What do you see going on in this work of art? Is there a story depicted?

The gold looks to be very fragile, so it looks very exclusive. There’s even a thermometer on the side to keep the box at a stable temperature so it doesn’t melt or freeze. The story behind this work of art is that this was often given to athletic winners in the Greek world. You would often find guests wearing these on top of their heads in lavish dinner parties. It represented honor and dignity among those in Ancient Greece who has won themselves one of these.

What different visual elements (ie: line, color, light, proportions, scale, composition, media type etc.) do you notice, and how do they help you make sense of the artwork?

The wreath has a very shiny yellow/gold color. Because it’s so thin you can see all the bends and cracks in it. Because this is made out of gold, it needs to be kept at a very specific temperature. The flowers and leaves are also made to stick out instead of lay flat, giving the wreath itself more dimensions. They are also not placed in a neat and organized pattern, instead they look scattered and free flowing. But the flowers and leaves seems to be similar size throughout.

What choices do you think the museum made about the object’s display?

Because the wreath was placed in a room full of not so shiny stone carvings, it was able to stand out even more. It seemed almost out of place, the way it was placed in the room. The fact it was hidden in a very discrete corner yet it was able to immediately stand out reveals the strategic placement that the museum decided on.

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