William Sterling

Head of one of the four horses of the moon goddess Selene from the northern end of the East Pediment of the Parthenon in Athens c. 420 BC, currently in the British Museum. One of the most popular of the so-called Elgin Marbles which Lord Elgin rescued from Athens in the early nineteenth century. The East Pediment showed the birth of Athena as she burst out of the head of her father, Zeus, and the reaction of those who were present. Although all the central figures are long gone at either end are depictions of the sun god Helios rising from the sea with his four horse chariot and the moon goddess Selene returning to the sea with hers showing that Athena was born at dawn. Image © Trustees of the British Museum

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The Enlightenment and the British Museum

January 25, 2015 @ 10:30 am - 3:30 pm

Both a product and promoter of the Enlightenment, founded in 1753 the British Museum is the oldest museum of its kind in the World. The course will include a visit to the British Museum.

Using images from the British Museum including works that will be looked at directly in the last part of the day we shall look at the background of the Enlightenment, the founding of the British Museum in 1753, the oldest institute of its kind anywhere in the world and the collectors who made the museum possible such as Hans Sloane, Charles Townley, William Hamilton, Lord Elgin and explorers such as Joseph Banks and Captain Cook.

 

Details

Date:
January 25, 2015
Time:
10:30 am - 3:30 pm
Event Tags:
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Website:
WWW.CITYLIT.AC.UK

Organizer

City Lit

Venue

City Lit and British Museum
Keeley Street and Great Russell Street
London, United Kingdom + Google Map

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