In the rotunda of the MFA, the many lights of the traditional Christmas tree are both festive and shine on the illustrious Sargent murals. If the symbolism of the figures is not easy to interpret, there is now a book in the bookstore, part of the MFA Spotlight series, which is a comprehensive guide to the murals and their surroundings.
The image above the tree and the first one that visitors see when walking up the great staircase symbolizes the role most museums have in allegorical form:
Athena, goddess of wisdom shields Architectura, Sculptura and Pictura from god Kronos and the ravages of time.
http://www.sargentmurals.bpl.org/site/sargent/01_mfa.htmlOne of the reasons to visit museums as often as possible, to be shielded from time.....
