Power & Privilege

These articles address how art can create and challenge power and privilege.

"Torn from Home": Reflections on a Photograph of Auschwitz

On International Holocaust Remembrance Day, Abigail Raport, Research Associate for Judaica, pauses to commemorate human loss with a photograph by Judith Glickman Lauder.

Detail view of the center panel of a paper triptych by Kara Walker showing the erection of a large statue of a woman

Traditional Form and a Contemporary Lens: Kara Walker's Resurrection Story with Patrons

A recent addition to The Met collection, Kara Walker's Resurrection Story with Patrons engages contemporary reports of racial violence in the United States and the imagery, histories, and monuments of Christian martyrdom.

Curator Kiki Karoglou in the gallery

Dangerous Beauty in the Ancient World and the Age of #MeToo: An Interview with Curator Kiki Karoglou

In this interview, exhibition curator Kiki Karoglou shares provocative insights into the contemporary relevance of mythological hybrid beings and offers a behind-the-scenes look into the making of the exhibition. 

Rough octahedral diamonds in an 11th to 13th-century ring

Twelve Jewels: Indian Diamonds in History and Myth

Senior Research Assistant Courtney Stewart shares the history and myth behind twelve jewels set with Indian diamonds, now on view in gallery 464.

Bowl with flutes from shoulder to rosette at base

New on the Timeline: What Silver Meant in Ancient Egypt

Digital Editor Pac Pobric introduces a new Heilbrunn Timeline of Art History essay on the uses of silver in ancient Egypt.

Heinrich Aldegrever's Lazarus at the Rich Man's Gate (1554)

The Opulent and the Destitute

Former High School Intern Nicole discusses depictions of wealth and poverty in a selection of works in The Met collection.

A ring with a seated lion from 12th century Iran

The Brilliant Power of Rings

Former High School Intern Ardel'Paschal discusses the powerful allure of a selection of rings in The Met collection.

Decorated Swords and the Artistry of Arms at Versailles

Elaborately decorated arms and armor were essential to the grandeur of Versailles. Armorer and Conservator Edward Hunter highlights some of these ceremonial weapons.

A Royal Undertaking: Preparing the Costumes for Visitors to Versailles

Hear from two Costume Institute conservators about what it takes to restore eighteen-century dress to a state of splendor fit for the Bourbon Court.

View of an empty gallery and the exit of the exhibition "Golden Kingdoms

Reflections on Golden Kingdoms and the Course of Empires

Curator Joanne Pillsbury looks back at the recently closed Golden Kingdoms exhibition and meditates on the power of art to frame, and reframe, our knowledge of past cultures.

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