The Metropolitan Museum of Art has a huge collection of paintings, sculptures, and drawings. From Vermeer's paintings to the Tom J. Watson Library, there's something for everyone at this museum. We'll discuss some of the highlights, including Vermeer's Temple of Dendur, the American and contemporary galleries, and the Thomas J. Watson Library.
The Thomas J. Watson Library
Located in the main building of the Met's Fifth Avenue campus, the Thomas J. Watson Library is the Met's primary research library. Its resources support the research activities of both museum staff and external researchers. It also serves as a repository for the Met's archives.The library houses over 900,000 volumes. These include exhibition catalogs, monographs, and more than 11 thousand periodical titles. The collection also includes rare books, manuscript items, and vertical file collections. The library is open to the public, but requires a photo ID. Patrons can request materials through the library's website or in person.The library's collections are unmatched. The library's encyclopedic collection has strong holdings in European and American art. It also has substantial holdings in Greek and Roman art and ancient Near Eastern art. The library has several curatorial departments, each with their own research libraries.
The Temple of Dendur
The Temple of Dendur at the Met Museum is an extraordinary recreation of an Egyptian monument from the time of the Emperor Augustus. It was donated by the Egyptian government to the United States as a gift to America and has become one of the museum's most popular exhibitions. The temple is a symbol of civilization and art, and is the centerpiece of the Met's collection.The temple is so large that it would require a special exhibit in a gallery. It is 60 feet long and 23 feet high. The museum's collection covers all eras from ancient times to the Renaissance. Its acquisition is significant because it helped save other monuments from the Lake Nasser flooding. It took ten years for the temple to travel to New York, but it is now part of the museum's permanent collection.
Vermeer's paintings
One of the best museums in the world has an impressive collection of paintings by Dutch master Johannes Vermeer. Founded in 1870, the Metropolitan Museum of Art currently has more than two million pieces of art. Among them are five works by Vermeer, ranging from his early years to the last phase of his career. The Met has recently relaunched its website with over 540,000 high-resolution images, giving art lovers access to a wealth of information online.Five Vermeer paintings at the Met show the artist's development over time and the range of subject matter he tackled. The paintings range from an observation of the face of a young woman in the Study of a Young Woman to complex symbolism in the Allegory of the Catholic Faith. These works also demonstrate Vermeer's connection with mainstream Baroque art.
The American and contemporary galleries
In the American and contemporary galleries, you will find paintings from the 19th century, as well as contemporary works by contemporary artists. The paintings in this section are displayed all on one level, unlike their previous location on a dim mezzanine. You can also enjoy a stunning view of Central Park through the glass wall.This museum is part of a complex surrounded by Central Park, which is home to several other museums. It is operated by a board of Trustees, which is funded by the City of New York. The Trustees are charged with the responsibility of caring for the collection and paying for maintenance, acquisitions, and related activities.
The Met's deaccessioning policy
The Met's deaccessioning process is an effort to improve its collections by selling lesser works and acquiring more important works. However, this practice is not without controversy. The Art Dealers Association of America and the College Art Association censured the Met for its deaccessions. In the early 1970s, Metropolitan director Thomas P. F. Hoving sold a large number of important works in order to raise funds, and he had plans to sell hundreds of works in the future. Among the deaccessions were fourteen Monets. In all, the Met deaccessed about 199 works of art from European artists. This figure does not count the 19 paintings that were removed from the collection in 1995.However, if a museum wants to deaccession an object, it must proceed with care and due consideration. The process must be initiated by the chair of the relevant department, then presented to the museum's president and director for approval. The director and president will consult the Board of Trustees and appropriate advisory committees.
