THE ART OF AGENCY

Late Antique & Byzantine Objects in the Blick-Harris Study Collection at Kenyon College

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.

1. Pendant Cross with Concentric Circles

2. Pendant with Cross Motif

3. Pendant Cross with Concentric Circles

4. Icon of an Unnamed Saint

5. Cross Fragment with the Mother of God

6. Pendant Cross with Figure

7. Reliquary Cross with Image of the Mother of God

8. Pendant Cross with John the Baptist

9. Pendant Reliquary Cross with the Crucifixion and the Mother of God

10. Pendant with Holy Rider

11. Pendant Depicting Holy Rider and Saint Thekla

12. Ring with Holy Rider Iconography

13. Ring with Military Saints

14. Textile Fragment with Equestrian Figure

15. Tapestry Medallion Fragment with Hare

16. Earring with Two Peacocks Flanking a Cross

17. Solidus with Portrait of Constans II and Cross Potent

18. Commerce Weight with Christ Portrait

19. Seal of George, apo eparchon, with the Bust of St. Demetrios

20. Seal with Greek Monogram

21. Bivalve Seal

22. Seal with a Victory Holding a Cross

23. Pendant-Seal with Apotropaic Markings

24. Artifact with Wreath and Cross

25. Breastplate Decorated with a Cross and Concentric Circles

26. Terracotta Lamp With Cross

27. Hanging Lamp with Cross