HORSE IN ANCIENT GREEK ART THE
NATIONAL SPORTING LIBRARY & MUSEUM
preserving, promoting, and sharing the literature, art, and culture of equestrian, angling, and field sports
Dear Friend,
BOARD OF DIRECTORS OFFICERS Manuel H. JoHnson
The National Sporting Library & Museum is thrilled to present The Horse in Ancient Greek Art, on view September 9, 2017 – January 14, 2018. Organized in partnership with the Virginia Museum of Fine Arts, this exhibition will then travel to Richmond, February 17 – July 8, 2018.
Chairman
Jacqueline B. Mars Vice Chairman
The Horse in Ancient Greek Art features Greek vases and sculpture from the 8th through 4th centuries BCE. The exhibition and accompanying publication explore the significance of the horse in ancient Greek culture, the superb horsemanship skills of the ancient Greeks, and imagery of the horse in ancient myth, war, sport, and competition. From some of the earliest examples of the horse in Greek art, to stunning examples of black and red-figured vases, the objects on view illustrate ancient equestrian life.
claire reid Treasurer
catHy M. Brentzel Secretary
ADVISORY dorotHy lee pierre ManiGault catHerine Murdock Melanie l. MatHewes Executive Director
We are currently seeking sponsorships for this exciting exhibition. Support from private donors and corporate sponsors enables the National Sporting Library & Museum to present compelling exhibitions like The Horse in Ancient Greek Art, to produce scholarly publications, and to offer unique educational programming.
THE
H ORSE N information about the exhibition, NSLM’s history and Enclosed please findI more
ANCIENT GREEK ART
milestones, and available sponsorship opportunities. Outside funding is so very crucial to presenting an exhibition of this caliber. Thank you for taking the time to _ _ consider supporting such a worthy project. _
HONORARY Juliana e. May
Vase-paintings depicting the care, training, and competition of the ancient sport horse and ancient texts on the Greek art of horsemanship bear striking resemblance to the horsemanship of today. With content that appeals to equestrian enthusiasts and general audiences alike, as well as amazing examples of art objects from almost 3,000 years ago, we anticipate record attendance for this show. We are developing dynamic educational programs for school children and look forward to providing learning opportunities for all ages.
_ _
DIRECTORS MiMi aBel sMitH Hector alcalde JosepH e. aulisi Bradley J. Bondi Frank a. Bonsal, Jr. B. tiM BrooksHire donald G. calder natalie M. epstein Helen k. Groves JaMes i. Harrison, iii lawrence e. kurzius clarke oHrstroM Jacqueline l. oHrstroM Gayden parker lorian peralta-raMos F. turner reuter, Jr.
September 9, 2017 - January 14, 2018
Sincerely, National Sporting Library & Museum Sept 9, 2017 - Jan 14, 2018
Virginia Museum of Fine Arts Melanie L. Mathewes 17 - July 8, 2018 Executive Feb Director
TH E HO RSE I N
ANCIENT GREEK ART
_ _ road |MiddleBurG, virGinia 20118 | pHone (540) 687-6542 | Fax (540) 446-0071 | www.NationalSporting.org po Box 1335 | 102 tHe plains _
_
SPONSORSHIP OPPORTUNITIES NATIONAL SPORTING LIBRARY & MUSEUM EXHIBITION OVERVIEW
ABOUT THE EXHIBITION From myth and legend, to warfare and transportation, to leisure, sport, and Olympic competition, the horse played an integral role in ancient Greek culture. As symbols of wealth, power, and status, horses appear on the finest examples of ancient art and pottery. Images of chariot horses being harnessed, jockeys riding, and grooms tending to well-bred steeds show the details of sporting events and ancient horsemanship. Vase-paintings depicting the care, training, and competition of the ancient sport horse and ancient texts on the Greek art of horsemanship bear striking resemblances to the horsemanship of today. The Horse in Ancient Greek Art exhibition features Greek vases and sculpture from the 8th through the 4th centuries BCE drawn from a private collection, the Virginia Museum of Fine Arts, and other museum collections. The exhibition and accompanying publication explore the significance of the horse in ancient Greek culture, the superb horsemanship skills of the ancient Greeks, and imagery of the horse in ancient myth, war, sport, and competition. From some of the earliest examples of the horse in Greek art, to stunning examples of black and red-figured vases, the objects on view illustrate ancient equestrian life. The exhibition opens at the National Sporting Library & Museum (NSLM), in Middleburg, Virginia, then travels to the Virginia Museum of Fine Arts (VMFA), in Richmond. It is co-curated by Nicole Stribling, Curator of Permanent Collections, NSLM, and Dr. Peter Schertz, the Jack and Mary Ann Frable Curator of Ancient Art, VMFA. The VMFA is a state-supported, privately endowed educational institution created for the benefit of the citizens of the Commonwealth of Virginia. Its purpose is to collect, preserve, interpret art, to encourage the study of the arts, and 102exhibit, The Pand lains Road thus to enrich the lives of all. The VMFA houses a remarkable permanent collection of P.O.of B 1335 more than 35,000 works artox from almost every major world culture, including the significant British sporting art,collection given by Mr. and Mrs. Paul Mellon. Since its Middleburg VA 20118 inception in 1936, the VMFA has actively supplemented its permanent collections with special exhibitions. Phone: 540.687.6542
Fax: 540.446.0071 NationalSporting.org
Black-figured White Ground Lekythos (with war chariot), attributed to Sappho Painter, c. 510 BCE, 8 ž inches high, Private Collection
National Sporting
102 The Plains Road, Middleburg, VA
Library & Museum
540-687-6542 | NationalSporting.org
(more)
NATIONAL SPORTING LIBRARY & MUSEUM
preserving, promoting, and sharing the literature, art, and culture of equestrian, angling, and field sports
BOARD OF DIRECTORS OFFICERS Manuel H. Johnson Chairman
Jacqueline B. Mars Vice Chairman
Claire Reid Treasurer
Cathy M. Brentzel Secretary
DIRECTORS Mimi Abel Smith Hector Alcalde Joseph E. Aulisi Bradley J. Bondi Frank A. Bonsal, Jr. B. Tim Brookshire Donald G. Calder Natalie M. Epstein Helen K. Groves James I. Harrison, III Lawrence E. Kurzius Clarke Ohrstrom Jacqueline L. Ohrstrom Gayden Parker Lorian Peralta-Ramos F. Turner Reuter, Jr. HONORARY Juliana E. May ADVISORY Dorothy Lee Pierre Manigault Catherine Murdock Melanie L. Mathewes Executive Director
Dear Friend, The National Sporting Library & Museum is thrilled to present The Horse in Ancient Greek Art, on view September 9, 2017 – January 14, 2018. Organized in partnership with the Virginia Museum of Fine Arts, this exhibition will then travel to Richmond, February 17 – July 8, 2018. The Horse in Ancient Greek Art features Greek vases and sculpture from the 8th through 4th centuries BCE. The exhibition and accompanying publication explore the significance of the horse in ancient Greek culture, the superb horsemanship skills of the ancient Greeks, and imagery of the horse in ancient myth, war, sport, and competition. From some of the earliest examples of the horse in Greek art, to stunning examples of black and red-figured vases, the objects on view illustrate ancient equestrian life. Vase-paintings depicting the care, training, and competition of the ancient sport horse and ancient texts on the Greek art of horsemanship bear striking resemblance to the horsemanship of today. With content that appeals to equestrian enthusiasts and general audiences alike, as well as amazing examples of art objects from almost 3,000 years ago, we anticipate record attendance for this show. We are developing dynamic educational programs for school children and look forward to providing learning opportunities for all ages. We are currently seeking sponsorships for this exciting exhibition. Support from private donors and corporate sponsors enables the National Sporting Library & Museum to present compelling exhibitions like The Horse in Ancient Greek Art, to produce scholarly publications, and to offer unique educational programming. Enclosed please find more information about the exhibition, NSLM’s history and milestones, and available sponsorship opportunities. Outside funding is so very crucial to presenting an exhibition of this caliber. Thank you for taking the time to consider supporting such a worthy project. Sincerely,
Melanie L. Mathewes Executive Director
PO Box 1335 | 102 The Plains Road |Middleburg, Virginia 20118 | Phone (540) 687-6542 | Fax (540) 446-0071 | www.NationalSporting.org National Sporting Library & Museum is a 501(c)3 nonprofit organization. Federal Tax ID# 54-6053662.
EXHIBITION OVERVIEW
ABOUT THE EXHIBITION From myth and legend, to warfare and transportation, to leisure, sport, and Olympic competition, the horse played an integral role in ancient Greek culture. As symbols of wealth, power, and status, horses appear on the finest examples of ancient art and pottery. Images of chariot horses being harnessed, jockeys riding, and grooms tending to well-bred steeds show the details of sporting events and ancient horsemanship. Vase-paintings depicting the care, training, and competition of the ancient sport horse and ancient texts on the Greek art of horsemanship bear striking resemblances to the horsemanship of today. The Horse in Ancient Greek Art exhibition features Greek vases and sculpture from the 8th through the 4th centuries BCE drawn from a private collection, the Virginia Museum of Fine Arts, and other museum collections. The exhibition and accompanying publication explore the significance of the horse in ancient Greek culture, the superb horsemanship skills of the ancient Greeks, and imagery of the horse in ancient myth, war, sport, and competition. From some of the earliest examples of the horse in Greek art, to stunning examples of black and red-figured vases, the objects on view illustrate ancient equestrian life. The exhibition opens at the National Sporting Library & Museum (NSLM), in Middleburg, Virginia, then travels to the Virginia Museum of Fine Arts (VMFA), in Richmond. It is co-curated by Nicole Stribling, Curator of Permanent Collections, NSLM, and Dr. Peter Schertz, the Jack and Mary Ann Frable Curator of Ancient Art, VMFA. The VMFA is a state-supported, privately endowed educational institution created for the benefit of the citizens of the Commonwealth of Virginia. Its purpose is to collect, preserve, exhibit, and interpret art, to encourage the study of the arts, and thus to enrich the lives of all. The VMFA houses a remarkable permanent collection of more than 35,000 works of art from almost every major world culture, including the significant British sporting art collection given by Mr. and Mrs. Paul Mellon. Since its inception in 1936, the VMFA has actively supplemented its permanent collections with special exhibitions. Black-figured White Ground Lekythos (with war chariot), attributed to Sappho Painter, c. 510 BCE, 8 ž inches high, Private Collection
National Sporting
102 The Plains Road, Middleburg, VA
Library & Museum
540-687-6542 | NationalSporting.org
(more)
EXHIBITION CATALOG The Horse in Ancient Greek Art exhibition catalog will be published by the NSLM and features essays by noted scholars of ancient Greek art and archaeology. The fully illustrated catalog will be offered for sale at the NSLM and VMFA gift shops and online. Essays will focus on the origins of the horse in ancient Greek art, the horse in Greek mythology, the horse in war, ancient Greek horsemanship, and ancient equestrian sport and competition.
CONTRIBUTORS Dr. Peter Schertz Exhibition co-curator Jack and Mary Ann Frable Curator of Ancient Art, Virginia Museum of Fine Arts Dr. Schertz has served as curator of Ancient Art at the VMFA since October 2006 and the Jack and Mary Ann Frable Curator of Ancient Art since 2007. His specialty is Roman art, with a focus on the intersection of art and culture, particularly art and religion. He is particularly interested in cultural interactions within the ancient Mediterranean world and how new technologies can help us understand and interpret ancient art. Dr. Seรกn Hemingway Curator, Greek and Roman Art, The Metropolitan Museum of Art Dr. Hemingway specializes in Greek and Roman bronzes. A seasoned archaeologist, Seรกn has excavated prehistoric, classical, and Roman sites in Greece and Spain. He is the author of numerous scholarly publications, including The Horse and Jockey from Artemision: A Bronze Equestrian Monument of the Hellenistic Period, a book on Hellenistic bronze sculpture, and the novel The Tomb of Alexander. Prof. Carol Mattusch Mathy Professor Emeritus of Art History, George Mason University Professor Mattusch specializes in classical bronzes, in particular the connections among technology, artistic styles, and the market in the ancient Mediterranean world. Mattusch curated the exhibition Pompeii and the Roman Villa: Art and Culture around the Bay of Naples (2008-2009) at the National Gallery of Art in Washington, DC. She has published extensively on ancient Greek and Roman art and her books have won awards from the Archaeological Institute of America and the College Art Association. Mattusch is also an equestrian, with a special interest in ancient horsemanship. Prof. John Oakley Chancellor Professor and Forrest D. Murden Jr. Professor of Classical Studies, College of William and Mary Professor Oakley is a classical archaeologist whose main interests are Greek vase painting, iconography, and Roman sarcophagi. He is known as an expert on ancient vase painting and has published extensively and lectured widely. His recent publications include The Greek Vase: The Art of the Storyteller (British Museum Press 2013), and Athenian Potters and Painters, volumes I - III (Oxford University Press 1997, 2009, and 2014). Dr. Seth D. Pevnick Chief Curator and Richard E. Perry Curator of Greek and Roman Art, Tampa Museum of Art Dr. Pevnick has been Curator of Greek and Roman Art at the Tampa Museum of Art since 2009, and advanced to Chief Curator in 2013. He previously worked in the Antiquities Department of the J. Paul Getty Museum at the Getty Villa and has been involved with archaeological excavations in Greece and Albania. Pevnick earned his PhD from UCLA, where he studied the ancient Athenian pottery industry. His most recent projects include curating the exhibition Poseidon and the Sea: Myth, Cult, and Daily Life (2014). 11.8.16
NATIONAL SPORTING LIBRARY & MUSEUM The National Sporting Library & Museum in Middleburg, Virginia, is dedicated to preserving, promoting, and sharing the literature, art, and culture of equestrian, angling, and field sports. Founded in 1954, the NSLM is a non-profit arts organization that consists of a research Library and a fine art Museum. The Library houses over 26,000 volumes and includes rare books and archival material dating from the 16th century to the modern day. The Museum displays a permanent art collection that includes paintings, sculpture, works on paper, and decorative arts, while presenting an active schedule of changing loan exhibitions. The only organization of its kind that focuses on turf and field sports, the NSLM collaborates with other arts organizations and sporting communities, and offers a wide variety of educational programming. The NSLM is supported through its membership program, donations, and corporate sponsorships.
NSLM COLLECTIONS • 26,000 books about angling, horsemanship, wingshooting, steeplechasing, foxhunting, flat racing, polo, coaching, and wildlife • 5,000 rare books spanning 500 years of sporting history • 60 archival collections of photographs, letters, diaries, and papers spanning more than 100 years of sporting history • Over 1,000 works of art in the permanent collection
Top: NSLM campus in Middleburg, Virginia Middle: Nic Fiddian-Green (British, b. 1963), Still Water, 2011, hammered lead with copper rivets on an oak base, 9 feet tall, NSLM Collection Bottom Left: John Ferneley, Sr. (English, 1782-1860) The Hunt in Belvoir Vale, c. 1835, oil on canvas, 48 x 133 inches, Gift of Kathryn James Clark in memory of Stephen C. Clark, Jr., 2013 Bottom Right: Detail from Shokubako [On Horse Ornaments], Matoba Katsumi, two volumes, 1857, National Sporting Library & Museum, F. Ambrose Clark Rare Book Room, Gift of John H. and Martha Daniels, 1999
(more)
The Poetical Works of Thomas Campbell, London, Edward Maxon, 1840. English School, mid-to-late 19th century fishing scene, fore-edge painting, fanned to the right. National Sporting Library & Museum, F. Ambrose Clark Rare Book Room, Gift of John H. and Martha Daniels
July 1886 issue of The Century Illustrated Monthly Magazine (left) where Theodore Roosevelt’s essay (right) Riding to Hounds on Long Island was published. National Sporting Library & Museum, F. Ambrose Clark Rare Book Room, Gift of John H. and Martha Daniels, 1994
in Art
The Chronicle of the horse
On view August 26, 2016 - March 19, 2017 The Chronicle of the Horse in Art and accompanying catalogue present the rich variety and depth of the classic, iconic, and contemporary American, British, and Continental art that graced the covers of The Chronicle of the Horse for almost 70 years. The original paintings and sculptures gathered for the exhibition celebrate the horse in art with its broad range of expression chronicled by the magazine. The exhibition conveys the rich history and highlights of equine sports which have been followed by the equestrian world for generations.
Inset: The Chronicle of the Horse, Vol. 28, No. 37: May 7, 1965. Front cover. National Sporting Library & Museum, © The Chronicle of the Horse, Inc. Top: George Stubbs (English, 1724–1806), Shark with his Trainer Price, dated 1775 (detail), oil on canvas, 40 ¹/₈ x 50 ¹/₈ inches, Virginia Museum of Fine Arts, Richmond. Paul Mellon Collection Photo: Katherine Wetzel © Virginia Museum of Fine Arts Bottom Left: Jean Eleanor Bowman (American, 1917-1994) Mongo on the Turf at Laurel Racetrack, Maryland with Charles Burr Up, 1964, oil on canvas, 29 x 36 inches, National Sporting Library & Museum, Gift of Jacqueline B. Mars, 2012 © John H. Pentecost Bottom Right: Richard Barrett Davis (British, 1782–1854) George Mountford, Huntsman to the Quorn, and W. Derry, Whipper-In, at John O’Gaunt’s Gorse, near Melton Mowbray, 1836, oil on canvas, 28 ½ x 35 ¾ inches, Yale Center for British Art, Paul Mellon Collection
National Sporting
102 The Plains Road, Middleburg, VA
Library & Museum
540-687-6542 | NationalSporting.org
11.8.16
SPONSORSHIP OPPORTUNITIES
Support from private donors and corporate sponsors enables the National Sporting Library & Museum to present exhibitions, produce scholarly publications, and create dynamic educational programming. Sponsorships described below help provide funding for The Horse in Ancient Greek Art. $25,000 EXHIBITION SPONSOR • Prominent placement of name or corporate logo on wall in exhibition, invitations, and press and publicity materials in print and online, including a link to sponsor’s website from the NSLM site • Prominent placement of name or corporate logo in exhibition catalog and other educational materials • One complimentary rental of the NSLM Founders’ Room during the exhibition • Private exhibition tour for sponsor and guests • Invitations for sponsor and guests to the exhibition opening event at the NSLM • Invitations to the Virginia Museum of Fine Arts exhibition opening and associated events • Recognition in the NSLM Annual Report $10,000 EXHIBITION SPONSOR • Preferred listing of name or corporate logo on wall in exhibition, invitations, and press and publicity materials in print and online, including a link to sponsor’s website from the NSLM site • Preferred listing of name or corporate logo in exhibition catalog and other educational materials • Invitations for sponsor and guests to the exhibition opening event at the NSLM • Invitations to the Virginia Museum of Fine Arts exhibition opening and associated events • Recognition in the NSLM Annual Report $5,000 EXHIBITION SPONSOR • Listing of name or corporate logo on wall in exhibition, invitations, and press and publicity materials in print and online • Invitations for sponsor and guests to the exhibition opening event at the NSLM • Invitations to the Virginia Museum of Fine Arts exhibition opening and associated events • Recognition in the NSLM Annual Report Artwork at top: Red-figured Kylix, attributed to Painter of Berlin 2268, c. 510-500 BCE (detail), ceramic, 3 ¹/₂ x 13 ⁷/₈ inches, Private Collection
National Sporting
102 The Plains Road, Middleburg, VA
Library & Museum
540-687-6542 | NationalSporting.org
11.8.16
A
admirable and amazing that it draws the eyes of all
spectators young and old alike.
National Sporting
102 The Plains Road, Middleburg, VA
No one will become
tired of looking at it, as long as it prances in its beauty.
-Xenophon, late 5th/early 4th century BCE Athenian philosopher
540-687-6542 | NationalSporting.org
Library & Museum
FRONT: (Detail) Black-figured Amphora, attributed to the Swing Painter, c. 540-535 BCE, terracotta, 19 ⅜ inches high, Private Collection. BACK: (Detail) Black-figured Cup, attributed to the Virginia Painter, c. 510 BCE, terracotta, 4 ⅞ × 15 ¼ × 12 ¼ inches, Virginia Museum of Fine Arts, Richmond. Adolph D. and Wilkins C. Williams Fund. Photo: Travis Fullerton © Virginia Museum of Fine Arts
horse that lifts itself so is something so beautiful,