ancient Greek grave stele for a young girl named Melisto. Focusing on the historical and emotional context of the monument as well as details of its carving, Estrin will examine how subtle effects of relief sculpture were used in Classical Athens to construct the experience of bereavement.

Led by:
Seth Estrin, Assistant Professor of History of Art and Architecture, Department of History of Art and Architecture, Harvard University

Please check in with museum staff at the Visitor Services desk in the Calderwood Courtyard to request to join the gallery talk. Talks are limited to 18 people and are available on a first-come, first-served basis; no registration is required.

The Harvard Art Museums offer free admission every day, Tuesday through Sunday. Please see the museum visit page to learn about our general policies for visiting the museums.

The Harvard Art Museums are committed to accessibility for all visitors. For anyone requiring accessibility accommodations for our programs, please contact us at am_register@harvard.edu at least 48 hours in advance. Please include the name and date of the program in the subject line of your email.