It was an exhibit of works by the surrealist painter and sculptor, Max Ernst. The show, titled “Inside the Sight,” was conceived and developed by Dominique de Menil and opened at l’Orangerie in Paris in 1971. After making it’s way around France for a year the exhibit’s first American showing opened at The Rice Museum in early 1973. A national tour followed, including stops at the Art Institute of Chicago and the Guggenheim, but the only other campus to host it was Harvard.

Mrs. de Menil worked on hanging the exhibit over what looks like a period of a couple of weeks in late 1972. She was extraordinarily photogenic:

She also strongly urged that every Rice student visit the show. “To be on campus and not see the Ernst show,” she proclaimed, ” is like passing through Chartres and not looking at the cathedral.”

I hope you guys showed up.

Bonus: