Present Books Supposing Making the Mummies Dance: Inside the Metropolitan Museum of Art
| Original Title: | Making the Mummies Dance: Inside the Metropolitan Museum of Art |
| ISBN: | 0671880756 (ISBN13: 9780671880750) |
| Edition Language: | English |
Thomas Hoving
Paperback | Pages: 448 pages Rating: 3.84 | 929 Users | 87 Reviews
Mention Based On Books Making the Mummies Dance: Inside the Metropolitan Museum of Art
| Title | : | Making the Mummies Dance: Inside the Metropolitan Museum of Art |
| Author | : | Thomas Hoving |
| Book Format | : | Paperback |
| Book Edition | : | Anniversary Edition |
| Pages | : | Pages: 448 pages |
| Published | : | February 15th 1994 by Touchstone (first published 1993) |
| Categories | : | Art. Nonfiction. Art History. Museology. Museums. History. Autobiography. Memoir |
Chronicle As Books Making the Mummies Dance: Inside the Metropolitan Museum of Art
No museum in the world is like the Metropolitan Museum of Art - and no man has ever run it, or revolutionized it, quite like Thomas Hoving. In a decade, Hoving changed almost everything people had grown accustomed to from the Met, shaking the institution out of royal repose and transforming it into the most vital cultural presence in the country. Now, the irrepressible former director delivers a fearless account of his life at the pinnacle of the art world - a modern Vanity Fair, a true story of masterpieces and money, society and scandal, intrigue and international theft. The Met is more than a dazzling art showplace. The museum is a vibrant if quietly influential community, inhabited and run by singular sorts of people: trustees and curators, connoisseurs and conservators. It is steeped in history and tradition and seems to move in a serene and elegant world of impeccable manners and the finest taste. Behind the proper social veneers and pristine marble galleries, Hoving reveals the cutthroat precincts where the real business of the Met is carried out. From seducing important patrons like Robert Lehman, Nelson Rockefeller, Walter Annenberg, and Brooke Astor to spiriting ancient treasures across international borders; from striking secret agreements with the world's most powerful dealers to sidestepping rivals; from securing blockbuster exhibitions, like "Tut" and "The Glory of Russian Costume," to seizing the most phenomenal Velazquez portrait, Hoving shares not only the nimbleness and brashness that made him so effective, but also the zeal and passion that made the Met so exciting. Making the Mummies Dance is told in the head-on, even naughty, way that is trademark Hoving. This is an important, shocking museum story and more - an unforgettable tale of power struggles and one-upmanship, fame, big money, and, of course, great art.Rating Based On Books Making the Mummies Dance: Inside the Metropolitan Museum of Art
Ratings: 3.84 From 929 Users | 87 ReviewsCrit Based On Books Making the Mummies Dance: Inside the Metropolitan Museum of Art
Mr Hoving turned the Metropolitan Museum of Art from a staid collection of paintings and sculpture into a vibrant collection of all that art can and should be, for anyone to come in and enjoy. That is opinion, but one generally held by most historians who studied the evolution of Manhattans jewel during the late 60s until the late 70s. Im withholding any other opinion, save that it is a shame Mr. Hoving took the time to be a cheap greasy, sleazeball of a weasel to each and every person he feltThat was a craaaazy read -most of the time I did not even believe I was reading non-fiction. Wow, insane.
That was a craaaazy read -most of the time I did not even believe I was reading non-fiction. Wow, insane.
Emma was pretty right about reading parts of it sporadically instead of all at once, but overall it was an interesting glimpse into the world of museum administration in the latter half of the 20th century.
It might be a mistake to come into writing this 60 seconds after putting the book down, but this book sure was a ride. For me with my smattering of readings on museum work and cultural heritage provenance, this was an enlightening, fascinating, often appalling look at how the Met was run for a decade in the middle of the last century. For anyone, however, it would be a rollercoaster of a narrative. It's a memoir of a director of the Met, in many ways, but also serves as a tell-all as well as an
Really entertaining and an invitation to learn more about the museum and fine art in genwral.
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