Classics fill Europe’s museums in summer

If you’re heading overseas — or looking for a good reason to — Europe’s museum exhibits have a lot to offer in the next few months. A few are familyfriendly, such as a walk through sets of “Harry Potter” films and an exhibit of J.R.R. Tolkien’s little-known Middleearth artwork. Others explore the identities of artists Frida Kahlo and Marc Chagall. Use this guide to find worthwhile museum stops this summer.

“Classic Beauties” at the Hermitage in Amsterdam Through Jan. 13, 2019

Following the excavation of GrecoRoman sculptures and buildings in Rome in the second half of the 18th century, artists and art aficionados flocked to Italy to see the works themselves. The exhibit features more than 60 sculptures, paintings and drawings by 25 prominent artists, including Pompeo Batoni, Anton Raphael Mengs, Angelica Kauffmann and Antonio Canova. https://hermitage.nl/en/classic-beauties/

“Tolkien: Maker of Middle-earth” at the Weston Library at Bodleian Libraries in Oxford Through Oct. 28

The literary genius behind the novels “The Lord of the Rings” and “The Hobbit” is less known for his paintings, drawings and illustrations that reflect the Middle-earth he created on the page. For the first time since the 1950s, Tolkien’s artwork comes together for an exhibit in Oxford. The show includes watercolors, designs for his books’ dustjackets and binding, and illustrations of his children’s bedtime stories. bodleian.ox.ac.uk

“Chagall. The Breakthrough Years, 1911–1919” at the Guggenheim Bilbao, Spain Through Sept. 3

After working in Paris from 1911-14, Marc Chagall returned for a visit home to Belarus and was stranded there for eight years as World War I tore through Europe. In France, his works reflected memories of his Jewish home and avant garde influences, but once at home, his work shifted to introspective self-portraits and Jewish life in Belarus, as well as stage designs for the celebration of the first anniversary of the October Revolution.guggenheim-bilbao.eus

“Post-Pop. Beyond the commonplace” at the Calouste Gulbenkian Museum in Portugal Through Sept. 10

During the Portuguese Colonial War from 1961 to 1974, many of the country’s artists left and moved to such cities as London and Paris and were influenced by the Pop Art movement. This exhibition features more than 200 works produced between 1965 and 1975 by Portuguese artists and their English counterparts. gulbenkian.pt/museu/en/

“Monsters, Devils and Demons” at Museum Rietberg in Zürich Through Sept. 16

At Switzerland’s museum dedicated to Eastern cultures, depictions of monsters, devils and demons by Indian, Japanese, Persian and Swiss artists come together to startle visitors this summer. rietberg.ch/monsters

“Aftermath: Art in the Wake of World War One” at the Tate Britain in London Through Sept. 23

To mark 100 years since World War I’s conclusion, the Tate will bring together more than 150 works of art created in the years immediately following the war (1916 to 1932). tate.org.uk/

“Frida Kahlo: Making Herself Up” at the V&A in London Through Nov. 4

London is home to the first exhibition outside of Mexico to display a collection of Frida Kahlo’s clothes, cosmetics and other possessions after their 2004 discovery at her home. Along with letters, jewelry, cosmetics, medicines and corsets, a few highlights: her eyebrow pencil “Ebony;” her favorite lipstick, Revlon’s “Everything’s Rosy.” vam.ac.uk/

Classic Beauties features 60 sculptures. AURELIO AMENDOLA/STATE HERMITAGE MUSEUM ST. PETERSBURG

JRR Tolkien not only illustrated “The Hobbit,” but was also closely involved in its production, designing the dust-jacket and binding. THE TOLKIEN ESTATE LIMITED 1937