Exhibition: Constantine the Great, York, 2006

[Viventius]

Special Exhibition:

Constantine the Great: York's Roman Emperor

31 March - 29 October 2006

To celebrate this anniversary, York Museums Trust is organising a major loan exhibition at the Yorkshire Museum illustrating the story of Constantine and his legacy to Europe, the Mediterranean and ultimately to the rest of the world. The exhibition will bring together rare historic writings, and allow the visitor to explore the history and richness of the Late Roman World through exhibits of important sculptures, silver plate, gold jewellery, mosaics, textiles and paintings.

The exhibition will also explore the Anglo-Saxon legacy of Constantine in Britain with carved monuments of the church. It will be accompanied by an illustrated publication with authoritative essays and a full catalogue of over 270 exhibits.

Further details at: http://www.constantinethegreat.org.uk/

[Viventius]

Just got hold of the catalogue for the exhibition, and it's well worth its paperback price! See http://vi-ads-1059.ads.vi.net/~admin30/catalogue.shtml for details.

Included in the exhibition listing is the Innocentia and Viventia cup/bowl from Water Newton. I think it's the cup/bowl second from the left in this photo of the hoard:



Not long now till the exhibition is open. Perhaps I should go to the Yorkshire Museum in female Late Roman kit, claim that I am Viventia and that I want the cup back, thank you 8)

[Arthes]

Not long now till the exhibition is open. Perhaps I should go to the Yorkshire Museum in female Late Roman kit, claim that I am Viventia and that I want the cup back, thank you 8)

:lol: :lol:
I want to be there to see what their reaction is..... :wink:
regards
Arthes

[Viventius]

You can be Innocentia if you like :lol:

[Viventius]

The exhibition is open now, and I've been round. I really like the textiles, and it's good to see all the pretty shiney stuff too 8)

Here's The Scotsman's interesting review of the exhibition (the National Museum of Scotland lent some of the Traprain Law hoarde):

http://living.scotsman.com/index.cfm?id=514222006

[Salvianus]

I am very, very pleased with this exhibition & thoroughly recommend it to anyone in the UK before October.

Criticisms:
Quite a few of the displays are not numbered at the moment, probably in the process of re-numbering. Some of the lights are placed badly, so if you stand to look, you block your own light. A friend of ours was on duty when we went & introduced us to exhibition organiser Elizabeth Hartley; they are certainly aware of these issues & I understand they are working on it. Might be worth waiting if you are travelling a long way.

The static displays are a bit 'old school' compared to the animatronic dinosaurs we're used to, but they project a nice Chi-Rho monogram & it's always nice to hear the Nicene Creed in (church) Latin.

I also feel that the emphasis on Constantine promoting Christianity rather plays down some of the less attractive elements of his life as 'companion of the sun god', although the continuity of symbolism & practice from Classical to Christian worship is illustrated by exhibits very well.

And the tools were not on display when we went! I want to see chisels!

My Highlights:
The mail shirt from Arbea in all it's crumpled glory & in an environmentally controlled case, looking like an old unravelling woollen sweater. 7mm rings, alternate rows rivetted, late third - early fourth century.

The Dalmatic tunic from Akhmin on loan from the Victoria & Albert Museum (T.361-1887). 130cm long, 206 cm wide, 'first half of the fourth century', full length purple wool clavi with interlocked geometric gold thread embroidery, with two identical bands on each cuff. Simpler pattern than I'd expected, but so attractive.

The glass beaker (from Bonn?) showing Constantine's guards over from Cologne & pictured in Southern & Dixon.

The Chi-Rho votive plaques from the Water Newton hoard - a strong reminder of the pagan flavour of early Christianity.

The central roundel with Christ & Chi-Rho from the mosaic at Hinton St. Mary, Dorset. Mid-fourth century. I love the way they've displayed it on a carpet showing the rest of the mosaic!

Silver military belt fittings from the Traprain Law Treasure. I want some.

Golden Chi-Rho monogram seal ring from Suffolk, a beautifully worked golden armlet from Cologne and, not least, the golden ring inscribed 'Fidem Constantino' from Amien & of a type probably commonly worn by soldiers in his service.

Oddest:
Lifesized goose statue with internal pipes to allow it to emit steam, smoke or possibly sound effects!

I agree - the catalogue is well worth it. Why not combine it with the York Roman Festival celebrating the 1700th anniversary of his acclamation, 21- 30 July? Comitatus is taking over Barley Hall on the second weekend!

[Viventius]

The exhibition is still on, and a review of it can be found in the European Journal of Archaeology:

Constantine the Great - York’s Roman Emperor (31 March - 29 Oct 2006, Yorkshire Museum, York, UK) - An exhibition review by Mark Hall of Perth Museum and Art Gallery in Scotland.

http://tinyurl.com/zrt7g