Materials Lab Workshop: Making Faces

In this two-part workshop on Sunday, Dec. 4, join Harvard Art Museums conservators Kate Smith and Georgina Rayner in the exhibition galleries for a close look at portraits and learn what museum curators, conservators and scientists have discovered about them. Then take that experience to the Materials Lab and create a version of an ancient tempera painting using some of the same materials and techniques used by Roman-period artists. This workshop aims to honor and remember the woman in the ancient portrait used as a model and to celebrate the relationship between artist and sitter that allowed the woman’s essence to be captured so powerfully.

This workshop accompanies the exhibition "Funerary Portraits from Roman Egypt: Facing Forward," which invites viewers to ask more about the complicated histories of these portraits and the people they depict. The exhibition explores what can be learned about the artistic process and current condition of these works through scientific analysis and technical research conducted by staff in the Harvard Art Museums’ Straus Center for Conservation and Technical Studies.

No prior experience necessary. This workshop will take place in the Materials Lab. Registration is required, and the materials fee is $15. Registration for this workshop will open on Thursday, Nov. 24 at this link, and participants will be admitted on a first-come, first-served basis. To join the waitlist, please email am_register@harvard.edu. Participants must be a minimum age of 14. Please see the museum visit page to learn about the general policies for visiting the museum. Harvard Art Museums are committed to accessibility for all visitors. For anyone requiring accessibility accommodations for their programs, please contact the museums at am_register@harvard.edu at least 48 hours in advance.