Presenting Celtic Art in New England

This lecture introduces Celtic Art Across the Ages, the first major American exhibition on this topic, on view at the Harvard Art Museum.

Imagine European art that puts ornament first and the human figure second. This lecture introduces Celtic Art Across the Ages, the first major American exhibition on this topic, on view at the Harvard Art Museums through August 2, 2026. Susanne Ebbinghaus, the George M.A. Hanfmann Curator of Ancient Art and Head of the Division of Asian and Mediterranean Art at Harvard, discusses examples of exquisitely decorated weaponry, jewelry, as well as horse and chariot trappings. She further explains how imagery was transformed under Roman rule, highlighting notable instances of reception, reinterpretation, and the revival of Celtic art in the modern era.

Image: Ornament, c. 430 BCE. Gold-plated bronze on an iron base. From the Kleinaspergle, Asperg, Germany. Landesmuseum Württemberg, Stuttgart, 8723. © Landesmuseum Württemberg, Stuttgart, P. Frankenstein/H. Zwietasch.