New Exhibitions
Upcoming Exhibitions
Continuing Exhibitions
New and Recently Opened Installations
Traveling Exhibitions
Visitor Information
SPECIAL NOTE
• The Pierre and Maria-Gaetana Matisse Collection, opening May 18, celebrates the recent gift to the Museum of works by Henri Matisse and other 20th-century icons.
• Opening May 27, Painters of Reality: The Legacy of Leonardo and Caravaggio in Lombardy features some 110 paintings and drawings from the north Italian region of Lombardy, dating from the 16th through the 18th century.
• Ruhlmann: Genius of Art Deco is the first major retrospective of the work of this legendary French designer, displaying furniture, wallpaper, textiles, carpets, and design drawings.
• Starting June 10, Childe Hassam, American Impressionist brings together enchanting and distinctive works in all media—oil paintings, watercolors, pastels, and prints—by the leader of American Impressionism.
NEW EXHIBITIONS
Andy Goldsworthy on the Roof
May 4–October 31, 2004 (weather permitting)
British sculptor Andy Goldsworthy (born 1956), known for working in, and with, the
natural landscape, was invited by the Museum to create this year's sculpture
exhibition for The Iris and B. Gerald Cantor Roof Garden, the most dramatic outdoor
space for sculpture in New York City. Using split rails from New England agricultural sources and stones from Scotland, the artist has constructed two monumental domes of wood and stone entitled Stone Houses—each 18 feet in height and 24 feet in diameter—inspired by Central Park and its architectural backdrop. Inherent in these seemingly simple forms are the implicit power, beauty, mystery, and elemental aspects of nature, marked by the passage of time and by human contact.
The Iris and B. Gerald Cantor Roof Garden offers spectacular panoramic views
of Central Park and the Manhattan skyline. Beverage and sandwich service is
available from 10:00 a.m. until closing, including Friday and Saturday evenings.
The installation is made possible by a grant from Cynthia Hazen Polsky, Leon B. Polsky and the Lita A. Hazen Charitable Trust.
Press preview: Monday, May 3, 10:00 a.m.–noon
The Pierre and Maria-Gaetana Matisse Collection
May 18, 2004–June 26, 2005
This exhibition is a celebration and acknowledgment of the recent gift to the Metropolitan Museum of more than 100 works from the Pierre and Maria-Gaetana Matisse Foundation.
Pierre Matisse (1900–1989), a prominent art dealer in New York, was the younger son of the
French painter Henri Matisse (1869–1954). Pierre and Maria-Gaetana von Spreti (1943–2001) were married in 1974, and in 1995 Mrs. Matisse established the foundation in their names to implement her own and her late husband's philanthropic interests. The exhibition lasts one year, and it will be presented in three consecutive installations. Works by Henri Matisse, the central feature of the collection, include paintings, sculpture, drawings, linocuts, and aquatints, as well as a ceramic plate and a large paper cut-out. Two other sections of the first installation are devoted to 14 other painters and sculptors working between 1911 and 1959: Balthus, Butler, Carrington, Chagall, Delvaux, Derain, Dubuffet, Giacometti, Lam, MacIver, Magritte, Mason, Miró, and Tanguy. The subsequent installations will add works by younger painters and sculptors associated with Pierre and Maria-Gaetana Matisse. Since works on paper are sensitive to light, the later installations will also offer a different selection of drawings and original prints.
Accompanied by a Bulletin.
Press preview: Monday, May 17, 10:00 a.m.–noon
August Sander: People of the Twentieth Century
A Photographic Portrait of Germany
May 25–September 19, 2004
Though it was never fully realized or adequately understood, August Sander's Menschen des 20 Jahrhunderts (People of the 20th Century) was intended as a comprehensive photographic index of the German population, classified into seven groups by social "type": the Farmer, the Skilled Tradesman, the Woman, Classes and Professions, the Artists, the City, and the Last People. The Nazis confiscated his first publication of the work, but 1800 portraits, most of them made in the 1920s and 1930s, survive as well as Sander's notes and plans for the project, which provided the basis for its reconstruction in book and exhibition form by the August Sander Archiv in Cologne. This exhibition of approximately 150 images provides American viewers with a rare opportunity to view the collective accomplishment of this extraordinary photographer. The artistic context and wide influence of Sander's "typological" approach to photography are explored in Indexing the World, an installation of approximately 40 works simultaneously on view in the adjacent Howard Gilman Gallery.
The exhibition is made possible by members of the Museum's Visiting Committee for the Department of Photographs.
The exhibition was organized by Die Photographische Sammlung/SK Stiftung Kultur, Cologne.
Accompanied by a seven-volume publication.
Press preview: Monday, May 24, 10:00 a.m.–noon
Painters of Reality:
The Legacy of Leonardo and Caravaggio in Lombardy
May 27–August 15, 2004
Approximately 110 paintings and drawings from the north Italian region of Lombardy, dating from the 16th through the 18th century, reveal the rich vein of naturalism found there. The exhibition begins with a group of Leonardo's nature studies done during his Milanese period and then expands to consider the many avenues that such close observation of nature and everyday reality took in portraiture, still life, and devotional painting. This heritage was key to Caravaggio's development, and therefore to the course of Baroque painting in Rome and throughout Europe. The exhibition also features works by such notable exemplars of the Lombard school as Lorenzo Lotto, Giovanni Girolamo Savoldo, Giacomo Ceruti, and the important women artists Sofonisba Anguissola and Fede Galizia. This is the first time that this great school of Italian painting is presented in the United States in such depth.
The exhibition is made possible in part by the Regione Lombardia.
Additional support has been provided by the William Randolph Hearst Foundation
and The Horace W. Goldsmith Foundation.
The exhibition catalogue is made possible by The Drue E. Heinz Fund.
The exhibition has been organized by The Metropolitan Museum of Art, New York,
and APIC (Associazione Promozione Iniziative Culturali di Cremona).
An indemnity has been granted by the Federal Council on the Arts and the Humanities.
Press preview: Monday, May 24, 10:00 a.m.–noon
Ruhlmann: Genius of Art Deco
June 8–September 5, 2004
The work of émile-Jacques Ruhlmann (1879–1933) epitomizes the glamour of the French Art Deco style of the 1920s. Aesthetic refinement, sumptuous materials, and impeccable craftsmanship place his work on a par with the finest furniture and decorative arts of any era. The most renowned designer of his day, Ruhlmann could provide any element needed for an interior, from the furniture to the lighting, ceramics, carpets, and textiles. This retrospective examines all aspects of the legendary designer's career, augmenting the Metropolitan Museum's own significant holdings of Ruhlmann's works with major loans from public and private U.S. and international collections. The exhibition also provides a unique opportunity to see the best of Art Deco.
The exhibition is made possible by The Florence Gould Foundation.
The exhibition was organized and circulated by the Montreal Museum of Fine Arts
in collaboration with The Metropolitan Museum of Art and Le Musée des Années 30, Boulogne-Billancourt.
An indemnity has been granted by the Federal Council on the Arts and the Humanities.
Accompanied by a catalogue.
Press preview: Monday, June 7, 10:00 a.m.–noon
Art Deco Paris
June 8, 2004–February 27, 2005
A complement to Ruhlmann: Genius of Art Deco, this exhibition invites viewers to examine the broader context of high-style Parisian design in the 1920s. It includes outstanding examples of the work of Ruhlmann's contemporaries—both collaborators and competitors—from furniture by Süe et Mare to jewelry by Georges Fouquet, bookbindings by Pierre Legrain, lacquer by Jean Dunand, metalwork by Edgar Brandt, and costumes by Jeanne Lanvin and Madeleine Vionnet. All works are drawn from the Metropolitan Museum's collections.
Press preview: Monday, June 7, 10:00 a.m.–noon
American Impressions, 1865–1925:
Prints, Drawings, and Watercolors from the Collection
June 8–September 5, 2004
Organized to coincide with the retrospective Childe Hassam, American Impressionist, described below, this exhibition highlights works by Hassam's contemporaries in media in which he also excelled. James McNeill Whistler, Mary Cassatt, Winslow Homer, John Singer Sargent, and Maurice Prendergast are among the artists featured.
Press preview: Monday, June 7, 10:00 a.m.–noon
Childe Hassam, American Impressionist
June 10–September 12, 2004
This exhibition of works by the leading American Impressionist Childe Hassam (1859–1935) is the first scholarly retrospective of his work held in a museum since 1972. The exhibition includes from Hassam's huge output about 120 oil paintings, watercolors, and pastels, and some 20 prints. It takes a new look at Hassam's distinctive images, in which he created enchanting effects of color and light, and examines these works in view of the
artist's credo that "the man who will go down to posterity is the man who paints his own time and the scenes of every-day life around him." Featured are Hassam's striking portrayals of Boston, Paris, and New York and his nostalgic interpretations of country
sites in America and Europe. Increasingly challenged by modern life—and modern art—after 1900, Hassam chose to paint tranquil interior vignettes, iconic New England
churches, and his great Flag series, among other subjects; these are also highlighted.
The exhibition is made possible by The Peter Jay Sharp Foundation and
The Bank of New York.
Additional support for the exhibition and accompanying catalogue has been provided by the Marguerite and Frank A. Cosgrove Jr. Fund.
Press preview: Monday, June 7, 10:00 a.m.–noon
The Games in Ancient Athens:
A Special Presentation to Celebrate the 2004 Olympics
June 29–October 3, 2004
In honor of the modern Olympics being held in Athens this summer, a selection of ancient Greek vases, bronzes, and other works drawn from the permanent collection showcases aspects of games held at Athens in antiquity. Chariot races, foot races, wrestling, and discus throwing are among the events represented through exquisite works of art. This special presentation is augmented by numerous examples of athletic art located throughout the New Greek Galleries.
Artists' Artists
July 2–October 3, 2004
Portraits of painters, poets, writers, musicians, and performers as captured by their contemporaries—from Ingres to Hockney—in drawings, prints, sculptures, and paintings. The works in this installation are from various Museum departments.
German Drawings and Prints from the Weimar Republic (1919–33)
July 2–October 3, 2004
Seen here are the turbulent years of the Weimar Republic as recorded with clinical detachment and incisive lines by Otto Dix, Georges Grosz, Max Beckmann, Karl Hubbuch, and Rudolf Schlichter. The selection of some 20 works, ranging from portraits and nudes to street scenes, is drawn from the Museum's collection.
Hidden Jewels: Korean Art from the Mary Griggs Burke Collection
July 3, 2004–January 9, 2005
This exhibition in the Arts of Korea gallery presents 36 Korean paintings, ceramics, and sculptures dating primarily to the Choson dynasty (1392–1910) from the Collection of Mary Griggs Burke. Renowned for her collection of Japanese art, Mary Burke has also assembled a small but splendid selection of Korean art. Many of these pieces are making their public debut in this exhibition. The show includes two rare and important masterpieces: an ink painting of bamboo by the literati artist Yi Chong (1541–1622) and a sublime painting of a Buddha triad (1565), once part of a large set of which only a few remain today. Also highlighted are an elegant Seated Bodhisattva from the mid-Choson period and 19th-century blue-and-white porcelains, whose modern and vibrantly painted images capture the spirit of late Choson art. Simultaneously on view in the Arts of Japan galleries are 18 Japanese works recently acquired by the Burke Collection—including sculptures, paintings, screens, lacquerware, and ceramics dating from the 13th to the 19th century—as well as 25 contemporary ceramics.
All That Glitters Is Not Gold: The Art, Form, and Function of Gilt Bronze
in the French Interior
July 26, 2004–February 20, 2005
Both functional and highly decorative gilt-bronze mounts and bronzes d'ameublement, such as light fixtures, fireplace fittings, and clocks, played a very important role in the French interior from the late 17th until the early 19th century. This exhibition focuses
on the use of gilt bronze as well as on the designs and techniques involved in the casting, chasing, and gilding of gilt-bronze objects. Many of the works on view were part of
the collection of the Parisian architect, ceramicist, and collector Georges Hoentschel (1855–1915).
The exhibition is made possible by The David Berg Foundation.
UPCOMING EXHIBITIONS
The Colonial Andes: Tapestries and Silverwork, 1530–1830
September 29–December 12, 2004
The Colonial Andes: Tapestries and Silverwork, 1530–1830 will focus on two uniquely rich and inherently Andean art forms—tapestry and silverwork—that flourished in the Viceroyalty of Peru (now modern-day Peru and Bolivia) during the Colonial Period, ca. 1530s–1820s. With 175 works of art on loan from collections in the United States, South America, and Europe, this groundbreaking exhibition represents the most ambitious and focused exploration of Colonial Andean art in the Metropolitan Museum's history.
In South America, the Andean social and political landscape was transformed by the arrival of the Spanish in 1532, and within less than one generation societies that had evolved over thousands of years were changed dramatically. However, the arts that evolved in the region—by drawing on native Andean as well as Spanish traditions—preserved an unspoken dialogue that conventional histories of the Colonial Americas have long neglected. The exhibition will give voice to that dialogue, underscoring the creativity of the Andean artists working in two of their most enduring native media as these cultural transformations unfold. The presentation will also be enhanced by the inclusion of key Colonial paintings and other selected objects that help viewers to visualize the world in which these artworks were generated.
The exhibition catalogue is made possible by the Chartwell Charitable Foundation as a tribute to Univision Communications Inc. for their sponsorship of the "The Colonial Andes: Tapestries and Silverwork, 1530–1830" exhibition.
An international scholarly symposium (Oct 1–3, 2004) will accompany the exhibition.
Press preview: Monday, September 27, 10:00 a.m.–noon
Klee: His Years at the Bauhaus 1921–31
October 8, 2004–February 20, 2005
An installation of some 30 works that Klee created during the 10 years he taught at the Bauhaus, first in Weimar (1921–25) and then in Dessau (1925–31). Differing widely in style, these works range from experiments with color gradations to whimsical humor.
China: Dawn of a Golden Age 200–750 AD
October 12, 2004–January 23, 2005
Chinese civilization underwent a major transformation during the period spanning the 2nd century (Late Han) to mid-8th century (High Tang) as a result of massive immigration of people from Northern Asia into China and extensive trade contacts with all parts of Asia. This landmark exhibition and its accompanying catalogue will tell the story of Chinese art and culture in this formative period, focusing especially on East–West cross-cultural interchange.
This extraordinary exhibition, comprising some 300 objects, is one of the largest exhibitions ever to come out of China. While the majority of objects are Chinese works of art, an important feature of the exhibition is the inclusion of gold artifacts of the nomadic peoples from Mongolia who occupied north China after the collapse of the Han dynasty, and luxury articles of glass and precious metals imported from Western and Central Asia during the 4th to 6th century. All of these objects have been excavated in recent years, and very few of them have been shown outside China. Another important component of the exhibition is the display of works of art associated with the early spread of Buddhism in China, including some of the most famous early Chinese Buddhist sculptures. The final section of the exhibition consists of a spectacular assemblage of works of art of the Tang period in every medium, interpreted as the culmination of several centuries of cultural exchange and adaptation resulting from mass migrations and long-distance international trade.
The exhibition and its accompanying catalogue are made possible by The Starr Foundation.
Press preview: Monday, October 4, 10:00 a.m.–noon
Romare Bearden at the Met
October 19, 2004–March 6, 2005
Exhibited on the occasion of a citywide celebration of the life and work of American artist Romare Bearden (1911–1988), this special installation will highlight the artist's creative versatility in a variety of media. On display will be his famous six-part collage of Harlem street life, titled The Block (1971), his colorful tapestry Recollection Pond (1976), shown for the first time at the Museum with preliminary studies, and other works on paper.
Heritage of Power: Ancient Sculpture from West Mexico
The Andrall E. Pearson Family Collection
October 19, 2004–April 3, 2005
Created to acknowledge many of life's important events, the ceramic sculpture of the western region of Mexico 2,000 years ago is noted for its variety, spontaneity, and the overwhelming presence of the human image. Heroes, houses, and ancestor pairs are rendered in three dimensions to give visual substance to prominent members of society and their significant activities on behalf of community and family, as well as to honor their
forebears. Placed in major tombs, the sculptures commemorate the high social position,
personal power, and wealth of the deceased. The 40 works of ceramic that will be on
display come from the three major west Mexican regions—Colima, Jalisco, and Nayarit—and represent the primary style groups of Comala, Ameca-Ezatlán, and Ixtlán del Rio. The sculptures date between 300 B.C. and A.D. 400 and include depictions of birds and animals.
Accompanied by a catalogue.
Press preview: Monday, October 18, 10:00 a.m.–noon
Gilbert Stuart
October 21, 2004–January 16, 2005
The most successful and resourceful portraitist of America's early national period,
Gilbert Stuart (1755–1828) possessed enormous natural talent, which he devoted to the representation of human likeness and character. This retrospective exhibition will highlight his achievement by displaying a carefully selected group of portraits of exceptional quality, ranging in date from the early works he produced in Newport,
Rhode Island, to those executed just prior to his death. There will be a special section devoted to Stuart's celebrated portraits of George Washington.
The exhibition and its accompanying catalogue are made possible by
The Henry Luce Foundation and The Peter Jay Sharp Foundation.
The George Washington Gallery is made possible by First American Funds and U.S. Bank.
Additional support for the exhibition catalogue has been provided by the
William Cullen Bryant Fellows.
The exhibition has been organized by The Metropolitan Museum of Art and the
National Portrait Gallery, Smithsonian Institution.
Press preview: Monday, October 18, 10:00 a.m.–noon
George Washington: Man, Myth, Monument
Images from the Metropolitan
October 19, 2004–February 27, 2005
A complement to the Gilbert Stuart exhibition described previously, this is a selection of paintings, drawings, sculpture, and decorative arts depicting George Washington. The display includes works created in his lifetime, recording his image as revolutionary war hero and president, as well as those made later for patriotic and nostalgic purposes. The works are all drawn from the collections of the Metropolitan Museum.
Princely Splendor: The Dresden Court 1580–1620
October 26, 2004–January 30, 2005
Featuring more than 230 major works of arts from the Staatliche Kunstsammlungen in Dresden, and especially the Green Vault, this exhibition will illustrate the richness of one of the most spectacular princely collections of Europe—the Dresden Kunstkammer—around 1600. During this period of unusual economic prosperity, the Electors of Saxony amassed exotic materials and precious stones mounted with gold and silver, ivory turnings, ebony furniture, clocks and automatons, arms and armor, and bronze sculpture by major European artists.
The exhibition is made possible by Marie-Josée and Henry Kravis.
Additional support has been provided by ZEIT-Stiftung Ebelin und Gerd Bucerius, Hamburg, Germany.
Organized by the Staatliche Kunstsammlungen Dresden.
Accompanied by a catalogue.
Press preview: Monday, October 25, 10:00 a.m.–noon
William Kentridge
October 26, 2005–February 20, 2005
William Kentridge, a native of Johannesburg (b. 1955), is an internationally acclaimed artist whose multimedia works present an arresting and forceful commentary on the contemporary cultural and sociopolitical issues in South Africa. Inspired by music, opera, literature, and banal or troubling everyday events, the artist creates highly personal and often haunting works in a variety of media. These include drawing, collage, etching, lithography, sculpture, stage and costume design, and innovative animated film based on bold, crudely executed charcoal drawings. The selection presented, dating from 1989 to 2001, will be drawn from the Museum's collection.
Annual Christmas Tree and Neapolitan Baroque Crèche
November 23, 2004–January 6, 2005
The Museum will continue a long-standing holiday tradition with the annual presentation of its Christmas tree, a favorite of New Yorkers and visitors from around the world. A vivid 18th-century Neapolitan crèche scene—embellished with a profuse array of diminutive, lifelike attendant figures and silk-robed angels hovering above—adorns the
candlelit spruce. Recorded music adds to the enjoyment of the holiday display. Lighting ceremony Friday and Saturday evenings at 7:00.
The exhibit of the crèche is made possible by gifts to The Christmas Tree Fund
and the Loretta Hines Howard Fund.
WILD: Fashion Untamed
December 7, 2004–March 13, 2005
WILD: Fashion Untamed presents an extensive exploration of man's ongoing obsession with animalism as expressed through clothing. Since prehistoric times, fur and feathers have been used not only for warmth and protection, but also for display and adornment, an expression of sexual and economic exhibitionism. Focusing on contemporary constructions of the fur-clad "Bourgeois Woman," WILD also explores her moral counterpart—the anti-fur-wearing "Ethical Woman"—as represented in the advertising campaigns of People for the Ethical Treatment of Animals (PETA). Pelts and plumes have come to define other ideals of femininity by quoting the physical and sexual characteristics of birds and beasts. Examples on view include Alexander McQueen's "Amazon" dresses, Azzedine Alaïa's "Tigress" bodysuits, and Thierry Mugler's "Black Widow" architectonic constructions. The exhibition also features fantastic feathered costumes of Las Vegas showgirls and coquettish "Birds of Paradise" creations by milliners Philip Treacy and Stephen Jones.
Accompanied by a catalogue.
Press preview: Monday, December 6, 10:00 a.m.–noon
The Armored Horse in Europe, ca. 1475 to 1625
December 14, 2004–January 15, 2006
The horse was an integral part of medieval and Renaissance culture, not only as a beast of burden but also as a sign of rank and status. For the nobility equitation was an essential skill, both socially and militarily. Horses played a pivotal role in warfare for several centuries and often wore armor as elaborate and expensive as that of their riders. Drawing exclusively from items in the reserve collection, many of them unpublished and rarely seen before, this exhibition will examine various types of European horse armor in terms of style, construction, and decoration, from the peak period of its use ca. 1500 through its eventual obsolescence in the early 17th century.
Accompanied by a catalogue
Peter Paul Rubens (1577–1640): The Drawings
January 15–April 3, 2005
Uniting more than 100 of the finest and most representative Rubens drawings, including many loans from European collections, this is the first major retrospective devoted to the drawings of the great Flemish artist. Most of the works will consist of preliminary drawings in black and red chalk, heightened in white, and often of exceptionally large size for painting. Also on view will be several of Rubens's early compositional drawings in pen and brown ink, with much wash freely added to give depth or to enhance the modeling of the figures. In addition, the exhibition will include delightful renderings of children,
elegant portraits of noblemen and women, animal studies, landscapes, examples of the artist's early copies after antique sculpture, anatomical studies, and several sheets by earlier artists that Rubens retouched, restored, or reworked.
The exhibition catalogue is made possible by The Drue E. Heinz Fund.
From Filippo Lippi to Piero della Francesca:
Fra Carnevale and the Making of a Renaissance Master
February 1–May 1, 2005
Trained in Florence under Fra Filippo Lippi and active at Urbino, where he met both Piero della Francesca and the humanist-architect Leon Battista Alberti, Fra Carnevale was the author of some of the most intriguing pictures of the 15th century. This exhibition will
bring together approximately 25 paintings by him and his contemporaries, including works by Fra Filippo Lippi and Domenico Veneziano.
Accompanied by a publication.
Diane Arbus Revelations
March 8–May 30, 2005
Diane Arbus (1923–1971) was one of the most original and influential American artists of the 20th century. This retrospective exhibition, the first in more than 30 years, will present the artist's signature images such as Child with a toy hand grenade in Central Park, N.Y.C., 1962 and A Jewish giant at home with his parents in the Bronx, N.Y., 1970 as well as previously unpublished photographs and writings drawn from the artist's archive. The show traces the artist's full achievement from her early experiments with the camera in the 1940s to her mature portraiture of the 1960s.
Accompanied by a publication.
Cameo Appearances<
March 8–August 14, 2005
Spurred by the recent acquisition of a superb jasper carving of the head of Medusa by Benedetto Pistrucci, this exhibition will examine the art of hardstone carving. It will trace cameo carving from Greco-Roman antiquity to the Renaissance; illuminate differences, such as those between cameos and intaglios; touch upon the making of cameo glass; and highlight the Metropolitan's splendid holdings of neoclassical Italian cameos by first-rate carvers such as Pistrucci, Girometti, and Saulini.
The Art of Medicine in Ancient Egypt
March 15–July 17, 2005
The causes of illnesses were little understood in ancient Egypt, and their prevention and cure was a major concern for most Egyptians—one that informs much of ancient Egyptian art, yet has been given relatively little attention. This exhibition will highlight objects from the Museum's collection that address this concern, allowing visitors to appreciate them in new ways. Included will be the rarely seen Edwin Smith Papyrus, on loan from
the New York Academy of Medicine. One of the world's oldest scientific documents, this 15-foot papyrus deals with the treatment of wounds both practically and magically and will serve to link the other objects in the exhibition.
Accompanied by a publication.
Max Ernst: A Retrospective
April 7–July 10, 2005
This will be the first retrospective exhibition of the work of the French artist Max Ernst (b. Germany, 1891–1976) to be shown in New York in some 30 years. A founding member of the Surrealist group in Paris, Ernst was one of the most inventive artists of the 20th century. His paintings, steeped in Freudian metaphors, private mythology, and childhood memories, are regarded today as icons of Surrealist art. Comprising some 200 works, the exhibition will include his most important paintings, his celebrated collages, drawings, sculpture, and illustrated books lent by private and public collections in Europe and the United States.
Accompanied by a publication.
CONTINUING EXHIBITIONS
Poets, Lovers, and Heroes in Italian Mythological Prints
Through May 2, 2004
On view are more than 100 woodcuts, engravings, and etchings by artists from Mantegna to Tiepolo, along with illustrated books, all narrating the mythological tales most popular with Italian artists. Among the favored themes are the ancient gods as patrons of music, poetry, and painting and as participants in music competitions, along with the festivities
surrounding Bacchus and his favorite disciple, the drunken yet wise Silenus. A large section of the exhibition celebrates the triumph of love—the power of Cupid's arrows to make fools of even the most august gods. The exhibition concludes with the heroic exploits of Hercules and the legendary history of Rome, from the apple of discord that initiated the Trojan War to the rape of the Sabine women.
The exhibition is made possible by The Schiff Foundation.
Accompanied by an illustrated publication.
Marius de Zayas & the Stieglitz Circle
Through June 27, 2004
Marius de Zayas (Mexican, 1880–1961) was an integral member of the avant-garde
circle of painters and photographers that showed their work in New York at Alfred Stieglitz's gallery "291." De Zayas's lively caricatures of Stieglitz and other key members (ca. 1909–15) capture the essence not only of their physical appearances, but also of their personalities. Exhibited together with photographic portraits from the Museum's collection and published documents, this installation of some 30 works conveys the spirited dynamics of the Stieglitz Circle and de Zayas's role as adviser and chronicler.
Klee: The Late Years
Through June 27, 2004
This selection from The Berggruen Klee Collection focuses on the last 10 years of the painter's life, 1930 to 1940. During these years, Klee taught at the Düsseldorf Academy and returned to live in his native Bern. In Klee's later pictures, which became large in scale and heavy in line, his style turned boldly decorative. The works from this period are rarely shown in this country.
Byzantium: Faith and Power (1261–1557)
Through July 5, 2004
This major international loan exhibition, the third in a chronological series devoted to the art and influence of Byzantine civilization, demonstrates the artistic and cultural significance of the last centuries of the state that called itself "the Empire of the Romans." Donor portraits introduce the peoples of this world, with the importance of the era primarily being demonstrated through the arts created for the Orthodox church and for the churches of other
East Christian states that aspired to be the heirs to the empire's power. The impact of its culture on the Islamic world and the Latin-speaking West is also explored—especially the influence of the Christian East on the development of the Renaissance. The exhibition begins in 1261, when the capital Constantinople was restored to imperial rule, and concludes in 1557, when the empire that had fallen to the Ottoman Turks in 1453 was renamed Byzantium—the name by which it is still known today.
The exhibition is made possible by Alpha Bank.
Sponsorship is also provided by the J. F. Costopoulos Foundation,
the A. G. Leventis Foundation and the Stavros S. Niarchos Foundation.
Additional support has been provided by the National Endowment for the Arts.
An indemnity has been granted by the Federal Council on the Arts and the Humanities.
Accompanied by a catalogue.
Chocolate, Coffee, Tea
Through July 11, 2004
The introduction of these three beverages into 17th-century Europe resulted from the sustained contacts of the seagoing nations and direct trade with formerly inaccessible parts of the world, such as Mexico, Arabia, and China. A great variety of new utensils were developed to serve the new drinks, first for great households and quickly thereafter for the popular market. The Department of European Sculpture and Decorative Arts is drawing on its large collection to illustrate this theme.
Christo and Jeanne-Claude: The Gates, Central Park, New York
Through July 25, 2004
This exhibition documents the evolution of the widely anticipated outdoor work of art The Gates, Central Park, New York City, 1979–2005, conceived by the husband-and-wife collaborators Christo and Jeanne-Claude. Scheduled for presentation during 16 days in February 2005, the completed project will consist of 7,500 saffron-colored gates set up at 12-foot intervals along 23 miles of pedestrian walkways that lace New York's Central Park. The exhibition traces the development of this project, begun in 1979, through the display of 51 preparatory drawings and collages by Christo, 64 photographs, and 11 maps and technical diagrams. Also on view are components of one of the actual 16-foot-tall gates.
The exhibition is made possible by an anonymous donor.
All works in the exhibition are courtesy of Christo and Jeanne-Claude.
Accompanied by an illustrated publication.
The Douglas Dillon Legacy:
Chinese Painting for the Metropolitan Museum
Through August 8, 2004
Douglas Dillon (1909–2003), former Chairman of the Metropolitan Museum's Board of Trustees, became involved with Asian art out of his respect for Asia's importance in world affairs and the need to represent its cultures at the Metropolitan in a comprehensive manner. This exhibition, comprising more than 50 masterworks of Chinese painting acquired through the generosity of Mr. Dillon and The Dillon Fund, as well as several noteworthy gifts presented in his honor or memory, highlights his lasting contribution to the field of Chinese art. Spanning more than 1,000 years of Chinese painting, from the 8th to the 18th century, the exhibition constitutes a compelling survey of all the major schools and trends of the last four dynasties.
Echoing Images: Couples in African Sculpture
Through September 5, 2004
Idealized pairings have been an enduring concern of sculptors in many sub-Saharan African cultures. This exhibition examines the theme through approximately 50 works of sculpture in wood, bronze, terracotta, and beadwork, dating from the 12th to the 20th century. The examples are drawn from some 24 distinct African traditions, including those of the Dogon, Lobi, Baule, Senufo, Yoruba, Chamba, Jukun, Chokwe, Hemba, Songye, Luba, Mangbetu, and Sakalava. The astonishingly rich and diverse forms of expression considered have been selected for their aesthetic attributes as well as their specific cultural significance. The earliest works displayed are an array of seated male and female couples in terracotta and bronze from the ancient urban center of Djenne-Jeno in present-day Mali. These sculptures, likely dating from the 12th century, were created to be placed on altars and carried as personal amulets. In later works from the region, created between the 16th and 20th centuries by Dogon sculptors, imagery of couples relates at once to Creation, productivity, and the fundamental interdependence and complementarity of man and woman. The elemental abstract graphic motif is a pervasive element of the iconography of Dogon artifacts, ranging from freestanding sculpture created for ancestral altars to carved granary doors and locks. Pair or Janus representations, as seen in many of the traditions that are featured, reflect the object's role
in bridging human and ancestral realms in order to elicit divine insights into the human
condition. Across central Africa, paired figures are an integral aspect of the insignia of
leaders that comments upon the divinely ordained nature of kingship.
The exhibition is made possible by Friends of the Department of the Arts of Africa, Oceania, and the Americas.
The exhibition catalogue has been made possible through the generous support
of Laura G. and James J. Ross, Drs. Marian and Daniel Malcolm, and the
MCS Endowment Fund.
Dangerous Liaisons: Fashion and Furniture in the 18th Century
Extended through September 6, 2004
Dangerous Liaisons focuses on dress and its aesthetic interplay with art, furniture, and the broader decorative arts between 1750 and 1789. Presented in the dramatic setting of The Wrightsman Galleries, the Museum's French period rooms, the exhibition explores the dressed body's spatial negotiation of the 18th-century interior as a choreography of seduction and erotic play. The coquettish Polonaise dress with its hem raised to reveal the ankle is juxtaposed with a side table that transforms into a dressing table through mechanisms similar to the gown's hidden ties. The arch of the foot introduced by shoes with a Louis-style heel is seen with the scrolling legs of tables and chairs from the period shod in ormolu sabots. Lavish banyans, the "undress" of 18th-century rakes, and fans, an accessory that could be wielded with both decorous and flirtatious intent, are presented as the favored modes of beguilement of the 18th-century man about town and his femme du monde counterpart.
The exhibition and its accompanying catalogue are made possible by Asprey.
Additional support has been provided by Condé Nast.
Medieval Masterworks on Loan from the Morgan Library
Through 2005
The Metropolitan is displaying seven superb examples of medieval art from the Morgan Library while that facility undergoes renovation. Among them are some of the favorite works of the noted financier and collector J. Pierpont Morgan, a past president of the Metropolitan Museum, including the splendid 12th-century Stavelot Triptych and the dazzling gold and jeweled binding of the Lindau Gospel Book.
The Bishop Jades
Through January 2006
The jade collection of Heber R. Bishop was formed in the last quarter of the 19th century and was donated to the Metropolitan Museum in 1902. Consisting of over 1,000 objects—primarily Chinese jades of the 18th and 19th centuries, as well as jades from Mughal India—it was the first major collection of its kind in the country. Since 1970, works from the collection have been shown in different galleries of the Metropolitan. Now, for the first time in more than 30 years, this exhibition unites a selection of the finest examples of Chinese and Mughal Indian jades from this renowned collection and celebrates the reinstallation of the Florence and Herbert Irving Galleries for Chinese Decorative Arts.
NEW AND RECENTLY INSTALLED EXHIBITIONS
Recontruction and Reinstallation of Egyptian Art Galleries
Galleries opened January 29, 2004
Interior of tombs of Perneb and Raemkai to open May 2004
Upon entering The Lila Acheson Wallace Galleries of Egyptian Art, visitors will see several newly installed galleries, which are part of a reconstruction project that began in 2002. Highlights of the project include the uncovering of three windows facing Fifth Avenue, the exposure of the original Richard Morris Hunt ceiling beams in the Predynastic/Early Dynastic galleries (up to ca. 2650 B.C.) and in one of the two galleries devoted to the art of Roman Egypt (30 B.C. to ca. 400 A.D.), and the reconfiguration of the architecture of the tombs of Perneb and Raemkai (ca. 2350 and 2440 B.C.) to more closely resemble their original settings.
The reinstallation of the galleries has been made possible by Judith and Russell Carson.
The Saint-Guilhem Cloister
at The Cloisters, Fort Tryon Park
Reopened October 7, 2003
The abbey at Saint-Guilhem-le-Désert, near Montpellier, France, was a regular stop on the medieval pilgrimage route to Santiago de Compostela in Spain. The 140 architectural elements from Saint-Guilhem that were used to reconstruct the 12th-century cloister in New York were acquired by George Grey Barnard around 1900 and purchased for The Metropolitan Museum of Art by John D. Rockefeller Jr. The delicate limestone used at Saint-Guilhem required protection from the elements, and a flat glass-block skylight was in place when The Cloisters opened as a branch of The Metropolitan Museum of Art in 1938. However, the skylight deteriorated over the years. Now, as part of the ongoing capital campaign at The Cloisters, a new peaked skylight and a translucent laylight below it have been constructed, allowing visitors to appreciate the marvelous contrast of light and shadow on the carved surfaces of the stone. The stone has recently been cleaned by Museum conservators, the plaster walls have been resurfaced, and a new lighting system has been put into place to supplement the natural light, creating the sense of an outdoor cloister as the Museum's original designer intended.
The renovation and reinstallation were made possible through the generous support of The Alice Tully Foundation and The City of New York, which provided critical capital funding through Manhattan Borough President C. Virginia Field and the New York City Council.
Gallery of Italian Renaissance Bronzes
Opened September 16, 2003
Newly installed in the gallery adjacent to the Vélez Blanco Patio is a selection of 100 Italian bronze sculptures—many shown for the first time—from the Metropolitan Museum's holdings, a collection that is without peer in this country for its size, variety, and interest. Included are statuettes by the influential Early Renaissance artists Bartolomeo Bellano and Andrea Riccio of Padua and the Mantuan known as Antico; masterpieces by the 16th-century mannerists Alessandro Vittoria in Venice and Giambologna in Florence; examples of reliefs and plaquettes; and domestic objects such as andirons and inkwells.
The installation has been made possible in part through the generosity of Alexis Gregory.
Spanish Sculpture and Decorative Arts: 1500–1750
Opened September 16, 2003
Examples of the Museum's small but select collection of Spanish polychrome sculpture, one of the most important in this country, have recently been reinstalled in the arcade overlooking the Vélez Blanco Patio, itself one of the milestones of Spanish Renaissance architecture. Spanish decorative arts are also prominently featured here, displayed to reveal the varied strands of influence—Islamic, Flemish, and Italian—that contributed to the vibrant material culture of Spain from the early 16th to the mid-18th century. The 85 works of art on display include Hispano-moresque lusterware and other ceramics, elaborately fashioned glassware, ironwork, and an array of silver and jewels.
Deedee Wigmore Gallery of the Arts of Louis C. Tiffany
Opened October 16, 2002
The Museum recently opened a new gallery devoted to the arts of Louis C. Tiffany, one of the most versatile and talented American artists working in the late 19th and early 20th centuries. The installation in this new Deedee Wigmore Gallery highlights the Museum's preeminent collections and features Tiffany's windows, lamps, furniture, mosaics, blown Favrile glass vases, pottery, enamelwork, and jewelry. In addition, there is a rotating display selected from the Museum's collection of more than 400 design drawings from Tiffany's studios.
Jacques and Natasha Gelman Galleries: The School of Paris
Jacques and Natasha Gelman Galleries: The School of Paris
Reinstalled August 2002 (opened June 1, 2001)
A new installation of outstanding works by modern masters from the Jacques and Natasha Gelman Collection is now on view. Included are paintings by Balthus, Bonnard, Braque, Brauner, de Chirico, Derain, Dubuffet, Ernst, Gris, Léger, Matisse, Miró, Modigliani, Mondrian, Picasso, Rouault, Tanguy, and Vlaminck, as well as one painting and three bronzes by Giacometti. These prime works by painters of the School of Paris range in date from 1895 to 1972. Several are icons of 20th-century art.
TRAVELING EXHIBITIONS
PLEASE NOTE:These exhibitions originate at The Metropolitan Museum of Art with works of art from the Museum's collections selected and organized by Museum staff members. Please confirm the opening and closing dates with the local exhibiting museums as they may be subject to change.
French Painters of Nature: The Barbizon School
Landscapes from The Metropolitan Museum of Art
An evocative exhibition of some 70 19th-century landscapes by French artists of the Barbizon School. Paintings, watercolors, drawings, and prints from the Metropolitan's collections trace the emergence of a new style of landscape painting, premised on the direct observation of nature. Led by Camille Corot and Théodore Rousseau in the 1820s, artists ventured to the Forest of Fontainebleau, and to its surrounding villages, to draw and paint local rural imagery. Their picturesque views of the French countryside, drawn or painted sur le motif, revolutionized landscape painting in France.
New York State Museum, Albany, NY May 22–August 22, 2004
Vasemania: The Neoclassical Vase in Europe, 1750–1810
Selections from The Metropolitan Museum of Art
On view will be more than 100 works of art, most of which are seldom seen, drawn primarily from the Metropolitan Museum's Department of European Sculpture and Decorative Arts and Department of Drawings and Prints. The exhibition is a collaborative project between The Metropolitan Museum of Art and The Bard Graduate Center for Studies in the Decorative Arts, Design, and Culture.
The Bard Graduate Center for Studies July 22–October 17, 2004
in the Decorative Arts, Design, and Culture,
New York, NY
VISITOR INFORMATION
MAIN BUILDING HOURS
Fridays and Saturdays 9:30 a.m.–9:00 p.m.
Sundays, Tuesdays–Thursdays 9:30 a.m.–5:30 p.m.
Holiday Mondays in the Main Building 9:30 a.m.–5:30 p.m.
May 31, July 5, September 6,
October 11, and December 27, 2004;
January 17 and February 21, 2005
All other Mondays Closed
January 1, Thanksgiving, and December 25 Closed
THE CLOISTERS HOURS
March–October:
Tuesdays–Sundays 9:30 a.m.–5:30 p.m.
Mondays Closed
November–February:
Tuesdays–Sundays 9:30 a.m.–4:45 p.m.
Mondays Closed
SUGGESTED ADMISSION (INCLUDES MAIN BUILDING AND THE CLOISTERS ON THE SAME DAY)
Adults $12.00
Students, senior citizens $ 7.00
Members and children under 12
accompanied by adult Free
Advance tickets available at www.TicketWeb.com or 1-800-965-4827
For More Information
www.metmuseum.org
Tickets not required for special exhibitions
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