French artist Charles Henri Joseph Cordier’s sculpture was first shown in the Paris Salon of 1848. It made a stir. According to the Art Institute, sculpted images of Africans were rarely shown in public galleries at the time, and the work reflected a growing interest by the French in non-Western cultures. The bronze bust is now on display at the Art Institute as part of Silk Road Chicago, a yearlong, cross-cultural collaboration of Chicago institutions. The museum also is hosting scholars, artists and musicians, culminating in the weeklong residency of Yo-Yo Ma’s Silk Road Ensemble April 9-15. Admission is free Feb. 1-21.
At the Art Institute of Chicago, 111 S. Michigan Ave.; $7-$12, for more information contact 312-443-3600 or www.artic.edu.
