When you walk into the main Ancient Greek and Roman gallery of the MFA, you are immediately faced with several marble sculptures, pots, and friezes. It looks like a traditional exhibition of ancient art. In fact, the focal point of the gallery is a colossal Roman statue called Muse with the Head of Juno . The statue is practically the epitome of what comes to mind when we think of Ancient Greek and Roman sculpture, with its flowing drapery and gleaming marble. The gallery is set up in a way so that one weaves through life-size sculptures and all white marble, but another one stands out. It is a Roman copy of the Athena Parthenos, and to the side is a screen with a technological rendering of what she is thought to have looked like. The position of the screen behind the sculpture forces you to reimagine the Athena Parthenos, as well as all other Greek and Roman sculptures.The text on the wall goes on to explain “The Myth of Classical Whiteness,” stating that objects in the gallery marked with a color wheel have traces of pigments and urges the viewer to “experience ancient art as it was meant to be seen.” Science and technology are now forcing museums to present a more accurate presentation of this art, and consequently forcing us to reevaluate our memories and perceptions.
Cameron Bennett (Wed,) studied this question.