YALE UNIVERSITY ART GALLERY RE-INSTALLS IMPORTANT STATUE

THE YALE UNIVERSITY ART GALLERY RECENTLY ANNOUNCED THE INSTALLATION OF AN IMPORTANT ACQUISITION THAT SHOWCASES PORTRAITURE TRADITIONS OF THE LATE HELLENISTIC AND EARLY ROMAN ERA AND 21st CENTURY CONVERSATION METHODS. ACQUIRED IN 2007, AND AFFECTIONATELY KNOWN TO GALLERY STAFF AS THE 'GREEN LADY', DUE TO THE ALGAE THAT ONCE MARRED ITS SURFACE, THE STATUE HAS UNDERGONE EXTENSIVE CLEANING AND CONSERVATION. A LAGER THAN LIFE, HIGH-QUALITY PORTRAIT STATUE WITH IDEALIZED FEATURES AND CAREFUL ATTENTION TO DETAILS OF THE DRESS AND POSE, THE STATUE IS AN EXAMPLE OF THE PUDICITIA PORTRAIT TYPE WHICH WAS MEANT TO MAKE A STRONG STATEMENT ABOUT THE CHARACTER OF THE SUBJECT. THE 'GREEN LADY' WAS DISPLAYED AS A WORK IN PROGRESS IN THE EXHIBITION 'TIME WILL TELL: ETHICS AND CHOICES IN CONVERSATION', DURING THE SUMMER OF 2009. WHEN ACQUIRED, THE MARBLE STATUE SHOWED TWO PREVIOUS MAJOR PHASES OF RESTORATION AND REPAIR. THE MOST JARRING OF THOSE WAS A RECONSTRUCTED RIGHT ARM THAT WAS INACCURATELY POSITIONED AND INCONSISTENT IN SCALE FROM SCALE. CONSERVATORS AND CURATORS TOGETHER HAD TO DECIDE HOW TO REVERSE THE DAMAGE THAT HAD BEEN DONE, HOW TO PREVENT FURTHER DAMAGE, AND HOW TO DISPLAY THE PORTRAIT IN ITS BEST LIGHT, WITHOUT MISLEADING ADDITIONS. VISITORS TO THE GALLERY WILL SEE THE RESULTS OF THEIR WORK.