Works of art are considered both priceless and highly valuable, unique yet often ranked in terms of quality, the result of inspiration while also a response to specific social needs. What weight does each of us give to skill, invention, meaning, and ambition as we determine what we consider to be a great work of art? Can one identify “good, better, best” when comparing Greek vases or Copley portraits? What is the impact of changing taste and cultural differences? Without discussing current market value or dollar signs, this Looking Together uses the concept of quality to engage in close conversation with MFA works, from Japanese screens and Greek bronzes to Donatello’s Madonna of the Clouds, Caillebotte’s Man at His Bath, and Robert Rauschenberg’s transformation of a cardboard carton. 

Barbara T. Martin, Alfond Curator Emerita of Education