THE ART OF AGENCY

In July 2020, the Department of Art History at Kenyon College received a bequest from an alum, David P. Harris ('46), who collected, among many things, Late Antique and Byzantine objects. These items were incorporated into the department's existing study collection, which already included numerous prints, medals, ephemera, and coins that were used for teaching purposes. With these new acquisitions in hand, students in ARHS 110 Introduction to Western Art: Ancient to Medieval (Spring 2021) researched specific pieces as part of their semester-long projects. Through a series of writing assignments, students conducted original research and considered the ways in which materials, forms, images, and functions "worked" for the owners by shaping identity, offering protection, and invoking prosperity. To read about the objects, click on the images below, or navigate the menu to the left. While the entries have been numbered for cross-referencing purposes, they do not need to be read in order. To learn more about the project and the Blick-Harris Study Collection, visit the Project Description page.