Memorial Art Gallery

Rating: Dig it

If you have ever wanted to see Abraham Lincoln without a beard, here’s your chance - and for only six dollars.

In celebration of Lincoln’s 200th birthday (February 12), the Memorial Art Gallery of the University of Rochester is holding an exhibit, curated by Grant Holcomb, of Lincoln-related art. The items come from the Memorial Art Gallery’s own collection as well as those from the collections of Strong National Museum of Play, George Eastman House International Museum of Photography and Film, Rochester Museum and Science Center and other public and private collections.

As you enter a small room in the back of the gallery, a wall-sized photograph of Lincoln taken in Rochester’s Washington Square Park is there to greet you. Moving about this room, you’ll get a chance to view lithographs, drawings, etchings and even a puzzle of the former president’s face. Three-dimensional works include portrait busts made of marble and terracotta, a bronze statue, a bank in the shape of Lincoln’s log cabin and a bronze life mask and hands.* Contrary to common thought, the works are taken from various points in Lincoln’s life other than his presidency; for instance, the life mask of his hands were taken after his nomination, his face before.

With every Lincoln-related artifact from Rochester packed into a small room, is this exhibit worth seeing? The answer is yes, and you don’t have to be a history buff to enjoy it. Each artifact is outfitted with a plaque that holds the standard artist, medium and year information. In addition, they contain a short story of how the piece came to be and why it is important. In a worst-case scenario, you’ll learn something while you’re there.

If the admission price is a factor in your decision, the six dollars covers a lot more than just the exhibit. It gives you full access to the two floors of the gallery to see 20th century sculpture, American art, Asian art, ancient Egyptian art (including a sarcophagus) and more. Lincoln will only turn 200 once, so this exhibit only lasts for a limited time, from now until April 19.

$6 with college ID, $10 without an ID
Memorial Art Gallery
500 University Ave.
On-site parking is free
Hours:
Wednesday - Sunday 11 a.m. - 5 p.m.,
Thursday 11 a.m. - 9 p.m.

*A life mask is a mask cast from the face of a living person or, in this case, the face and hands of President Lincoln.