Sarah Zhang (M.A. '26) Presents on Cloisonné at the George Walter Vincent Smith Museum

On April 30, 2026, Sarah Zhang, M.A. student in the History of Art and Architecture at the University of Massachusetts Amherst, and Sophie Combs, Assistant Curator of Art at Springfield Museums, will present a lecture at the George Walter Vincent Smith Museum in Springfield.

Titled A Global Art Form, A Local Collector: Chinese Cloisonné and Asian Export Art at the George Walter Vincent Smith Museum, the lecture traces the development and circulation of cloisonné, an enamel technique that moved from the Byzantine world to China, where it was transformed and refined over centuries. Focusing on the nineteenth century, Zhang examines how Western collecting practices, shaped by imperial expansion, brought Chinese cloisonné into American collections, including that of George Walter Vincent Smith.

Tickets for in-person attendance are available at the Welcome Center on the day of the lecture. To attend online, please register in advance. For questions, contact (413) 263-6800 ext. 377.