For Immediate Release
March 29, 2022

CLARK ART INSTITUTE PRESENTS LECTURE ON DEPICTIONS OF MOTHERHOOD IN LATE EIGHTEENTH-CENTURY FRENCH ART

(Williamstown, Massachusetts)—Drawing from the Clark Art Institute’s deep holdings of French paintings and works on paper, Sarah Grandin, the Clark-Getty Curatorial Fellow, hosts a talk exploring depictions of motherhood in French art from the second half of the eighteenth century. Grandin’s lecture, “Maternal Absence and Pictorial Presence,” is presented live in the Clark’s auditorium and broadcast simultaneously on Zoom and Facebook Live (@clarkartinstitute) on Wednesday, April 13 at 6 pm.

Grandin focuses on Étienne Aubry’s Farewell to the Wet Nurse (1776–77)—to decipher what was expected of mothers in the Enlightenment era. She will also consider art’s role in shaping social mores and investigate artists’ commitment to portraying female subjectivity.

Advance registration for either the live talk or the Zoom transmission is required. For more information and to register, visit clarkart.edu/events.

ABOUT THE CLARK

The Clark Art Institute, located in the Berkshires of western Massachusetts, is one of a small number of institutions globally that is both an art museum and a center for research, critical discussion, and higher education in the visual arts. Opened in 1955, the Clark houses exceptional European and American paintings and sculpture, extensive collections of master prints and drawings, English silver, and early photography. Acting as convener through its Research and Academic Program, the Clark gathers an international community of scholars to participate in a lively program of conferences, colloquia, and workshops on topics of vital importance to the visual arts. The Clark library, consisting of more than 285,000 volumes, is one of the nation’s premier art history libraries. The Clark also houses and co-sponsors the Williams College Graduate Program in the History of Art.

The Clark, which has a three-star rating in the Michelin Green Guide, is located at 225 South Street in Williamstown, Massachusetts. Its 140-acre campus includes miles of hiking and walking trails through woodlands and meadows, providing an exceptional experience of art in nature. Galleries are open 10 am to 5 pm Tuesday through Sunday, from September through June, and daily in July and August. Advance timed tickets are strongly recommended. Admission is $20; free year-round for Clark members, all visitors age 21 and under, and students with a valid student ID. Free admission is available through several programs, including First Sundays Free; a local library pass program; and EBT Card to Culture. For information on these programs and more, visit clarkart.edu or call 413 458 2303. 

Visitors age five and older are required to show proof of COVID-19 vaccination prior to entering the Clark’s facilities and are required to wear face masks at all times while indoors, and outdoors when social distancing is not possible. For details on health and safety protocols, visit clarkart.edu/health. 

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