These three galleries represent the remarkable range of European art from the 15th to the 19th centuries. They comprise a wide variety of subjects and styles, from sacred images of holy figures for devotional prayer to skillful imitations of nature for dazzling the eye. These selections from the UMFA’s permanent collection convey the breadth and depth of human experience. They retell stories of mythology and folklore, present stunning views of historic ruins and picturesque lands, admire ancient artistic traditions and artfully arranged objects, record activities and lifestyles of all classes of society, and even charm with scenes from everyday life.

Through this great diversity of subjects and styles, two important themes unify the paintings and sculptures on view here. First, creative talent and technical mastery are expressed in numerous ways, and second, fact and fantasy are closely intertwined. These works of European art have us wondering what is real and what is imaginary.