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Cycladic Art: Ancient Sculpture and Ceramics of the Aegean from the N.P. Goulandris Collection

May 20, 1979 – January 6, 1980
East Building, Ground Floor (3,000 sq. ft.)

Installation view of Cycladic Art: Ancient Sculpture and Ceramics of the Aegean from the N.P. Goulandris Collection, National Gallery of Art, Washington, D.C., Gallery Archives

This exhibition is no longer on view at the National Gallery.

Overview: 166 objects came from the private collection of Nicholas and Dolly Goulandris of Athens. Produced on the Cyclades islands between 3500 and 1500 B.C., white marble figurines as well as vases and other ceramic objects were included. This was the first exhibition to come to the United States from Greece after the repeal of a law prohibiting Greek antiquities from leaving the country on loan.

Organization: Gaillard Ravenel and Mark Leithauser designed the exhibition. Freestanding transparent vitrines featured objects seemingly floating in space but actually attached with tiny armatures by Bob Flugelstadt. Gordon Anson designed the lighting.

Attendance: 248,124

Catalog: Cycladic Art, Ancient Sculpture and Ceramics of the Aegean from the N.P. Goulandris Collection, by Christos Doumas. Washington, DC: National Gallery of Art, 1979.