Crowning Glory: Art of the Americas On View February 11

The Walters Art Museum presents Crowning Glory: Art of the Americas. Opening February 11, Crowning Glory is an intimate, one-gallery exhibition that explores the art of civilizations spanning from Mexico through Central and South America, and offers visitors an exciting preview of the upcoming reinstallation of the Art of the Americas.

The objects in Crowning Glory— beautifully crafted from materials such as terracotta, wood and ceramic—examine how the Central and South American cultures that flourished between 900 BCE and the 16th century expressed power, spirituality and identity through the decoration and veneration of the head.

“Visitors will encounter fascinating objects from a range of civilizations, including the Inca and Maya, as well as lesser-known cultures such as the Nasca of Peru and the Jama-Coaque of Ecuador,” says Ellen Hoobler, the Walters’ William B. Ziff, Jr., Associate Curator of Art of the Americas and curator of the exhibition. “The colors and complex imagery found in Nasca ceramics are particularly alluring and tell us much about the artistic traditions that the society valued.”

The Walters’ Americas collection spans nearly four millennia, showcasing the artistic production of communities stretching from what is today the United States to the tip of South America. Several generous gifts during the past 20 years have enriched this collection, which includes approximately 700 works of art in a variety of media.

Crowning Glory, on view from February 11 through October 7, 2018, is the first of two themed exhibitions leading up to a major reinstallation of Art of the Americas at the Walters. The second exhibition will debut in the fall of 2018.

On opening day, a special lecture sponsored by The Boshell Foundation highlights the artwork of the Nasca people. The lecture takes place on February 11 from 2–3:30 p.m.

ABOUT THE WALTERS ART MUSEUM
The Walters Art Museum, located in Baltimore’s historic Mount Vernon Cultural District at North Charles and Centre Streets, is free for all. The collections include Egyptian and Greek art from the ancient world, medieval art and manuscripts, Asian art, Islamic art, 19th-century French paintings, Renaissance and Baroque art, jewelry and decorative arts and much more. At the time of his death in 1931, museum founder Henry Walters left his entire collection of art to the city of Baltimore.

VISITOR INFORMATION 
Admission to museum is free. The Walters Art Museum is located at 600 N. Charles Street, north of Baltimore’s Inner Harbor. For general museum information, call 410-547-9000 or visit https://thewalters.org.

Free admission to the Walters Art Museum is made possible through the combined generosity of individual members and donors, foundations, corporations, and grants from the City of Baltimore, Maryland State Arts Council, Citizens of Baltimore County, and Howard County Government and Howard County Arts Council.