Hidden Secret of Rochester
Throughout the year, I spend time on the mostly frigid campus of the University of Rochester, where my boyfriend is a student. At times when I’m doing work at the Rush Rhees Library, I feel as if I have become a student there. I have even found my favorite spot to study in, which is the Art and Music Library. Hidden inside this small and cozy room laden with couches is a mosaic that stands on a metal easel.
Bird and Flowers Mosaic, taken at the University of Rochester Art and Music Library, courtesy of Daniel Pak
With my background in archaeology, I took note of the seemingly ancient-looking mosaic with interest but didn’t examine it with much thought. It was on the first day of ARP class when I suddenly wondered if that mosaic was possibly from Antioch as well. Searching on the Google, I found a blogpost that confirmed my suspicions. The mosaic, called Bird and Flowers, was one of two acquired by the University of Rochester’s Memorial Art Gallery in 1942 from Princeton University. Both mosaics came from the nearby coastal town of Daphne.
While the Tethys mosaic displayed at the MAG is found on the Artstor collection, the Bird and Flowers mosaic seems to have been forgotten from academic attention, tucked away quietly for the University of Rochester students to enjoy. The Bird and Flowers mosaic moved to the library in 1981 from the MAG archives where it was collecting dust and has been gracing its presence in the Art and Music Library ever since.
Bird and Flowers Mosaic (close up), taken at the University of Rochester Art and Music Library, courtesy of Daniel Pak
I am interested in speaking with the Head Librarian of the Art and Music Library to ask why she decided to bring the mosaic from the MAG to the UR campus. How are the students interacting with the object? The mosaic’s layered provenance and its current display show the different ways that Antioch mosaics are interacting with the public. At the BMA, the mosaics adorn the Antioch Court, a popular wedding venue, contrasting from the more intimate interactions of the mosaic in Rochester that permeate students’ daily lives.
Weddings at the Antioch Court in the BMA, courtesy of B.O.B. Photography via the BMA website
Along with creating a story map with help from the UR archives, I want to possibly conduct a survey at the Art and Music Library to ask the students about their interactions with the mosaic. From its ancient beginnings in Antioch to a modern library in Rochester, New York, I think the story of this mosaic is an exciting one to explore.
Debbie Kim