Greece has always been considered a land of beauty and mystery. With this new exhibition of 18th and 19th century views of the Acropolis, the Parthenon begins a partnership with the Benaki Museum of Athens. The Benaki is the oldest private museum in Greece and this exhibit of prints draws on its encyclopedic collection of landscapes of the Acropolis and surrounding vistas. Dr. Fani-Maria Tsigakou, the Benaki's Curator of Prints and Drawings, has personally selected the 40 images that will travel to Nashville. Many of these prints focus on the Parthenon and the Acropolis, making the exhibit a perfect match for our galleries. The prints originate from European artists who included Athens in their Grand Tour and whose interest in classical archeology and Romanticism informed their subject matter. They date from 1762 to 1877 and range from delicate engravings to richly colored lithographs. The centerpiece is a scroll, 120" long and 12" high, which shows a panoramic view of the city in 1841.
An opening reception and lecture by Dr. Tsigakou will take place at the Parthenon on Tuesday, April 29 from 6-8 p.m. Sponsored by The Conservancy for the Parthenon and Centennial Park, this reception and lecture are free and open to the public, but reservations are required.