Art in the Edith Hamilton Library

  Pallas Athena - Goddess of Wisdom.  In the library, this is located on top of the PC hub.  Original, Circa 280 B.C.  Vatican Museum, 26" 

    Victory of Samothrace (reduction) -  Also known as "Nike" (Greek for "victory")  In the library, this is located on top of the Mac hub.  Made in commemoration of a naval victory in 306 B.C.  Original, Louvre Museum.

  Athena Mourning  -- Located outside of the library, in the entryway to the Howell Building, in commemoration of September 11. 

                Athena is the archetype of the  invincible wise warrior.  But even the cool and brilliant Athena can be seen mourning the loss of her people killed in battle.  One of the most famous bas reliefs of the classical period is the small, grave portrait of the goddess, leaning on her spear, contemplating a funeral stele.  It is done in the 'Austere' mode; she is serious and sad.  The famous original is in the Acropolis Museum in Athens.

                Athena does not cry.  She is a goddess. She is strong.  But she mourns. And she plans.  And she remembers the dead.   Our great loss on September 11^th  should make us sad.  It should make us reflective.  It should also make us think strategically.  How can we defeat terrorism?  How can we battle evil?  That battle has been going on for as long as humans have been able to tell tales.  We are the latest of a long line of people who feel the loss of loved ones taken untimely and unfairly from them.  What we feel is human.  Athena supplies us with a pattern to strive for.  We, of course, do not worship goddesses anymore.  But Athena was cool, reserved, intelligent, tricky, patient, life-affirming, and practical.  And these are attributes we need in these troubled days.  Above all, Athena represents rational power restoring order and justice.   With the dedication of this work, Athena Mourning, we seek to find the rational power we all need to restore order and justice to a troubled world, and remember our dead.

Vergil (Virgil)  - Located on the New Book Display shelf near the Reference collection.

Slab VII - From the western frieze of the Parthenon.  447=432 B. C.  Original, British Museum  42.25 x 55"   (Two mounted figures,  missing a head and part of horse's head)  Hanging in the Library clerestory.

  Slab VIII - From the western frieze of the Parthenon.  447-432 B. C.  Original, British Museum  42 x 55"   (Single horse and rider)  Hanging in the Library clerestory.

  Slab IX - From the western frieze of the Parthenon.  447-432 B. C.   Original, British Museum 42.25 x.56" (Two mounted figures, one missing head, the other head with hat)  Hanging in the Library clerestory.

Slab X - From the western Frieze of the Parthenon.  447-432 B. C.  Original, British Museum  42.25 x 56"  (Two mounted figures, fairly complete, both horses rearing)  Hanging in the Library
clerestory.

  Edith Hamilton Portrait by the artist Lydia Field Emmet. This renowned author, for whom our library is named, wrote such famous books as The Roman Way and The Greek Way.  But before writing anything but school reports, she served as Headmistress of Bryn Mawr from 1896 - 1922.  One of her many educational beliefs was that "reading was the foundation of education and that reading could always be made pleasant."  From Beirne, Rosamond Randall.  Let's Pick the Daisies.  Baltimore, MD:  The Waverly Press, 1970. 

  Tiffany Studios Window  From a plaque in the Edith Hamilton Library: "This stained glass window, attributed to the Tiffany Studios, was rescued from the original Bryn Mawr School building at Cathedral and Preston Streets by a collector, purchased for the school by the class of 1932 on the occasion of its 50th reunion, and restored in 1996 thanks to the generosity of an anonymous donor.  The school is grateful to all who played a part in giving Bryn Mawr a piece of its history."

Last Updated: November, 2009