Museum : Behind the Scenes at the Metropolitan Museum of Art

by Danziger, Danny

• ISBN13: 9780670038619
• ISBN10: 067003861X
• Format: Hardcover
• Copyright: 2007-06-21
• Publisher: Viking Adult

Summary

A unique oral portrait of the Met, drawing on interviews with everyone from the director to the security guards The Metropolitan Museum of Art is one of the greatest museums in the world. It is an enormous place that takes up five city blocks and has more than two million square feet of space, filled with treasures everywhere the eye can see. There are exquisite vases, jewelry, tapestry, baseball cards, Egyptian mummies, sculptures, and furniture, and many of the most famous and recognized paintings in the world, from Van Gogh to Rembrandt, Monet, and El Greco. But this famous institution, which attracts four million visitors a year, is not just about objects. This is a place that is supported and maintained by people, which is what this wonderful book celebrates. In the fifty-two interviews in Museum, we meet some of the people who have given their lives to making the Met the success that it is. We are introduced to curators with endless knowledge who look after the collections; as well as cleaners; florists; police and security staff who maintain and secure the building; plus the philanthropists and millionaires who donate their money for new and wonderful art works, including well-known people like Henry Kravis and Annette de la Renta. Danziger has a rare touch for getting just the right detail, and these interviews are informative, moving, and compulsively readable. Oral history at its best, Museumwill appeal not only to the millions who visit the Met every year, but also to anyone with an interest in museums and art.

Author Biography

Danny Danziger is the author of eleven books, including the acclaimed 1215: The Year of Magna Carta and the bestselling The Year 1000. An award-winning journalist and broadcaster, Danziger was educated in England and America and is currently based in London.

Table of Contents

Preface	p. xi
Acknowledgments	p. xvii
Juan Aranda, Cleaner	p. 1
John Barelli, Chief Security Officer, Security Department	p. 4
Carrie Rebora Barratt, Curator, American Paintings and Sculpture, and Manager, The Henry R. Luce Center for the Study of American Art	p. 10
Michael Barry, Patti Cadby Birch Consultative Chairman, Islamic Art	p. 19
Robert Bethea, Jr., Associate Coordinator of Information Services, Visitor Services Department	p. 26
J. Nicholas Cameron, Vice President of Construction	p. 30
Thomas P. Campbell, Curator, European Sculpture and Decorative Arts, and Supervising Curator, Antonio Ratti Textile Center	p. 35
Lorraine Chevallier, Waitress	p. 42
Keith Christiansen, Jayne Wrightsman Curator, European Paintings	p. 46
George Cuesta, Maintainer, Plumbing Shop	p. 52
Malcolm Daniel, Curator in Charge, Photographs	p. 56
Michel David-Weill, Trustee	p. 60
Alice Cooney Frelinghuysen, Anthony W. and Lulu C. Wang Curator, American Decorative Arts	p. 65
George R. Goldner, Drue Heinz Chairman, Drawings and Prints	p. 71
Maxwell K. Hearn, Douglas Dillon Curator, Asian Art	p. 80
Morrison H. Heckscher, Lawrence A. Fleischman Chairman of the American Wing	p. 85
Harold Holzer, Senior Vice President for External Affairs	p. 91
James R. Houghton, Chairman, Board of Trustees	p. 98
Laurence B. Kanter, Curator in Charge, Robert Lehman Collection	p. 102
Harold Koda, Curator in Charge, The Costume Institute	p. 109
Henry R. Kravis, Trustee	p. 117
Walter Liedtke, Curator, European Paintings	p. 122
Christopher S. Lightfoot, Associate Curator, Greek and Roman Art	p. 129
Hilde Limondjian, General Manager, Concerts & Lectures	p. 135
Eric Longo, Director of Client Services, Antenna Audio, Inc.	p. 139
Jessie McNab, Associate Curator, European Sculpture and Decorative Arts	p. 143
Philippe de Montebello, Director and Chief Executive Officer	p. 148
J. Kenneth Moore, Frederick P. Rose Curator in Charge, Musical Instruments	p. 158
James Moran, NYPD	p. 163
Herbert M. Moskowitz, Chief Registrar	p. 167
John P. O'Neill, Editor in Chief and General Manager of Publications, Editorial Department	p. 172
Sally Pearson, Vice President and General Manager of Merchandise and Retail	p. 176
Amelia Peck, Marcia F. Vilcek Curator, American Decorative Arts	p. 181
Stuart W. Pyhrr, Arthur Ochs Sulzberger Curator in Charge, Arms & Armor	p. 185
Annette de la Renta, Vice Chairman, Board of Trustees	p. 192
Sabine Rewald, Jacques and Natasha Gelman Curator, Department of Nineteenth-Century, Modern, and Contemporary Art	p. 196
Jeff L. Rosenheim, Associate Curator, Photographs	p. 200
E. John Rosenwald, Jr., Trustee	p. 207
Raymond Smith, Copyist	p. 213
Kenneth Soehner, Arthur K. Watson Chief Librarian, Thomas J. Watson Library	p. 218
James Spann, Travel Associate, Tourism and Group Services, Visitor Services Department	p. 222
Ira Spar, Research Assyriologist, Ancient Near Eastern Art	p. 227
Donna Williams Sutton, Senior Audience Development Officer, External Affairs	p. 232
Mahrukh Tarapor, Director for International Affairs, Geneva Office, and Associate Director for Exhibitions	p. 236
Thayer Tolles, Associate Curator, American Paintings and Sculpture	p. 242
Remco van Vliet, Florist	p. 248
Lulu C. Wang, Trustee	p. 252
William Westfield, Senior Fire Safety Officer	p. 256
Linden Havemeyer Wise, Special Counsel, Office of the Senior Vice President, Secretary and General Counsel	p. 261
Index	p. 267
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