Four Paintings, Four Stories, Four Uncharted Points in the History of European Painting (Off-Site)

The 2026 Annual Henri Zerner Lecture examines four previously unknown paintings recently acquired by The Metropolitan Museum of Art. Stephan Wolohojian, a former Harvard Art Museums curator and current Metropolitan Museum curator, will consider how these works reshape established ideas about artistic practice, chronology, and the cultural contexts in which European paintings were made.

Rather than merely adding to the historical record, the paintings prompt broader reconsideration of individual artists, periods, and the development of European painting. The event is presented by Harvard’s Department of History of Art and Architecture and the Harvard Art Museums, with support from the Henri Zerner Lecture Fund established by alumni and friends.

When: Tuesday, December 1, 2026

Showtimes: 6:00–7:30 p.m.

Venue: HAA Lower Lecture Hall, Department of History of Art and Architecture, Harvard University, 485 Broadway Street, Cambridge, Massachusetts. The lecture is held across the street from the Harvard Art Museums.

Format: In person

Tickets: Free

Admission: Walk-ins are welcome, but space is limited.

Speaker: Stephan Wolohojian, John Pope-Hennessy Curator in Charge of the Department of European Paintings at The Metropolitan Museum of Art. He previously served as the Landon and Lavinia Clay Curator and head of the Division of European and American Art at the Harvard Art Museums.

Featured work: The event page highlights Rosso Fiorentino’s *Madonna and Child with Saint John the Evangelist* from 1512/13, an oil painting on canvas laid down on wood. The work is in the collection of The Metropolitan Museum of Art, New York, following its 2026 acquisition.

Sponsors: Harvard’s Department of History of Art and Architecture and the Harvard Art Museums, with additional support from the Henri Zerner Lecture Fund.

Contact: Emily Ware at eware@fas.harvard.edu with questions.