Cosmetics: Vanity Fare

Tuesday April 17, 2012

Looking Good ~ Then and Now

Whether for identification, ritual, or beauty, men and women have long focused on personal appearance. Traveling to the afterlife, an ancient Egyptian woman brings with her both mirror and make-up box. An Etruscan soldier includes a razor among his grave goods. Artifacts from ancient Greece encourage our connection with many women who considered their likeness as they gazed into mirrors. Other archaeological finds share the treasures of Roman matrons --their glass containers holding image-enhancing cosmetics and perfumes. Dr. Jennifer Wegner, Associate Curator in the Egyptian Section and Adjunct Assistant Professor in the Department of Near Eastern Languages and Civilizations at Penn, has taught courses on Women in Ancient Egypt and The World of Cleopatra. She has co-curated Penn Museum's exhibit, "Amarna: Ancient Egypt's Place in the Sun." Complementing Dr. Wegner's academic expertise is her participation in numerous fieldwork seasons in Egypt since 1990. Dr. Wegner will help us excavate a cosmetic menu in the ancient world. Dr. Louis P Bucky, Clinical Professor of Surgery within the Division of Plastic Surgery at the Perelman School of Medicine at the University of Pennsylvania and Chief of Plastic Surgery at Pennsylvania Hospital, will serve us a list of cosmetic options available in the twenty-first century. For twelve consecutive years, Dr. Bucky has been named Plastic Surgery's "Top Doc" in Philadelphia Magazine. In his lecture, he will share his knowledge of the ways skin and bodies change over time as well as the methods we might consider for enhancing our natural appearance. Enjoy a nourishing afternoon.

Please contact our Office for an Invitation.