Monday, November 29, 2010

Met Highlights

Any display of sculpture on the rooftop garden of the Metropolitan Museum of Art must compete with the terrific skyline that surrounds Central Park.
When John and I visited in October, Doug and Mike Starn's Big Bambú, a constantly growing nest of bamboo poles and access ramps was being featured on the roof. It reminded me of Dagwood Bumstead's hair.
Quite a contrast to the intimate works of art displayed in the Romanesque galleries or the monumental works in the Oceania galleries.
The Rockefeller Foundation Oceania gallery is a fairly new addition to the Met. It's beautifully lit and airy, housing great objects from the South Pacific.
The gallery leads into the Greek and Roman Sculpture court.
This is the latest use of this courtyard. I remember when it was the Museum Restaurant with a fountain in the centre.
I think the natural light is much better suited to showing off beautiful sculptures like this Roman Portrait of a Young Aristocrat.
And all the better when the seating places living and marble figures together. Could this young man with his lightning bolt be a modern messenger of the gods?
It's a perfect space for displaying Aphrodite's lovely buttocks. Everybody looks good in the diffused light.
The extensive collection of Greek and Roman pieces in the surrounding rooms includes this Attic Greek kouros. 
Then, a doorway off a gallery of gorgeous Greek vases leads to a special exhibition of Joan Miró's wonderful series of paintings inspired by Dutch interior paintings of the 17th century. A wander through the Met is always an adventure.

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