The 7th MA in Art History Presents project, in which graduate students curate a small exhibition from the Art Properties, Avery Library collection, under the guidance of Prof. Frederique Baumgartner and Curator of Art Properties Roberto C. Ferrari, is now on view. The title of this year’s show is The Inquiring Eye: European Drawings from the Lola Szladits Collection, and brings together eleven drawings from the 16th to 19th centuries, a mere sample of the 130+ works of art received by Columbia as a gift from the estate of Szladits (1923-1990), former curator of the Berg Collection at New York Public Library and a collector of art in her own right. One significant work is the head of a cow seen here, drawn with a close attention to detail for an etching, by the Italian artist Francesco Londonio (1723-1783).

Consulting with curators, academics, and educators, as well as the Columbia University Libraries Conservation team, the students researched these drawings for the first time since they have been in the collection, focusing on technical information, attributions, and provenance. Be sure to read the Columbia News interview with two of the students to learn more about how important this curatorial project has impacted their education. The exhibition is on view in the Judith Lee Stronach Center, Department of Art History and Archaeology, Schermerhorn 8th floor, until December 15, 2023.