James j rorimer the metropolitan museum of art bulletin v.25 #1 part II summer 1966

JAMES

J.

RORIMER .

The MetropolitanMuseumof Art Bulletin Summer1966,PartTwo

The Metropolitan Museum of Art is collaborating with JSTOR to digitize, preserve, and extend access to The Metropolitan Museum of Art Bulletin 速 www.jstor.org

JAMES J. RORIMER

The Metropolitan Museum of Art is collaborating with JSTOR to digitize, preserve, and extend access to The Metropolitan Museum of Art Bulletin 速 www.jstor.org

Sidney Waintrob, Budd Studios

JAMES

J. RORIMER

September7, 1905 - May 11, 1966

- to workbeyondthecallof duty,a - eveneagerness goodstart,a willingness beforeandwhentheyarrive.In of opportunities senseof fairplay,anda recognition to finda courseandsteerit."InthesewordsJamesRorimer otherwords,it isimportant Theysumup the deepsenseof a requestfor "a formulaforsuccess." onceanswered thathe broughtto hispositionas directorof the Metroandefficiency responsibility morethanleadership. politanMuseum.But hissuccessencompasses andacquisitions: instatistics isoftenmeasured ofa museum of thedirector Thesuccess and attendance we cansay,forinstance,thatin the elevenyearsof hisdirectorship, by forty-two areashavebeenincreased haveall butdoubled,exhibition membership thatnew and reinstalled, and renovated been have galleries half the almost cent, per havebeenconbuildingsfor the library,JuniorMuseum,andservicedepartments beenpurchased have importance structed.Wecansaythatworksof artof theutmost

by RobertCampin,the altarpiece amongthem,the Annunciation forthe collections: sixty-fiveGreekvasesfromthe Hearstcollection,the ivorycrossfromBurySt. EdtheBustof Homer.

AristotleContemplating munds,and,of course,Rembrandt's liesfarbeyondthesenumhowever, accomplishments, Thescopeof JamesRorimer's bersandlists.He oncewrote:"A museummanmustloveworksof artwitha passion. thissharing Thispassion, withothers."

Andinsodoinghewantstosharehisenthusiasms some to convey speeches and his writings from words print here We shapedhisinfluence. serviceat The andthreeessays,spokenat thememorial of thepowerof hisenthusiasm, associates. and his friends of a fewdaysafterhisdeath,to mirrortheresponse Cloisters of mindandheart,andweat cando fulljusticeto hisqualities No formalstatement way in nomoreappropriate forJamesRorimer cansignifyouradmiration theMuseum thatwoulddo himhonor,his witha distinction thanto determineto carryforward, andhisgoals. plans,hisstandards, JR., Preszdent ARTHURA. HOUGHTON, 39

at the Museum,it is imposor ussvhoworkedwithhim,whowerehis companions andto realizethatJamesRorimeris gone. | sibleto be hereat TheCloisters alive.It is is everywhere Here,in thisbeautifulplacethathe created,hispresence | above all feel thatwe see and herein thesepaintings,thesestatues,thesetapestries, qualitythatwasso verymuchhisown:hislove,his mostvividlythatextraordinary intenselysensitivefeelingfora workof artin allits variedaspects.

He addedto thisa of beautyandexcellence. in its Judgment Hiseye wasunerring its of its composition, interestin everydetail,downto the mostminute, R passionate | structure,its surface.Whenhe examinedsomething-astatue,an ivory,a pieceof work,a painting-hemadea contactwith it that wasso powerful,so goldsmith's it its everypossibility,thathe possessed thatone felt he hadexhausted immediate, sensithe of his gaze, penetration and I shallneverforgetthe brightness completely. andconscientious of histouch.Healsohada capacityforpainstaking tivityandsureness whichunfoldedthe wholeof the object'shistoryin relationto art andto Ja oors research, he hadlearnedin a lifetimeof lookingand withit everything correlating ownership, The huntforthe answerto sucha problem,no matterhowcomplex,wasa learning. to him. andsatisfaction sourceof thekeenestpleasure Museum.He cameto it asa lifewascenteredin the Metropolitan JamesRorimer's andservedit withcompletededidirectlyfromHarvard, youngmanof twenty-two, gave it all of his greatvitalityand he cationuntilthe dayhe died.Withoutreserve fameandits prestigetodayarelargelydueto him. gifts.Its world-wide shouldhavethe bestthatbecame thattheMuseum determined He waspassionately to take in the world.He hadthe abilityto graspan opportunity, anywhere available for He wasalsocapableof waiting,sometimes hesitation. actionwithouta moment's stoodin If obstacles wasproverbial. to come.Hisdiscretion years,fortheopportunity no to overcomethem, matter sacrifice his wayhe wasreadyto makeany honorable with heoutwittedhisopponents whatthecostin timeandenergy.Whenhenegotiated and the skillof a chessplayerandthe courageof a lion.But he wasalsodiplomatic giftsof worksof artandmoney. andattractedto the Museumprodigious charming, in ourcollections-the Unicorn shineout everywhere of his achievements Examples Aristotle,to the Chaliceof Antioch,Rembrandt's the Merodealtarpiece, tapestries, andmagnificent. mentionbuta fewof themostextraordinary wouldfit bestintoourvast He hadthevisionto seeexactlyhowgreatmasterpieces andhowtheirbeautyandmeaningcouldbe mosteffectively andcomplexbuildings ofsuchwidelydiffering Thiscanbeseenin theexhibition to ourvisitors. communicated sculpturefromChinaandthe ancient materialas the Greekvases,the monumental Thisgift forsensitiveshowfurniture.

NearEast,andtheFrencheighteenth-century of architecture withan understanding hadmanyfacets,andit wascombined manship andthe the choirscreenfromValladolid thatmadeit possibleto adaptsuccessfully andto createtheseCloisters, Patioto completelyforeignsurroundings, Blumenthal Hissuccesscanbemeaandof restraint. of taste,of judgment, whicharea monument

L

4o

by millionsduringhis yearsas whichincreased attendance, suredby the Museum's director. of his talents.Therewasanotherside,not Theseare the outwardmanifestations to us visiblelo theoutsideworld.It wasthehumanaspectof hiswork,hisrelationship wasevidenteverywhere. staff.Hisleadership whoworkedwithhimon the Museum's in what Eachoneof us,howeversmallhisposition,alwaysfelt thathe wasinterested weweredoingandthathissharpeyewouldseeandjudgethequalityof ourwork.The providedby thedreadful in whatwe didis devastatingly of hisparticipation measure we feeltoday. emptiness in the young,whomhe espeinterestin everyone,particularly He tooka personal ciallyenjoyed.He himselfwasalwaysfullof freshideasthathe likedto discusswith Hisconstant them.Theyin turnhavelearnedandprofitedfromhisvastexperience. for trainingand eSortsto attractthemto the Museumand to oSeropportunities groupsin ourhistory. travelhavegivenus oneof the youngestcuratorial He wasunique. unlikemostmen,doesnotfit intoanyclassification.

JamesRorimer, whichis new,hardlyfiftyyearsold,he willlongstandout asoneof Inourprofession, thosewhogaveit form,andhe willbe a modelforfuturegenerations. andon thisgreatcity.Butthedeepest markon thisMuseum He hasleftanindelible markis in the mindsandheartsof thosewhoworkedwithhim.Thespiritwe knew, we do. willalwaysbe withus as a partof everything of hispersonality the radiation Allourheartsgo out to hisfamilyin theirtragicloss.Wefeeltheyareasmucha part of the Museumas he was.As forme, I knowthateverytimeI lookat a workof art I willthinkof himandrealizehowmuch it presents, andstrugglewiththe problems I valuedhisadviceandhowmuchI misshisfriendship.

THEODORE

Rouss EAU, Curatorof EuropeanPazntzngs

(Q)Fred Mayer

of theworld,andeveryplacewhereArtis a high loday, a7ithus,in allthemuseums of the theimportance andmeasure humanvalue,therearepeoplewhoshareoursorrow of the advance likea combatant manthey havejustlost. JamesRorimerdisappears of the artsandof for the progress guardin thisstrugglethatHumanityis pursuing "Artis of thiscombatfirstin thisthoughtof Emerson: culture.\\le findthemeaning theneedto create.... Nothinglessthanthe creationof manandnatureis its end." museum on thevocationof thecontemporary Anda recentremarkby AndreMalraux of the ages, "Thetreasure philosopher: the thoughtof the greatAmerican completes 4I

thelivingpast. . . doesnotconsistof worksthathappento havesurvivedby accident, but of worksthatbearin themselves, likea phosphorescence, thatpowerof survival by whichtheyspeakto us.Themasses donotchoosetheirfantasies, andwechooseour museums muchlessthanwesuppose.

Butconfronting thegreatshapeless dreamsurging out of the unconscious of crowds,with its imperious demons,its childishangelsand cheapheroes,standtheonlyforcesaspowerful asthey,andthatweacknowledge only by theirvictoryoverdeath."

Morethana centuryseparates thesetwo texts.Now,duringthisperiod,somemen (it doesnot matterwhatcountriestheyarefrom)havepatiently,obstinately worked towardtherealization of thisideal.Theyhaveincarnated thisnewideaof themuseum; theyhavebeenin theirlife,in theiractions,in theirthoughts,themuseum itself;these fewmenhavepassionately servedat the sametimetheircountries andHumanity; in theirplacesthey havechangedthe shapesof civilizationandgivento all mennew chancesforhappiness andcreation.JamesRorimer - we knewit yesterday, we knowit evenmoretoday-belongsto thissmallcohortof menwhohaveprofoundly changed therelations betweenhumansocietiesandthearts,andwhohavemadeof themuseum, fora countryandforthe entireworld,at thesametimea mirroranda centerof radiance.And it is enoughfor me to evokeJamesRorimergoingthroughhis museum with friendsfromeverywhere, withcolleagues, withstatesmen.

Youfelt then,under hisgazeandby hisvoice,the Museumtakeon a newdimension anda newlife.James knew-even moreprofoundly, he felt- that a museumdoesnot reachits veritable significance untilit radiates naturally; thisiswhytheMetropolitan Museum hasbecome oneof thoseplaceswhereHumanityrecognizes itselfin its universal valuesandhopes.

AndJamesRorimer,in hisardor,in hisenthusiasm, in the keenness of dailystruggles, hasgivento hismuseum,in a naturalway,thisplanetary dimension, whicheveryone recognizes in it today,in Parisor London,in Romeor Moscow,in Tokyo,Dakar,or Riode Janeiro.

Why?FirstbecauseJamescarriedin himthisideaof the Museum; he wasthe Museumitself.AndduringtheseyearswhenI havehadthechanceon numerous occasions to workwith him, I havediscovered in him two forcesthat constantlycarriedhim alongin theoveractive lifeheled:theloveof artisticobjectsandtheneedto communicatewithothers.He lovedtheobjectsforthemselves, andnot merelyforhismuseum.

He is amongthosewho-and thatwill alsoremainone of thesetitlesforposterityfoughtto protectworksfromthat destructionthat threatensfatallyeveryhuman creation.Andthisis whyin I943 he joinedthe American Army,andbecameChiefof the Monuments, FineArtsandArchivesSectionof the SeventhArmy.He thussaved anincalculable numberof worksof art,andEuropewillalwaysbe gratefulto himfor this.I alsoremember havingmorethanonetimeglancedthroughwithhimthatbook he wassoproudof, because it revealedin a wayhisraisond'etre-Survival:TheSalvage and Protection of Afrtin War.Thisloveandrespectforobjectswasaccompanied by a stirringsenseof humanrelations.He wasan ardentcombatant led by an ideal,and conscious of workingbothforhiscountryandfortheuniversal causeof mankind.

But at the sametimehe hada wonderful senseof friendship; he knewthata greathuman 42

|

_S_

tV

t

::

S;0

si

E

I

+si

iE-"

i

workis notonlytheproductof a manorof a team,butof a sortof generalaccord.And thisis w7hy, andI amhereto testifyto it, JamesRorimer waslovedandrespected; we all hadproofof this,herein New Yorkandin this veryplace,duringthe ICOM reunion(International Councilof Museums); hewasthenaturalcenterof thismeeting.

JamesRorimerwill remainthusin ourmemory,his workbeinginseparable from whathe wasin himselfandin the radiance of hispersonality.

All the museums in the worldarethinkingtodayof theirlostfriendandfeelthemselves in mourning withthe Metropolitan N4useum.

Thelossis thesameforallof us,forourworkisa common one; andit willremainso in followingtheexample of JamesRorimer.

He helda greatplace amongus. I he essentialfor tomorrow is to remainloyalto his ideaof universal and humancomlllunion withBeauty.

ED O U A R D __

_itit:t

U

M

O R O T - S I R,

;_*

0tiX 0

C,ultural

Counselor to theFrench Embassy

n0ยง

. g....

_ Photography in the Fine Arts

T

n doinghonorto thememoryof JamesJ. Rorimer wedo but justiceto theworthof hisideasandaccomplishments, allencompassed withina firmlyestablished philosophy of artviewedin history,thatis thepast,andsociety,thatis thepresent.He knewwell thatthe instantresponse, howeverpopular,paledbesidethe measured andpatiently developed reply.Steepedin history,hecultivatedthevirtuesof patienceanddirection.

Possessed by thegraspof qualityandconnoisseurship, heknewandmeasured theworth of man'svisibleheritage, anddetermined, in themidstof constantchangeanddiminution,to preserve andenhancethatheritageso thatit mightbe visibleto anyonewith eyesto see.

Thiswasnot easyin an ageobsessedby changeandby the tyrannyof the new.

Beforethe American Association of Museums on May2I, I958 he daredto define artisticactivitywiththeAristotelian phrase,"acertainproductive stateof mindunder 43

andto demandthatonlythe bestwasgoodenoughfor of truereason," the guidance habituesof an art museum.His secretand relentlesspursuitof qualityestablished careaboutwhatis to be thatare,andwillbe, the envyof all whoseriously standards of selection,display,and standards seenin a museumof art.The highestprofessional his concern;andthe resultsareto be wereconstantly,evenobsessively, elucidation The Metropolitan art museums, American all of seenin the reachesof thatgreatest and serene,in his beloved Museumof Art, and at theirpurest,mostcompelling, wheretodaywe meetin lonelysadness.

Cloisters to our greatcontribution of JamesRorimer's is theperfectexpression TheCloisters hisuniquevisionof a unionof history, lives.It washiscreation,hisdearesttreasure, and,evenbetter,pure art,andnaturethathasgivenso muchto allof us- knowledge and delight.He provedthat,givenenoughmoney,time,patience,taste,knowledge, alien an in Ages Middle the goodfortune,one couldcreativelydisplaythe bestof so thatone believed- wasconvincedof-its truth.Foreign climateandenvironment skepticswereput to rout-even better,converted.Onecantruthfullysay thatThe thelineof givingfromthe OldWorldto theNew,andgaveto the reversed Cloisters to be envied,emulated, a new benchmark landsof its origina museumstandard, and,morerarely,equaled.

I cannotbutthinkof Suger,abbotof St. DenisfromI I22 to I I5I . Hisbookaccountof JamesRorimer's ananticipation mightwellbeconsidered ingforhisadministration Hewrote,"Wesummoned Museum. andof theMetropolitan of TheCloisters direction causedthesewalls the bestpaintersI couldfindfromdifferentregions,andreverently thisall themoregladlybecauseI hadwishedto do it, to be repaired.... I completed evenwhileI wasa pupilat school."Andlater, if everI shouldhavean opportunity, richescouldnot havesufficedforhisTempleanymorethandidoursfor "Solomon's suppliedhisattendthisworkhadnot thesameAuthorof thesameworkabundantly for the worker. ants.The identityof the authorandthe workprovidesa sufficiency of andharmony outsuchplansmyfirstthoughtwasfortheconcordance "Incarrying through by inquiry,andby investigation theancientandthenewwork.By reflection, to learnwherewe mightobtain differentregionsof remotedistrictswe endeavored in thereoÂŁ"AndevensodidJamesRorimer orcolumnstheequivalent marblecolumns work consummate this into heights ruinon these a curiousandromantic transforming of art. didhim hisseriousness forprivateandintimateoccasions, If hishumorwasreserved washisfinest Indeedthisseriousness creditin a metiermuchgivento entertainment.

Worksof artandartmuseums everywhere. to hiscolleagues contribution psychological and of themosttenacious to himandtheywererightlydemanding meanteverything merely mustbe not effortsof muscle,mind,andheart.The Metropolitan strenuous the largest,butthe best- andso it was. but somethingmoredifficultand He left no greattomesof writtenscholarship, I cannotbut thinkof him,whetherat the farmof Bigsbluff,or in the rewarding. or herein the towerretreatof The Cloisters, officesof the Metropolitan, mezzanine poem"HeWas"in RichardWilbur's in theimageof thegardener 44

. . . ForallI heard Of allhislabors,I cannowrecall Nevera singleword Untilhe wentin thedeadof fall To thedrowsyunderground, withso greatcare Havingplanteda youngorchard In thatlastyearthatnonewaslost,andMay themall,theleavessayingtheland's Aroused Praisefortheliveningclay, Andthefoundvoiceof hisburiedhands air.

Rosein thesparrowing SHERMAN

of z4rt Mu.^eum E. LEE, Dzrector,TheCle?veland

Alfred Eisenstaedt,LIFE Magazine (P)Time Inc. All Rights Reserved

45

JAMES J. RORIMER

Bornin Cleveland, Ohio,September 7,I905 Married Katherine NewtonSerrell,I942. Children: AnneNewton;Louis Diedin New YorkCity,MayII,I966 A.B.Harvard University,I927 Assistant, Department of Decorative Arts,I927-I929 Assistant Curator, Department of Decorative Arts,I929-I932 Associate Curator, Department of Decorative Arts,I932-I934 Curator,Department of MedievalArt, I934-I955 Directorof TheCloisters,I949-I966 DirectorandTrustee,TheMetropolitan Museumof Art, I955-I966 UnitedStatesArmy,I943-I946 Privatein the Infantry Lieutenant andCaptainfor the Monuments, FineArtsandArchivesSection,in Normandy, Paris,andGermany Chiefof theMonuments, FineArtsandArchives Section,SeventhArmy,Western MilitaryDistrict Decorations: BronzeStar,I945 European TheatreRibbon(4 battlestars),I944-I945 Croixde Guerre(SilverStar),I945 Memberof theLegionof Honor,I947 Officerof theLegionof Honor,I957 Medaillede Moliere,I955 DutchTreatClub,I955 L.H.D.WesternReserveUniversity,I956 LL.D.UnionCollege,I957 D.F.A.HamiltonCollege,I957 NewYorkBoardof TradeCitation,I957 HandelMedal(NewYorkCity), I959 Elsiede WolfeAward(American Instituteof Decorators, New YorkChapter),I960 Crossof the Commander of the Orderof the Dannebrog (Denmark), I960 46

Ohioana CareerMedal,I962 SterlingSilversmiths Guildof America AwardforCulturalLeadership, I962 St. NicholasSocietyMedalof Merit,I963 D.F.A.AdelphiCollege,I963 GreaterNewYorkFundAwardof Merit,I963 D.F.A.NewYorkUniversity,I964 Officerin the Orderof ArtsandLettersof theFrenchGovernment, I964 BronzeMedallion of theCityof NewYork,I965 University SchoolGraduate Award,Cleveland, I965 AdvisoryCouncilforDepartment of ArtandArchaeology, Columbia University ArtAdvisoryCommittee, Dartmouth College,I960 Boardof Advisors, Dumbarton Oaks HarvardOverseer's Committee,to visit Departmentof Fine Arts and Fogg Art Museum,I956-I963 Instituteof FineArtsAdvisoryCommittee, NewYorkUniversity VisitingCommittee forthe VisualArts,WesternReserveUniversity,I964 American Association of Museums(Chairman, Art TechnicalSection,I948; Council Member,I956-I962) AsiaSociety(Trustee,I956; ExecutiveCommittee,I957) Association of ArtMuseumDirectors(ExecutiveCommittee,I963) City of New York:Art Committee,Saluteto Seasons(Chairman); Consular Corps, HospitalityCommittee, Mayor'sReceptionCommittee; CommitteeI964 World's Fair;Advisory Committee onArtto theOfficeof Design,Construction andPhysical Plantof theBoardof Education, I963; Citizen's Advisory Committee to NewYork CityOfficeof CulturalAffairs,I963 Cleveland Instituteof Art (Advisor) CulturalInstitutions Groupof NewYorkCity (Chairman, I962-I963) Fundof the Republic(JurorforRobertSherwood Television Award,I956-I959) International Councilof Museums (Vice-President, ExecutiveCommittee,I962-I965; President, UnitedStatesNationalCommittee forICOM,I965-I966) International Centerof Romanesque Art (Honorary Chairman) MedievalAcademyof America(Councillor, I955; Executive Committee,I957-I958) Museumof theCityof NewYork(Ex-oEcioTrustee,I955) Museums Councilof NewYorkCity (ChairmanI950-I95I) Commissioners Advisory Committee onMuseum Resources, NewYorkStateMuseums Association (Vice-President, I96I) SwedishRoyalAcademyof Letters,History,andAntiquities(ForeignCorresponding Member) AdvisoryCommittee on CulturalInformation, UnitedStatesInformation Agency UnitedStatesNationalCommittee forthe Preservation of NubianMonuments 47

Accademiadelle Arti del Disegno,Florence AmericanAcademyof Artsand Letters(Fellow) AmericanAcademyof Politicaland Social Sciences AmericanFederationof Arts AmericanGeographicalSociety (Fellow) AmericanInstituteof Architects(Honorary) AmericanInstituteof Decorators(Honorary) AmericanSocietyof the FrenchLegionof Honor Instituteof America Archaeological ArchitecturalLeagueof New York (Honorary) Art and AntiqueDealersLeague(Honorary) BotanicalSocietyof New York CenturyAssociation ClevelandMuseumof Art (Fellowfor Life) CollegeArt Associationof America Fifth Avenue Club Society France-America FrenchInstitutein the United States GrolierClub Hajji BabaClub (Honorary) HarvardClub InternationalInstituteof Conservation NationalCouncilof United StatesArt NationalSculptureSociety (Honorary) New-YorkHistoricalSociety (Associate) PierpontMorganLibrary(Fellow) SocieteFrangaised'Archeologie

BOOKS

BY

MR.

RORIMER:

of Wortsof Afrt,I93I Raysand ThezrUsezntheExamznatzon Ultra-Vzolet (MedievalSection), I934 24Guzdeto the Collections of MedzevalAfrt,I938 (third revised - The Buzldzngand the Collectzon The Clozsters edition, I962) (revisededition, I943) I938 The UnzcornTapestrzes, MedzevalJewelry,I940 - Afs TheyWereandAfs TheyAfre, I94I at TheClozsters MedzevalMonuments (revisededition, I962) I945 at TheClozsters, The UnzcornTapestrzes I947 Tapestrz'es, Medz'eval of Afrtzn War,I950 Survzval:TheSalvageandProtectzon I953 at TheClozsters, TheNz'neHeroesTapestrz'es 48

The Ford Foundation

I'mgoingto havefun in thisjob becauseI likewortsof art.

On being appointedDirector, The New Yort Times, August 4, I955

andcultureis oneof thestrongest A!rttnowsno boundaries, lints betweencivilizedmen.

TheNew Yort TimesMagazine,March I I,

I

956

of beautycomesfrom a tnowledgeof A!fuller understanding Neverbeforehas there man'spast artisticaccomplishments. a desireforthistnowledgeandunderstandbeenso unz'versal can be learned,and as neverbeforeour ing. Discrimination areat worttowardthisend.Ourpublic processes educational window,a the is quictto recognize beautyof a stained-glass portrait; unicornin captivityin a tapestry,or a Rembrandt grows function, or illustration beyond art, of butthe appeal andconcentration. withtime,information, Addressat Union College, February25, I957

To examinea paintingwithX rayaloneandthennotloot at it againis madness.Youmustbeginandendwiththe wort of artztself; Journal, Interviewwith BeverlyWolter,Winston-Salem April 20, I 963

takenby Mr. Rorimerof the futuresite of The Cloisters Photographs in I946 in FortTryonPark,I933, andTheCloisters

schoolI was askedto takea WhenI graduatedfrom partin helpingplan and build The Cloistersin Fort TryonPart.

Ourpatronhad beento KenilworthCastleruinsin archl af rmof respected England,andhadauthorized a tectsto design,withtheHudsonRiveras background, of settingin stonein whichcouldbe reunitedfragments elements-the southFrenchand Spanisharchitectural pictostonesthathad beenarranged old Romanesque riallyin the old Cloistersby GeorgeGreyBarnardin reminiscent ensemble It wasto bean architectural I9I3. of the 4merican architecture of the pseudo-medieral collegecampus.Fora momentI thoughtthatI would of Piraoffragmentsreminiscent preferan assemblage nesi'svzewsof ancientRome.A!ndthensomeof my at the time, friends,contemporaries youngerarchitect urgedthat we hare a modernbuildlngwith all the of the Bauhausschoolof freshnessand functionalism thought.

Youngas I was at the time, I summonedup my courage,andthoughuntilthenmypartin theplanning hadbeenof an extrapairof handsto of TheCloisters from rustlingas they and sketches keepthe blueprints table,it wasposacrossthe conference wereprocessed to bein2Jited sibleto injecttheideathata newarchitect studytheproblemof how The Cloistersshouldloot. donorsaw the modelsafter Whenthe prospecti2ve to modelbuilding, quietyearsde2voted two-and-a-half he asked,"Is this the way The Cloisterswill loot?"

WithsomehesitancyI replied,"No, Mr. Rockefeller, thisis theway it couldloot zfyou wantedit to."

Addressat the ParsonsSchoolof Design,May 26, I 962

Thesimplicityof the buildinggrewout of a desireto andGothicarchishowtheseexamplesof Romanesque withtapestries, details,together tectureandarchitectural and uncluttered furniture,andmetalwort,in sculpture, notplacingobBypurposely surroundings. unconfused dubious of obtaining jects hereand therefor the sake thetinds effects,it hasbeenpossibleto a2void decorati2ve and houses, pri2vate of settingsthat ha2vemademany museums,the anathemaof someof our conteme2ven 5o

poraries.So also reconditioning theexhibitsthemsel2ves has beena2voided wherezoer possible.... Wewantedto showtherarioustreasures in sucha waythattheywould belookedatfortheirintrinsic 2values ratherthanfor new arrangements imposeduponthemby romanticarchitectsandcraftsmen.

Truthful, archaeological reconstructionsburdened witha mininlunlof artisticinventiveness weresoughtfor whene2ver therewas a choice.

Medieral Monuments at TheCloistersA!sTheyWere andA!sTheyAfre,I 94I

If I wereto harenzychoiceof anymedie2val museumin Europeor TheCloistersS withour2view andwholede2velopment, mydecisionwouldbeclear.I thinkthepublic wouldbeneftsnostfrom whatwe'2ve builtup here.

Interviesv for Time,July28,

I 955

Acme Special Services

I followed Goeringall the wayfrom Normandyto monuments andto Austria.Westartedout to preserve thieves promotebetterrelations.Weendedup catchzng andtheirloot.

I got to Parison liberationday, andfromthatday forwardI hadto keepmy eyesandearsopentryingto Jindwhatbigandlittlelootershadtaken.

I got to a newplacethe;%irst thzngI poked Whenever Moreoftenthannotthere'dbe intowastheincinerator. revealing recordsin it.

I usedto lettheairoutof mybicycletiresandpretend infrontof thehouseof Goering's art to havea puncture buyerin Parisandeavesdrop. weretherecords Butthebestsourcesin thebeginning of keptby theFrenchmuseumpeopleandby members theunderground.

Of courseit wasmorefun, zffun it canbecalled,to go afterindividualitems,butwe usuallydealtwithsalt minesandtrainsfull of lootedart. cue,July5, I 947

Army Signal Corps

we wereguidedto a [Inthe castleof Neuschwanstein] hiddenthict steeldoor;thisone lockedwithtwo keys.

Insidetherewere two large chestsof world-famous andbox uponboxofyewel-encrusted Rothschildyewels andmore metalwort.Therewerealsoraremanuscripts thana thousandpiecesof silverfrom the David-Weill andothercollections. of A!rtin War,I 950 Survival:TheSalvageandProtection

52

I stillIovemy old farm,thoughnothingcomesup the wayyouplanit. It is alwaysa challenge.Whileyousit on theporchyou havetnownfor JEftyyearsand loot uponthehillsandfieldswaitingforthenexthurricane, leat in thepool, or weedsin thetenniscourt,it is still home.Evenzf theydo put a six-lanehighwayright throughit, therearestilltulzptreesandhemlocts.

Townand Country,I 96

I

In myprofessionit is said thatyou cannotbe a good withoutlikingfoodandtnowingaboutit. Both director andI wantedto coot ourown in ofMice mypredecessor faroritedishesfor the openings.I hareerenwondered whethera gourmetcouldbe a gourmetwithoutbeinga areportly,or - mostmuseumadministrators gourmand at leastalwaysdieting.

Addressat the Food Editors Dinner, October 5,

I960

Photographs:top, Anne N. Rorimer;center, A1Wegenerfor TheNew Yort Times;below, Ben Martin for Time

t* Js l 01 ! w i_ Jt

oif.ia price -

|than more of

E fJ

art twenty and Don't at more.

-| _[home years past, lbuy a -Xi0: | 0;;gX thuszasm, What or -worts In |! .... present, to J-zn aother zts lgmust pity flush the of Address perzod, and havejudgment, that artMuseum itor words, before from amust neithe unlessyou future. walting ztsThe be and but creator, aste the North tempered without It thlnA nor enjoy treasure Carolina more ahasmeanzng tnowledge the with ofa them narrow Statc ofmessage itfor restraint. yourself from Art me, alone in and limitations Society, and terms then from Its sufperWe

Z4F

l,

l

al

_

1=

_

1 _

1

.

b P

AddressbeforeTheNorth( olinaStateArtSociety,

_

to pay wherewzthal fice, evenzf one has the necessary or call it enone'sbills.No, onemusthaveeagerness,

t_

A _;

Y

d

Y

hapsone that othersknowand I am yet to discorer.

Hindsight,foresightarewonderful,butfor a collector theriewingof aJinewortof artis thepresent,or,as the

x

R

g

h

wanhtohav

. .X................

of thescholarwhoistryingtoknowmoreandmoreabout less and less. One mustalso havethe breadthof the scholarwho 1Strymgto tnow m ore and m ore about yots g .

^

:1k

k

+

zf

,

,,.,

,

f .:

rer

>X

)

>

SozX

n

grethc aftlttX

Izatei. zc 0 r>

M*A.o'

have,thenperhapsrelatingthemto yourhomeoryour museum,andthento yourguestsandto thepublic.

E on thispage Thephotographs weretakenduringthe auctionof AristotleContemRembrandt's platingthe Bustof Homer.

Upperright,by Ben Martinfor Time-others,by SteveSchapiro for BlackStar

_ _ _, _u_ __ __

st*Sjjj

;-[

1jll gXg;Ag;_ 0;_

If a wonderfulobjectcomesalong, we shouldget It evenzf we arestrongthere.I'd ratherseea masterpzece in thecollectionthana by an artistalreadyrepresented pictureby a painterwhoisn't. second-rate TheNewYortTimes withAlineB. Saarinen, Interview AugustI4, I955 Magazine,

comef rst- theobjects,thepaintings.Wemustmaketheseobjectsintelligible Thecollections erenzfthatcallsfor a smotingroomhereand to thepublic.Wemustmakethemintelligible four cityblocts.Orif it callsfor a goodrestaurant. therein thisgreatbuildingcorering Wedon'twantthepublicto thinta risitto themuseumis a painfulordeal.If moredecent toiletsmakeit easierto see Titians,let'sharemoredecenttoilets.

Somehowarton a pedestalmustbe to ourobjectscomesunderstanding.

Withaccessibility a static for granted,we rist becoming broughtnearerto therisitor.If we takeourcollections museum,butthere'ssucha thingas too busya program.Wemustn'tbe all thingsto all people.Wemustdecidewhatwe canoXerbestto ourpublic.

Interviewwith W. G. Rogers, TheSun,Baltimore,November I5, I959

The J\lew Sork Wimes

thatmay howererimportant Running goodmuseumsinvolvesmorethangoodhousekeeping, be. Withoutthe carefulpiecingtogetherof man'shistoryby the scholar,the showmancan for onlya littlewhile.Wehareerengreaterneedforcareful at bestcaptivatehis audience scholarship in themuseumsof the UnitedStatesthanererbefore;theneedfortrainedconof our artistic for the actualpreserration is likewiseall-important serratorsand restorers fashionablepainting,than for a temporarily bounties.It is far easierto find a purchaser publication,andconserration. fundsfor its selection, Addressat The ClevelandMuseumof Art, March4,

I958

thanthe objectsto be shown,the museum 'Whenthe installationbecomesmoreimportant of a museum- theshowingto bestadrantage deszgner hasfailedin tAeprincipalrequirements of its wortsof art.

Notes for a speech,April 22,

I960

55

Thispassage fromSn AfrtMuseumfor thePeopleby FrankJewettMather waskeptby Mr.Rorimerin hisfileof workingpapers:

successor mustservenot onlymy publicbut hisown.If he finds worthyof thegalleries manyobjectswhichI havekeptin thestudydepartment,why,so muchthebetter.Histasteoughtto be betterthanmine,his publicmoreenlightened thanthatof to-day.Indeed,the strengthof this kindof a museumis thatit responds sensitivelyto the bestcontemporary taste,givingeachgeneration whatit ismostprepared to appreciate.

Because we realizethe relativityof ourown judgmentswe alienatenothingbut duplicates.

Weareunwillingto tie the handsof thoseto come.Andpreciselyin theflexibilityyounoteliesouradvantage overthemerelyarchaeologicalmuseums.

Theirclassification is abstract,impersonal, rigid,with the resultthatat anyone timehalftheirgalleries aredeadas regardsthe people.Wehaveno deadgalleries.

My

6

The Metropolitan Museum of Art is collaborating with JSTOR to digitize, preserve, and extend access to The Metropolitan Museum of Art Bulletin 速 www.jstor.org