Gallery Talk: Investigating Color at Ancient Dura-Europos

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

What can we learn from humble fragments of painted plaster walls? A lot, as it turns out! Paintings conservator Kate Smith and assistant research curator Caitlin Clerkin will discuss a display of wall painting fragments excavated at ancient Dura-Europos, Syria. The collaborative research into materials that underpins this display shows how some answers—and more questions—can be generated by casting a technical lens on forgotten parts of the collections. This talk focuses on a new installation in Gallery 3440.

This gallery talk is part of our New on View series, highlighting recent gallery installations and presenting new insights into recent acquisitions or old favorites.

Led by:
Caitlin Clerkin, Frederick Randolph Grace Assistant Research Curator of Ancient Art, Division of Asian and Mediterranean Art
Kate Smith, Senior Conservator of Paintings, Head of Paintings Lab, Straus Center for Conservation and Technical Studies

Please check in with museum staff at the Visitor Services desk in the Calderwood Courtyard to request to join the gallery talk. Space is limited, and talks 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.