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Metropolitan Museum of Art Reopening of the Greek & Roman Galleries On April 20, 2007, The Metropolitan Museum of Art celebrates the reopening of its Greek and Roman Galleries. Museum visitors will welcome the return of thousands of classical artifacts. The newly reconstructed Leon Levy and Shelby White Court will house over 5,000 objects of Hellenistic, Etruscan and Roman art, including some never-before-seen pieces. Built on two levels, the gallery's main floor will house Hellenistic and Roman art while the mezzanine level, designed to overlook the splendid court, focuses on Etruscan art and also includes some Greek and Roman works. This area of the museum, originally built between 1912 and 1926, was part of the design of famed architectural firm McKim, Mead and White whose talents were also responsible for New York City's municipal building, Park Avenue's Racquet Club, Columbia University's Low Library, St Barthalomew Church, New York City's Penn Station, the Bowery Savings Bank and the Farley post office to name just a few. First used to exhibit Roman art, the area was later converted to a restaurant & cafeteria. By 1970, the museum board had developed a master plan for the renovation and reconstruction of various portions of the expansive museum. More specific plans drawn and approved in the 1990's confirmed that the reconstruction of the Greek and Roman Galleries would be included as part of this process. The design takes into consideration the vision of the original architects and maintains a classical feel. Its glass ceiling provides abundant natural light. Reintroduced in stages over the past ten years, the unveiling of the Levy Court now completes the museum's display of Greek and Roman Art. Barcelona and Modernity: Gaudi to Dali Barcelona, capital of Spain's Catalan region is a major industrial city whose rise began in the late eighteenth century and has continued to present day. This large exhibit chronicles the city's evolution through the various art movements and the social and political issues that served as subject matter for much of their work. Works are divided by themes and include such recognizable movements as modernism and surrealism. In the early twentieth century the continued development of Barcelona as a wealthy city attracted both art patrons and poor immigrant laborers. The dichotomy between the haves and the have-nots became the subject of social minded painters of the time such as Picasso and Ramon Casas. The elaborate overly expressive style of Modernismo was replaced by Noucentisme, a movement that leaned more towards the classical, relinquishing the excessively ornate styles found in much of Gaudí's structures including his famed cathedral. What followed was an artistic movement for which Spain is best known, the avant garde. It was during this period that much of the cubist and surrealistic work for which Picasso, Miro and Dali are known was created. Another subject that greatly influenced the art of Spanish painters was the Spanish civil war (1936-1939). Paintings, posters, photographs, sculptures and films contained in this area of the exhibit include works by Dali, Miro, Gonzalez and not-to-be-missed studies for Picasso's Guernica. Painstakingly curated, this exhibit showcases not only an abundance of art but a wealth of historic information about the region. |
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The Manhattan Club 200 West 56th Street New York, NY 10019 |