Classical Washington: Greece and Rome in the Art and Architecture of DC
Join us for a free virtual talk on Wednesday, May 1, at 6 PM Central. Registration required.
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Join art historian Elise Friedland for a free virtual talk on her investigation of the meaning and reception of Classical art and architecture in our nation’s capital.
Washington, D.C., is a city like no other in the United States. A Greek Doric temple (the Lincoln Memorial) sits at one end of the city’s central forum (The Mall), housing a colossal cult statue (Abraham Lincoln). A Roman triumphal arch monumentalizes the front of the main train depot (Union Station). Roman equestrian statues stand amidst circular plazas, celebrating victorious American generals (Andrew Jackson in Lafayette Plaza). This talk explores the role of Greek and Roman art and architecture in the planning, building and decorating of America’s capital city.
This discussion provides broader historical perspective for Neoclassical architecture in Nashville, especially the choice of Neoclassical models and styles used for the Centennial Exposition of 1897.
This lecture is the Archaeological Institute for America John H. and Penelope Biggs Lecture for 2025, a grant awarded to the AIA Nashville Society.
ABOUT THE SPEAKER:
Dr. Elise Friedland is a professor of Classics at George Washington University in DC. She received her PhD in Classical Art and Archaeology from the University of Michigan. She is a specialist in sculptures from the ancient Roman Near East, especially from Israel and Jordan. She is author and co-editor of numerous publications. She is also noted for her outstanding teaching and has been a recipient of the AIA’s National Excellence in Undergraduate Teaching Award. Her project on “Classical Washington” grew out of her teaching at GW. It has resulted in an exhibition at GW and the Textile Museum in 2022-23, and a forthcoming book, whose writing was supported by a National Endowment for the Humanities Fellowship (2020-21).
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SYMPOSIUM SPONSORS:
Archaeological Institute of America- Nashville Society
Centennial Park Conservancy
Metro Nashville Parks and Recreation
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