Elizabeth Benge

Elizabeth Hahn Benge is collection manager for Arts of Africa and Arts of Greece, Rome, and Byzantium. Since joining the Art Institute in 2014, she has worked on a number of exhibitions and research projects, including efforts to test a theory that the museums Fragment of a Portrait of Antinous was once part of a bust of Antinous at the Palazzo Altemps in Rome, which culminated in an exhibition in 2016.
Elizabeth holds three master’s degrees, in classical art, maritime archaeology, and library science. She is particularly interested in arts of the ancient Greeks from colonies in south Italy and Sicily and has worked on various excavations both on land and underwater in Sicily, Israel, and North America. Since 2020, she has been a Fellow of the American Numismatic Society in New York.
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Horses in Ancient Art
Take a ride through the collection to see how horses were revered in the ancient Greco-Roman world.
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The Ocean’s Currency: Cowrie Shells in African Art
For centuries, the glossy white shells of these small mollusks have adorned figures, masks, and garments in Africa.
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Unleashed: Dogs in Art
Staff members adopt five dogs from our collection that illustrate the bond between humans and their faithful furry companions.
Elizabeth Benge, Elizabeth Pope, Robby Sexton, Emily Lew Fry, and Chelsea Southwood -
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To the Naked Eye: Using RTI to Reveal the Hidden
Using video loops, the authors reveal how reflectance transformation imaging allows the close study of objects—such as Egyptian scarabs and Roman coins—solely through digital images on a computer.
Aidan Fitzpatrick, Ashley F. Arico, and Elizabeth Benge -
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Portraits of Change: Ancient Coins
Coins are more than just currency—they are pocket-sized works of art that capture a time and place.
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Antinous 2.0: The New Face of an Old Favorite
A series of fortunate events leads to insights about the tilt and gaze of a ancient portrait sculpture.
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A New Look at Faces from the Past
Come face-to-face with gods, rulers, and everyday people from the ancient world.
Ashley F. Arico and Elizabeth Benge