Enfilade

Now on view at Harvard Art Museums, the exhibition spans a wide period including the reception of Celtic art in the 18th and 19th centuries.

Celtic Art Across the Ages

Harvard Art Museums, Cambridge, Massachusetts, 6 March — 2 August 2026

Curated by Susanne Ebbinghaus, with Penny Coombe, Laure Marest, and Matthew Rogan

Discover the many forms of Celtic creativity and their artistic legacies in this sweeping story that spans ancient to modern times.

When you think of the word ‘Celtic’, what do you picture? Perhaps intricate knotwork designs, legendary warriors, or mystical spirituality? Maybe even a certain NBA team? Celtic Art across the Ages will introduce visitors to the worlds of the various peoples who were historically labeled ‘Celts’—through the objects they created, the interactions they had across the European continent, and the myths that shaped their legacy, then as now. The exhibition stretches from 800 BCE through today, showcasing the craftsmanship, innovation, cultural connections, and multilayered reception that characterized Celtic art in Europe and beyond.

The first major exhibition on this topic to take place in the United States, Celtic Art across the Ages offers an unprecedented opportunity to explore masterful metalwork, including exquisitely decorated weaponry, jewelry, and horse and chariot trappings of the first millennium BCE Iron Age and early medieval times, all brought to light through archaeological discoveries of the last 200 years. See how imagery transformed under Roman rule, and trace the revival of Celtic art and identities in the modern era. From shape-shifting ancient ornaments to the more well-known Celtic iconography of medieval Ireland and Scotland, the objects in this exhibition reveal rich and complex artistic traditions that defy stereotypes of what constitutes ‘Celtic art’.

The exhibition is curated by Susanne Ebbinghaus, George M.A. Hanfmann Curator of Ancient Art and Head of the Division of Asian and Mediterranean Art, with Penny Coombe, Kelekian Curatorial Fellow in Ancient Art, Laure Marest, Damarete Associate Curator of Ancient Coins, and Matthew Rogan, Senior Curatorial Assistant for Special Exhibitions and Publications.

The catalogue is disributed by Yale UP:

Susanne Ebbinghaus, ed., Celtic Art Across the Ages (Cambridge: Harvard Art Museums, 2026), 272 pages, ISBN: 978-0300286380, $45. With contributions by Franck Abert, Sophia Adams, Bettina Arnold, Kathryn Brush, Kimberly Cassibry, Michael Dietler, Christian Dupont, Susanne Ebbinghaus, Astrid Fendt, Ana Franjić, Martin Goldberg, Gloria Polizzotti Greis, Karina Grömer, Vanessa Haussener, Veronika Holzer, Thomas Hoppe, Fraser Hunter, Marina Kliger, Rachel Love, Laure Marest, Catherine McKenna, Nancy Netzer, Laurent Olivier, Sean Rainbird, Matthew Rogan, Maeve Sikora, Adrian Stähli, Georg Tiefengraber, and Katharina Ulmschneider.