By CGN Staff

On a quiet, narrow street in Lincoln Park in Chicago, something very old is a uniquely new addition to the neighborhood. Wrightwood 659 announced recently that for the first time in nearly three centuries, a historically significant statue of the Greek goddess Athena has been acquired and is now on view to the public. Halsted A&A Foundation acquired the Roman statue, which dates to 1st century CE. It is installed in the very modern, concrete-clad Tadao Ando-designed atrium of Wrightwood 659 beginning Saturday, January 25.

Halsted A&A bought the statue in 2023. Prior to making the journey to Chicago the sculpture had been in the same British family for nearly 260 years. Since the new acquisition, a team of conservation specialists has studied the Halsted Athena to determine its condition and the safest way to display it. The statue is a actually made from multiple parts. The head is from one sculpture, carved during the reign of the Roman Emperor Augustus (31 BC-14 CE), while the body is from another, carved during the time of Emperor Claudius (41-54 CE). “Like many sculptures sold in Rome in 18th-century Italy, the figure is composed of ancient and modern fragments. The practice of piecing together sculptures was not invariably an attempt to deceive customers. Rather, many buyers preferred complete pieces, even if composed of unrelated parts," notes Halsted A&A curator Karen Manchester. "Now, scholars, students and visitors will be able to study the statue of Athena closely and interpret it from many perspectives, including those of art history, restoration practices and gender studies,” Manchester added, offering a window into a rich yet complex classical past.

Tickets are $15 and must be purchased in advance.

Images: Halsted Athena, courtesy of Halsted A&A Foundation.