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Emily Abney standing in front of a painting of Venus and Cupic in the Worcester Art Museum

Major: Art history

Clark Days: Emily’s Clark education spanned countries. She researched in Venice for her senior thesis, “The Birth of a Venetian Venus: From the Page to the Painting,” which examines paintings of the Italian Renaissance, exploring allegorical nude portraiture of the pagan goddess Venus. She also studied art theory in the Netherlands and traveled around Europe to observe works such as the Ghent Altarpiece. Emily is a founding member of the Clark University chapter of the Kappa Pi art honors society, and co-founded the Museum Meanings club, which facilitates discussions on contemporary museum issues like repatriation, art smuggling, and accessibility.

Post-Commencement Plans: Emily will continue her studies at the Courtauld Institute of Art in London, one of the world’s most prestigious programs of art history, curating, and conservation.

Reflection: “You can see the painter’s thoughts through the brushstrokes if you’re looking at a painting in person,” Emily says on the importance of seeing art first-hand.

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