We live in New York, so we are lucky to be able to visit this amazing institution often. It's one of the great encyclopedic museums (meaning it collects and exhibits works from all time and from around the globe). And if you can't get there in person, virtually explore the museum with us as your guide.
Some background
videos + essays
Artist, scribe, and poet: Abu Zayd and 12th-century Iranian ceramics
Poetry is central to this bowl—Persian and Arabic poems encircle the vessel on both its exterior and interior.
Tomb model of a watchtower
Buried in an Eastern Han tomb, this watchtower model represents the ideal world of the tomb occupant's afterlife in miniature.
A Mamluk candlestick base
Mamluk sultan al-Nasir Muhammad's candlestick base exemplifies a new visual language of power that emerged in 14th-century Egypt and Syria.
Joachim Michael Salecker, Cup with cover with Hebrew inscriptions
This ornamented silver cup tells a story about a prominent Jewish man close to rulers and European courts at a time when Jewish life was restricted
In Full Color, Ancient Sculpture Reimagined
Contrary to the white marble of the ancient Mediterranean we see today, the ancient Greeks and Romans painted their statues in vibrant colors
Jacques-Louis David, The Death of Socrates
What is worth dying for? David draws comparisons between ancient Roman philosopher Socrates and the French Revolution
Married Woman’s Apron (itjogolo or ijogolo), Ndebele peoples
These decorated aprons were gifts from the groom’s family to his wife, and signified her new role in society.
Han Gan, Night-Shining White
Han’s Night-Shining White exemplifies the expressive power of the line, the backbone of Chinese painting.
Ottoman prayer carpet with triple-arch design
This Muslim prayer carpet shares striking visual similarities to a Jewish carpet meant to cover the Torah ark
Inka checkerboard tunics
It is thought that these tunics were made for soldiers and the checkered pattern camouflaged them into an indistinguishable mass
How to recognize the Four Evangelists
How to identify the Christian figures of Matthew, Mark, Luke, and John by their iconography, or symbols, in art
László Moholy-Nagy, Photogram
László Moholy-Nagy's Photogram forces the viewer to question what a photograph is.
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