ART
DEGAS AND THE NUDE
Edgar Degas’s career-long fascination with the nude - mostly female but also male - is addressed for the first time in this ambitious exhibition organized by Degas expert and departing MFA curator George Shackelford. Through Feb. 5. Museum of Fine Arts. 617-267-9300, www.mfa.org
TEMPORARY STRUCTURES: PERFORMING ARCHITECTURE IN CONTEMPORARY ART
Work by artists interested in the intersection between architectural space and performance, including Vito Acconci, Kate Gilmore, Gordon Matta-Clark, and Erwin Wurm. Through Dec. 31. DeCordova Sculpture Park and Museum, Lincoln. 781-259-8355, www.decordova.org.
PRINTS AND THE PURSUIT OF KNOWLEDGE IN EARLY MODERN EUROPE
A rich and scholarly exhibition delving into the connections between artists and science through the dissemination of prints, maps, books, and scientific instruments in the 16th century. Through Dec. 10. Harvard Art Museums. 617-495-9400, www.harvardartmuseums.org
SEBASTIAN SMEE 
