Ancient Lives: Insights From The Classics And Archaeology Collection
This exhibition provides a glimpse into life in the Greek and Roman worlds, through everyday, ritual and luxury objects from the University of Melbourne’s Classics and Archaeology Collection. Guest curators Dr Tamara Lewit and Dr Caroline Tully, both Honorary Fellows in the School of Historical and Philosophical Studies, have chosen items that tell a fascinating story of the often-hidden lives of women, men, children, athletes and artisans, rich and poor, in the ancient world – including wine drinking, mourning the dead, and beauty routines.
The Classics and Archaeology Collection is one of the cornerstones of object-based learning at the University of Melbourne. From the origins of the Collection in 1901 with the donation of five Egyptian papyri, it has played an important role in teaching and research. Now managed by the Museums and Collections department, it has continued to grow through donations and purchases to encompass over 2,400 objects, with significant holdings of Classical, Cypriot and Near Eastern material. The Classics and Archaeology teaching program at the University of Melbourne offers a multidisciplinary perspective on Egyptian, Near Eastern, Aegean, Greek and Roman civilisations and their interactions with each other and the wider Eurasian region from prehistory to late antiquity. It includes the study of archaeology, ancient society, politics, literature, myth and art, and Greek, Latin and Egyptian languages.
The Ian Potter Museum of Art was founded in 1972 and is the University of Melbourne’s art museum. Housed in an award-winning building opened in 1998, the Potter has staged over 515 exhibitions during the course of its 46-year history. Its exhibitions and associated programs have supported countless artists, curators, writers and academics and have made a significant contribution to the cultural and social wealth of the University community – especially students – as well as to the City of Melbourne and the State of Victoria. This is a history that we are proud of.
The Potter manages the University of Melbourne Art Collection, which holds works ranging from antiquity to contemporary art, including international and Australian Indigenous material culture and works by major Australian artists of the 19th and 20th centuries. Extraordinary in its breadth and idiosyncratic in its depth, the collection – now numbering some 16,000 objects – is uniquely tied to the University’s endeavours via personal and practical connections, whether through an individual bequest, portrait commission, artist-in-residence program, teaching activities or field research. In recent years the development of the collection has extended beyond this important foundation to reflect the broader community and the role of the University as a place of learning central to the cultural life of Melbourne.
Embracing research, intellectual curiosity and discovery, the Potter is committed to extensive participation in the University’s interdisciplinary degree structure. We aim to make art and the University’s collections central to teaching and learning, regardless of the discipline of study, and actively contribute to curriculum development across all faculties through our exhibitions and programs and through real world engagement with objects and issues. Our diverse programs encourage experimentation, intellectual excitement, a connection with social context and an embracing of cultural diversity.
As a space that encourages active dialogue and debate, the Potter is uniquely placed to make a difference to the lives of our audiences and, within the University, to make the experience of art and the role of creativity relevant, enjoyable and of value to the next generation.
Date
- Jan 01 2025 - Dec 31 2025
- Ongoing...
Time
- 10:00 am - 5:00 pm
Location
- Corner Swanston Street and Masson Road Parkville, Victoria 3010, Melbourne, Australia
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Website
https://potter-museum.unimelb.edu.au/ -
Phone
+61 3 8344 5148
Organizer
