| On one of the
coldest, snowiest, of recent days in what already seems
like a very long winter, I fought the elements and our balking,
antiquated Metro North trains to travel to New York for
a pre-op appointment with a hip surgeon.
Despite a condition that now makes walking painful, I was
determined to turn the necessity of the medical appointment
into a pleasurable day and squeeze in a visit to the Metropolitan
Museum. One of the outstanding exhibits is the celebration
of Philippe de Montebello's 39 years as director of the
Met, featuring 300 works of art from a total of 84,000,
which were acquired during his tenure.
While "The Philippe de Montebello Years: Curators
Celebrate Three Decades of Acquisitions" is scheduled
to close Feb. 1, the Met has made the exhibit available
at www.metmuseum.org. Although it is certainly an exciting
exhibit, the wide range and diversity can make it confusing,
at times.
From one of the last acquisitions, Duccio's "Madonna
and Child" to Miro's almost bland canvas, "This
is the Color of My Dreams," the variety and scope of
the exhibition is challenging and entertaining.
There is a beautifully peaceful 5th-century standing Buddha
from India, a 13th-century intricately carved ivory virgin
made in England, exquisitely detailed musical instruments
and an ornate suit of armor belonging to the Prince of Austria.
The first piece of Russian furniture to enter the museum's
collection is a breathtaking table embellished with silver
inlay. Two pieces of furniture, both of German origin, are
so ornately over-the-top, they seem to be studies in grotesque
ostentatiousness.
One, a huge oak cabinet, is carved and trimmed with tortoise
shell, gilt silver and ivory over every inch of its immense,
jukebox-shaped body. The other is an equally ornate ugly
mirror.
I especially enjoyed an ancient six-panel Japanese screen
by Sesson depicting gibbons (a small type of monkey) cavorting
by a forest stream and Canaletto's "Piazza San Marco"
in Venice, an amazing example of the art of perspective.
One of the few photographs represented in the show is Richard
Avedon's study of a sadly pensive Marilyn Monroe.
Unfortunately, my hip began to give out before I could
spend much time at an equally interesting exhibit, "Beyond
Babylon," 350 objects from palaces, temples and tombs
as well as from a shipwreck, which were all from the 2nd
millennium B.C. What I was able to see makes me hope to
return (with a new hip) before the exhibit closes March
15.
Two small but worthwhile exhibits also at the Met are "The
Essential Art of African Textiles" and the jewelry
of Alexander Calder, the artist known for his mobiles.
I ended my visit with a light meal in the cafe that looks
out onto Central Park. That day, the scene was a winter
wonderland with joggers and dog walkers enjoying the fresh-fallen
snow. As I sat there contemplating the treasures I had just
seen, I again realized how fortunate we all are to have
this world-famous museum only a few hours away. If you haven't
visited the Met lately, I would encourage you to do so.
Jean Cherni is founder of Senior
Living Solutions, a retirement advisory service. Contact
her at jeancherni@sbcglobal.net or 15 The Ponds, Branford
06405.
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