Metropolitan Museum of Art Trip

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Recommended: Comparing and contrasting greek and roman art

One of my personal favorite days of this semester was the class trip to the Metropolitan Museum of Art in New York City. It was a long journey to get there, especially with having to walk all the way from Penn Station, but it was a nice day so I couldn’t really complain. Plus, it was worth it because I love museums. The Met is absolutely beautiful, inside and out. I could not believe how big it was and how many galleries there actually were. I can’t wait to go back and see all of them! Our trip mostly focused upon Greek and Roman art, and I found it to be thoroughly interesting. There was so much to look at that I didn’t know where to start. I was in amazement at all of the pieces and the fascinating stories behind them. The two pieces that sparked my interest the most were the marble sarcophagus depicting the myth of Selene and Endymion and the Etruscan bronze chariot.

The sarcophagus was on display in gallery 162, which was my favorite gallery. All of the sculptures in this gallery were Roman, but based on Greek or Hellenistic people or myths. This particular sarcophagus, according to the description, was dedicated to a woman named Arria who passed away when she was fifty years old. It was made approximately in the early 3rd century A.D. and was discovered at Ostia, Italy in 1825. It was beautifully made and finely detailed, which is a major reason for why I loved it so much. Also, the myth of Selene and Endymion is one of my favorites. Selene was the Titan goddess of the moon. According to Hesiod’s Theogony, Theia gave birth to her along with Helios, Eos, and Dawn. She fell in love with Endymion, who was a beautiful young shepherd. She wanted him to live forever and never leave her, but she then realized he could not be made...

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...oman Gallery.
Overall, my experience at the Metropolitan Museum of Art was pretty amazing. I got to see beautiful art, learn a lot of new things, and spend my day with friends in wonderful New York City. I’m so glad I took mythology this semester because otherwise, I would not have had the opportunity to go. Hopefully, I’ll be able to go back in the near future and also expand my horizons to other museums!

Works Cited
"Endymion sarcophagus [Roman]" (47.100.4) In Heilbrunn Timeline of Art History . New York: The Metropolitan Museum of Art. n.d. Web. 24 Mar. 2014.
"Bronze Chariot Inlaid with Ivory." The Metropolitan Museum of Art, n.d. Web. 24 Mar. 2014.
Atsma, Aaron J. "SELENE : Greek Goddess of the Moon." The Theoi Project, n.d. Web. 23 Mar. 2014.
Vogel, Carol. "A More Precise Version Of Your Chariot Awaits." The New York Times, 28 Mar. 2007. Web. 24 Mar. 2014.

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