Digital Methodologies for Art Historians: NW x NE
In this seminar we will apply new technologies to the study of ancient art. Our primary case study will be the ninth-century BCE relief of a winged genie at the Middlebury College Museum of Art, which will be considered alongside other panels from the Northwest Palace of King Ashurnasirpal II in the Assyrian capital at Nimrud in Iraq. The sculptures still in situ at this site were destroyed by ISIS in 2016, but fragments remain in nearly two dozen museums across the northeastern United States. In this class we will uncover the history of the creation, removal, collecting, and display of these works, while at the same time learning about the latest digital tools for data management, analysis, visualization, and imaging used by curators and art historians. Our larger goal will be contributing to an ongoing multi-institution project called "NW x NE" that aims to digitally reunify these works and facilitate the sharing of information and resources between museums. No prior experience with art history necessary. 3 hrs. sem