Art history and history double major Ashley Mingus has dedicated the last four years of her life to the intensive study of Europe. Mingus, born in Alabama but raised in Colorado Springs, is well-versed in everything from Medieval to Gothic to Renaissance art and architecture. Part of her fascination with art lies in the allegorical aspects of it.
For example, to understand the meaning behind the well-known Ghent Altarpiece by Hubert and Jan Van Eyck, the viewer must be well-versed in biblical imagery and stories. Mingus sees these complicated works of art as puzzles to be studied and analyzed.
She has many wonderful memories, but one of the most treasured was her two-week study abroad trip in Italy, where she was able to put her knowledge into practice.
“I went on the Excavating and Exploring Italy class in fall of 2012, and I had always wanted to go to Italy; I was the first person to sign up for the trip,” she said.
Mingus and her class traveled via train to Rome, Pompeii, Florence, Venice and Padua. She noted that, upon her arrival to Rome, the adjustment to a new time zone was a struggle.
“We went from Denver to Germany to Rome and they didn’t let us sleep because we had to get on local time, so everything was a blur,” Mingus recalled. “The second day, though, I realized that I was in Italy and that it was going to be an amazing trip.”
After spending the first day in Rome, Mingus and her class took the train to Pompeii, enjoying the beautiful scenery out the windows, excitedly taking pictures and making memories. Conveniently enough, much of the art and architecture she was able to see in person during the trip fell right into her expertise.
“Many of the students in the program weren’t art history majors, so they asked me a lot of questions and it was fun to be able to use what I’ve learned in my classes to answer them,” said Mingus.
Her favorite experience during these two weeks was her trip to the Pitti Palace in Florence, an old summer home owned by the Medici family. According to an article from the History Channel entitled “The Medici Family,” the Medicis first attained wealth and political power in Florence in the 13th century through their success in commerce and banking. Mingus recalled that the house had been redone in the 19th century Baroque style.
The next day, Mingus and a friend had free time and decided to visit the Boboli Gardens, part of the Uffizi Gallery, located behind the Pitti Palace. As an avid writer, she enjoyed journaling about her experiences in Italy.
“We walked around the extensive grounds for over an hour and wrote reflections on the things we saw, and it started to drizzle,” she said. “It was so fun to imagine the people who used to live there; it was like something out of another time. I just love those places.”
When she is not travelling, Mingus is working hard at the History Colorado Center and also holds down a part-time job at Pier 1 Imports. As a guest service ambassador, she greets and orients visitors to the museum. Her duties also include resetting interactive exhibits and supervising the museum’s junior volunteer programs. Mingus enjoys not only teaching kids about the importance of history, but also practically applying her knowledge and passion for the subject.
Mingus also recently submitted her thesis about the Risorgimento period, focusing on art by Italian Nationalists, and the role of the Catholic Church. According to the Encyclopædia Britannica, the Risorgimento Period was a 19th-century movement for Italian unification, which helped to arouse the national consciousness of the Italian people and freed the Italian states from foreign domination. She is fascinated by the art of this particular period because it served as insight into the political situation of the time.
Mingus’ plans to continue to further her education start with the first step of saving money to start paying back her student loans.
“I took the GRE and I am going to start looking at grad schools next year after I’ve taken a little break,” Mingus said.
“I’ve looked into Christie’s Education Program which is associated with the auction house but is actually a graduate school, locations being in New York and London. Grad students who are a part of the program get experience at the auction house, similar to Sotheby’s, which handles private collections.”
Whatever program she chooses, Mingus plans to engage in Museum Studies or pursue something in the art field for her graduate work, perhaps continuing to delve more deeply into her studies of the Medieval, Gothic and Renaissance styles.
