The Tampa Museum of Art presents From Utility to Aesthetics in Ancient Artwork exhibition an exhibition on view March 10, 2012 – January 6, 2013.
Often beautiful in form and adorned with striking images, artifacts of the ancient Mediterranean world can be classified in myriad ways. Some are strictly utilitarian; others lean toward the decorative. These two are not mutually exclusive, however, as evidenced by ancient painted pottery, where form, function, and decoration frequently combine to great effect. In this exhibition, drawn primarily from the Tampa Museum of Art permanent collection, objects are grouped according to certain common features—from images, aesthetics, and individual style to form, utility, and technical details. – www.tampamuseum.org