Jul 20, 2008 11:26 am US/Eastern
CBS 2 At The Met: Medieval & Renaissance Treasures
NEW YORK (CBS) ―
Take an up close look at some European Decorative Arts, dating from 300 to 1600, most of which are on view for the first time in New York. They're at the Met this summer, on loan from London's Victoria and Albert museum. CBS 2's Dana Tyler toured the treasures with Curators Ian Wardropper and Peter Barnet.
Wardropper said, "It's often called the V&A. All of its fans like to use the shorthand for it. And the V&A has treasures in Medieval and Renaissance areas that are the best in the world."
While the V&A renovates its galleries, Met visitors can see these "Treasury Arts." Three dozen tiny masterpieces in all, designed mostly for churches and palaces. Wardopper pointed out gilt bronze statues called "Two Standing Prophets".
"These particular sculptures are by Hubert Gerhard, a German sculptor. At the end of the 16th century, he had a commission to make an altar piece for one of the richest banking families in the world, in Augsburg."
Met curator Ian Wardropper said the first floor gallery at the Met is the right fit for the V&A collection. Wardropper said, "In this one, small space, you can see the span of time. And I think the objects have greater power being in this one small space!"
This show is a big opportunity for the two museums. And two Met curators. Wardropper on the decorative arts side, and curator Peter Barnet's specialty is Medieval Art, who showed us an over the top water pitcher. Barnet said, "Aquamanile is a water vessel to hold water over hands, for handwashing. And they were used in the Middle Ages, originally in church, as part of the liturgy for symbolic washing of the priest's hands before the service. But also the domestic settings for table washing."
Barnet told Tyler the Met has the greatest collection of Aquamanilia in the world. He called a 12th century V&A loan a true bonus.
"We don't have anything like this. This is an extraordinary example earlier than we have or any that survived. Most are in cast bronze but this one is distinguished by its early date and workmanship and gilded surfaces. The others are not gilded and and it has silver overlay on the stripes of the dragon, so it's a very special design."
Next he pointed out four colorful glass panels which belonged to renowned American financier J. Pierpont Morgan. The core of the Met's Medieval and Renaissance collections was donated by Morgan's son. Barnet added, "But the stained glass was deemed too fragile to ship as the first world war was started and, it stayed in London. Morgan's eventually gave the 80 stained glass panels to the V&A Museum.
The curators encourage visitors to make this a treasure hunt, too. Look for special red labels in this exhibition, and in the Met's Permanent Galleries of Renaissance and Medieval Art tying it all together. These treasures will be back at London's Victoria and Albert Museum next fall. in the meantime, see them at the Met through August 17th.
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