Even ancient artisans agree: art is hard! Making your artwork look realistic is not always easy, and it can be difficult to accurately translate what you imagine in your head into a sculpture or painting. This is true especially in the ancient world, where artists often had to depict animals, objects, and places they had never laid eyes on before. Imagine trying to draw a bear without having ever seen one!
Sometimes, trying to decipher ancient artwork of symbology is like a big game of Pictionary. Try your hand at it: look around the exhibit case, and identify the various animals that are depicted. If you would like to, compare your own drawing of that animal to the one an ancient artisan made. Who do you think would win a game of Pictionary?
Curated by Christina Miles (’25)