Charles M. Muskavitch

This copy of an Egyptian relief was painted while Muskavitch was a student at the School of the Museum of Fine Arts, Boston. At the time, Joseph Lindon Smith was still an active member of the archaeological expedition in Egypt co-sponsored by the Museum and Harvard University. He was also honorary curator of the museum's Egyptian department, which by then owned many similar paintings by Smith. According to Muskavitch, RISD was the first museum to acquire one of his paintings. Although Muskavitch may not have studied painting under Smith, he did work with Smith in 1933 to design Mayan costumes for "The Royal Gift," a masque in four acts written and directed by Smith and performed at the dedication of the Isabella Stewart Gardner Museum. Muskavitch also played the role of the Spanish Ambassador in a scene entitled "Titian in Venice." By 1937, Muskavitch was living in Newport and had given up "archaeological painting" in favor of restoration work.