Collections
40 Works for 40 Years: Celebrating the German Friends of the Busch-Reisinger Museum
We are delighted to present a selection of 40 works from the Busch-Reisinger Museum’s collection that reflect 40 years of meaningful, generous support.
Reconstructing the Staff of Nydia, the Blind Flower Girl of Pompeii
Objects conservation fellow Adrienne Gendron shares the story of Nydia, a sculpture representing a heroine from a 19th-century novel, and the thoughtful considerations behind her conservation approach.
By Adrienne Gendron

Voices from the Collections: Photographer Guanyu Xu in Conversation with Curatorial Fellow Jackson Davidow
Curatorial fellow Jackson Davidow recently talked with photographer Guanyu Xu about his work Worlds Within Worlds, which has just been acquired by the Harvard Art Museums, as well as his artistic process.
By Jackson Davidow

Seeking Divine Answers in Ancient Christian Egypt
An ancient Egyptian manuscript at the Harvard Art Museums reveals how early Christian pilgrims received not-so-random answers from God.
By Chance Bonar

American Soldier Photography
Curatorial fellow Jackson Davidow considers the genre of soldier photography, looking closely at examples in the museums’ photography collection, including works recently gifted to the museums.
By Jackson Davidow

Roundtable Conversation: WHERE ARE ALL THE BLACK PEOPLE AT, on Vernacular Photography
Last summer, photography curator Makeda Best met with people associated with the Boston-based grassroots arts initiative WHERE ARE ALL THE BLACK PEOPLE AT to discuss a painting of an unidentified Black soldier, visibility in the museums, and the impact of an installation of photographs depicting eve...
By Makeda Best

Reframing Albert Moore’s Study for “Blossoms”: Historical Design, Contemporary Production
Read how a curatorial fellow and frame conservator teamed up to create a historically accurate reproduction of an unusual 19th-century frame.
By Allison Jackson, Sophie Lynford

Introducing the Art + Science Pathway
Stories about what’s hidden within a selection of works—discovered through technical analysis—are now highlighted in the galleries.
By Sophie Lynford, Kate Smith