Save the Date! Julius Fund Lecture in Ancient Art on April 28

On April 28, Kimberly Cassibry will give a talk entitled “A Colonial Monument: Remembering an Ancient Triumphal Arch in France.” Current debates about imperialism, commemoration, and cultural heritage have profound implications for ancient art history. This talk focuses on a triumphal arch constructed around 20 BCE in a Roman colony called Arausio (Orange, France). The sculpted monument preserves important evidence for three key developments: innovative architectural design and visualization of conquest in the Roman Empire’s provinces; national heritage initiatives that emerged as France pursued its own empire in the 18th and 19th centuries; and global politics related to the monument’s UNESCO World Heritage listing in 1981. How should this triumphal arch—a Roman colonial monument that has become a French national treasure—be remembered in the future?
Kimberly Cassibry is an Associate Professor of Art at Wellesley College.
The lecture will take place on April 28 at 5 pm in Tinkham Veale University Center (Ballroom A).