As the IS “Caliphate” disappears, time to revisit larger issues of the illicit antiquities trade

At the time of this writing the self-styled Caliphate created by Islamic State six years ago in Syria and Iraq has been reduced to little more than a square mile of bombed out rubble. During IS’ heyday much was made in the western press of a supposed systematic trade in antiquities looted by IS operatives… Read More As the IS “Caliphate” disappears, time to revisit larger issues of the illicit antiquities trade

February 25, 2019May 13, 2019 Christof Maupin / Past Present ArtsLeave a comment

Hurricane Florence Update

In the aftermath of Hurricane Florence, we are still here in Wilmington, NC, more or less in one piece. Many others in Southeastern North Carolina and beyond were not as fortunate. Below are a couple of images from the aftermath of the storm. Our inventory is intact but please note that many local post… Read More Hurricane Florence Update

October 3, 2018October 3, 2018 Christof Maupin / Past Present Arts2 Comments

Articles of interest from our sister blog

As many of our regular readers know, I started a “sister blog” a few months ago, dealing with my exploration of the intersection of art from the past and art from the present, and specifically how this impacts my own work as an artist. As so much of my work is impacted by art from… Read More Articles of interest from our sister blog

July 27, 2017 Christof Maupin / Past Present ArtsLeave a comment

A Confluence of Art, Ancient and Modern

In January of this year I wrote a brief article for this Blog dealing with my own experiences as both a dealer in ancient Mediterranean art and an artist myself, and the influence one has upon the other. The article was inspired by an exhibition that was a collaboration between the British Museum and Turner… Read More A Confluence of Art, Ancient and Modern

April 9, 2017April 10, 2017 Christof Maupin / Past Present Arts1 Comment

Distant Connections: Contact and Object Exchange Between Mediterranean and Far East Asian Civilizations in the First Few Centuries CE

Two news items appeared in the popular press during the second half of September, 2016 that addressed recent discoveries of possible East Asian migrants in a Roman period cemetery in London and Late Roman coins found in excavations of a Medieval castle on the Japanese island of Okinawa. While some aspects of the initial excavation… Read More Distant Connections: Contact and Object Exchange Between Mediterranean and Far East Asian Civilizations in the First Few Centuries CE

October 1, 2016October 1, 2016 Christof Maupin / Past Present Arts2 Comments

Bizarre antiquities-related political feud erupts on Cyprus

Recent news reports out of the City of Paphos, Cyprus describe a clash between the Mayor of Paphos on the one hand and the Cyprus antiquities department and its local Museum in Paphos on the other, with official pronouncements, competing press conferences and plenty of mudslinging. The Mayor indirectly accuses staff at the Museum and… Read More Bizarre antiquities-related political feud erupts on Cyprus

August 21, 2016 Christof Maupin / Past Present ArtsLeave a comment

Staffordshire Hoard Conservation Programme Completed

A new post on the Staffordshire Hoard website has announced completion of the cleaning and conservation project. With many tiny fragments emerging from the soil during this process, the total number of pieces is now about 4,000. Several pieces have been reconstructed from these fragments, with surprising results. The research phase is continuing and a… Read More Staffordshire Hoard Conservation Programme Completed

August 15, 2016 Christof Maupin / Past Present Arts1 Comment

Object of the Week: A Roman Glass Unguentarium

Our object of the week is an intact Roman glass toilet bottle, usually called an unguentarium. This name seems to be a 19th Century invention, based on the ancient Roman term “unguentarius,” a word used to describe sellers of perfumes. This type of glass vessel is believed to have been used for dispensing perfumed oils… Read More Object of the Week: A Roman Glass Unguentarium

May 29, 2016 Christof Maupin / Past Present ArtsLeave a comment

Hellenistic Art at The Met

Here is a review in “The Art Newspaper” of the remarkable show now at the Metropolitan Museum in New York, exploring Hellenistic Art – http://theartnewspaper.com/shows/hellenistic-greece-emerges-from-the-shadows-of-classicism/

April 24, 2016 Christof Maupin / Past Present ArtsLeave a comment

Rational Proposals for Safeguarding Antiquities – But Will Anyone Act?

A few proposals floated in the final months of 2015 offered rational, practical options for saving antiquities and ancient monuments.… Read More Rational Proposals for Safeguarding Antiquities – But Will Anyone Act?

January 2, 2016January 3, 2016 Christof Maupin / Past Present Arts1 Comment