Matters temporal

Magazine Antiques, Jan, 2001 by Miriam Kramer

For more than five hundred years the Roman emperors staged spectacular mass entertainments to distract their subjects from financial or political problems, and to retain their loyalty. Entry to these fights, games, races, and other events was free. An exhibition on view at the British Museum in London until January 21 examines this aspect of the Roman Empire.

Entitled Gladiators and Caesars: The Power of Spectacle in Ancient Rome, it was originally seen at the Museum fur Kunst und Gewerbe in Hamburg. Among the objects on view are protective clothing worn by gladiators, stone reliefs showing combat and chariot races, marble busts of emperors, and actors' masks. The catalogue that accompanies the exhibition was edited by Eckart Kohne and Cornelia Ewigleben and may be ordered by telephoning 44-20-7637-1292.

Another corner of Europe that was once part of the Roman Empire--Orange in Provence--gave its name to the dynasty that ruled the Netherlands for several hundred years and to the British king William III. In the sixteenth century a union between the royal houses of Orange and Saxony produced Maurice, who was stadtholder of the Dutch Republic, taking over the court in The Hague in 1584 when he was seventeen years old and surrounding himself with artists, thinkers, artisans, and beautiful women. He played an important role in international politics, overseeing the foundation of the Dutch West India Company, winning the pivotal battle of Nieuwpoort against Spain in 1600, and becoming a member of the British Order of the Garter.

The last major exhibition marking the two hundredth anniversary of the Rijksmuseum in Amsterdam is devoted to Maurice. Maurice, Prince of Orange brings together objects associated with or influenced by Maurice and remains on view until March 18. It includes the ceremonial suit of gold armor given by him to the Prince of Wales in 1612, maps, portraits, and richly illuminated manuscripts. The catalogue, in Dutch, is edited by Kees Zandvliet with contributions by other scholars and can be ordered by telephoning 31-20-6747350.