The Art of Freedom
The Magna Carta at the MFA
It’s probably no coincidence that the Museum of Fine Arts is hosting the exhibit Magna Carta: Cornerstone of Liberty right around the Fourth of July holiday, as many are celebrating the origins of America’s independence.
At this new show debuting July 2, visitors can learn about some of the ideas that influenced our revered Founding Fathers. The centerpiece of this inspiring display is one of only four existing copies of England’s original Magna Carta of 1215, a seminal compact that spelled out many of the freedoms that were incorporated into the U.S. Constitution and the Bill of Rights.
Also on view are two manuscript copies of the Declaration of Independence, on loan from the Massachusetts Historical Society, as well as Paul Revere’s Sons of Liberty Bowl (above, bottom), John Singleton Copley’s portrait of Samuel Adams (above, top) and many other works of art and documents relating to the founding of the United States of America from the MFA’s own collection.
