Exhibition ‘Power Couples. The Pendant Format in Art’ until 8 December 2019

Portrait of a Gentleman and Portrait of a Lady by Barthel Bruyn the younger (c.1530-1607/10), oil on panel, c.1555-65 © Utah Museum of Fine Arts - All rights reserved

Venue: Utah Museum of Fine Arts, University of Utah

Exhibition: 11 July to 8 December 2019

Symposium 8 October 2019

Power Couples: The Pendant Format in Art considers how two interdependent works, called pendants, convey meaning. The study of this popular portrait format reveals a variety of artistic strategies at play – desires to communicate social hierarchy, gender roles, racial issues, complementary ideas, the passage of time, the continuity of space, and the appearance of truth in art. Drawn from the UMFA’s rich collection and strengthened with select loans, the expansive exhibition will display works conceived as pairs in Europe, America and elsewhere from the fifteenth century until the present day.

The UMFA will host an interdisciplinary symposium to coincide with the exhibition on 8 October 2019.