Renowned curator of Greek and Roman Art at the Museum of Fine Arts in Boston

Christine Kondoleon is a renowned scholar and curator, who has drawn abundant praise for her imaginative and bold reinstallation of the Greek collection at the largest private museum in the United States. The three galleries that have opened to date are devoted to works from ancient Greece . One room is devoted to “Homer and the Epics,” another to “Dionysus and the Symposium,” and the last to “Theater and Performance.”

Kondoleon has mounted exhbitions on the city of Antioch and on the goddess Aphrodite. Before going to the Museum of Fine Arts in 2001, she was curator of Greek and Roman Art at the Worcester Art Museum. Before that she was chair of the art department at Williams College. Kondoleon received her Master’s Degree from Yale University and her Ph.D. from Harvard University.

“This is the largest private museum in America; it may be one of the largest private museums in the world. I’m extremely fortunate to work with probably one of the greatest collections in the world of classical art. We have about one million visitors a year. It’s very important to engage them directly with these works of art which they have no history of context with”, says Kondoleon about her work.

Her goals are to make the important, deep collections accessible, and to introduce ancient society in a comprehensible and interesting way to the public today.

“I like the aspect of discovery…I didn’t quite choose this particular career. I really was trained and focused on being an academic. I went on being a professor of Art History at Williams College but for family reasons I moved to Boston and I left all that for what we call a “soft money” job, a job that is only supported by a grant. For five and a half years I was a curator at the Worcester Art Museum and I did an exhibition on the ancient city of Antiochia. It was a successful exhibition that traveled round the States and made my name.”, says Kondoleon about her professional journey.

GALLERY

Maureen CONNELL

-21/11/2016 1:49 am

Hello,
I lived in Greece from 1991- 1995 and bought a piece. Wondering if it’s worth anything.

Can you advise me where to go for a fair appraisal.

Thanks!

Elsa Caron

-17/08/2019 10:22 am

Dear Christine,
I wonder if you are the sister of the late Harry Kondoleon. I spent almost a year living in Bali as his neighbor and close friend in the 1970’s and have many stories about that time. He used to talk to me about you and clearly you were very close. We went one day to a remote vitage known for woodcarving and we each bought something—perhaps you have the beautiful tiger box he found. I am 71 now and thinking over my life and the people who made it special. I have many funny stories to share with you about your brother as well as a photo, if you would care to contact me.
Best wishes,
Elsa Caron
360-650-0400

Keith Garsson

-30/11/2020 4:02 am

You are part of a wonderfully talented family. The Worcester exhibits were fabulous and when I lived in NYC last century I enjoyed your brother’s plays immensely. I wish you the best success, you are presenting a world of Art in a very unique way !

All the best;

Keith Garsson
Boca Raton, FL

Andrea Harrison

-08/10/2021 3:26 pm

Dear Christine,
My sister passed away and amount the things she left was a box of assorted small pieces of Greek pottery. We both lived in Greece during the early 70’s. The two towns where we lived were Larissa, and Galaxidi. My sister would go on long walks and obviously found these items along her walks.
I presume that most of them came from Galaxidi which is a small town noted as a summer home for rich Athenian sea captains. It is close to the port of Itea where ancients stopped to go to Delphi.

I am not sure what to do with them and am asking you for your help. I have photographs of the pieces that I could send to you.

Many thanks,