LENT BY THE METROPOLITAN A REPORT ON THE MUSEUM'S NATIONAL LENDING ACTIVITIES 1974-1975 MMA WW.i í l£Vv' -YORK • 7/1> J \ COTI: A OUVRIR F1.AGIL1Ü \ I'-VI s s\ !. \ \ lol. IJ The Metropolitan Museum of Art recently lent the mantel from quired by the Metropolitan in 1917. Prior to its reinstallation in the Gadsby's Tavern pictured above to the city of Alexandria. Va. tavern, the mantel was for many rears part of the "Alexandria Al­ which is restoring the historic tavern as part of its bicentennial ob­ cove" in the Museum's American Wing. servance. Lent for a ten-rear, renewable period, the mantelwas ac­ uLEN T BY THE METROPOLITAN" A REPORT ON THE MUSEUM'S NATIONAL LENDING ACTIVITIES The five historic buildings comprising the Pennsyl­ In 1975. the Museum was involved in some spec­ vania Farm Museum of Landis Valley in Lancaster. tacular international exchanges, notablv with France and s_ Pennsylvania, are tilled with eishteenth-centurv furniture the Soviet Union. But this new focus on international and decorative objects native to the area. Most of the cooperation has in no wav diminished the Museum's dower chests, gate-leg tables, samplers and even valen­ long-standing, largeh unheralded commitment to other tines on displav alongside the Farm Museum's own American institutions and its comprehensive national loan collection of agricultural implements and textiles have program. In the fall, for example, the Allentown Museum been on loan from The American Wing at The Metropoli­ in Pennsylvania will receive 47 paintings bv American tan Museum since 1968. masters, valued at more than S2.000.000—the largest The Springfield Museum in Massachusetts has on long-term loan ever made bv the Department of American display in us gothic galleries two fifteenth-century French Paintings and Sculpture. In addition to works bv Copley, stained glass panels which once adorned a terrace on Park Sargent and Stuart, among others, the one-year, renew­ Avenue. These seven-foot depictions of Saint Catherine able loan will also include 25 contemporary works from and Saint John have been on loan from The Cloisters, a the Department of Twentieth Centurv Art. part of The Metropolitan Museum, since 1945. The Springfield (Missouri) Art Museum has bor­ The General Shale Museum in Johnson Citv. rowed nine works of high qualitv from the Metropolitan Tennessee, the Wilkie Brothers Foundation in Des this year with help from the Missouri Council on Arts for Plaines. Illinois. Emory University in Atlanta. Albion transit and insurance costs. During each month of the College in Michigan, and a host of other institutions from 1975-76 school year, Springfield will displav one "Master­ Baltimore to Honolulu, have material from the Metropol­ piece of the Month" cm loan from the Metropolitan, itan's Egyptian Collection. There are also musical in­ accompanied bv an educational exhibit designed to serve struments in Cincinnati, papyri in New Haven, porcelains the public at large as well as local schools and universities. in San Francisco, and Spanish helmets in San Antonio, all The first three works lent to Springfield for this program bearing the label. "Lent by The Metropolitan Museum of are: a red granite portrait of Queen Hatshepsut from the Art." Egyptian Department; a 13th centurv Limoge champlevé Objects from even department in the Museum, enamel tabernacle from the Medieval Department: and from Ancient Near Eastern Art to Twentieth Century Soutine's Portrait of a Girl in a Fur Coat from the Painting and Sculpture, have found their way to all parts Department of Twentieth Centurv Art. Other institutions of the country. For more than 30 years, the Metropolitan receiving loans from the Metropolitan this year are listed has been making loans of from one to several hundred on pages 28 and 29. objects to Mster institutions—museums, college art galler­ The Metropolitan does not charge for lending ies, historic homes —across the nation, therebv providing works of art: however, borrowers are responsible for such kev works of art for special exhibitions and strengthening costs as packing and shipping, as well as transit fees and the collections of other museums. The Metropolitan's annual insurance premiums. The Museum will not ap­ large-scale loan program has helped bring its vast trea­ prove a loan unless satisfied that the objects will be cared sures out of the galleries and storerooms and to the for properly and exhibited under suitable conditions with attention of an ever-growing national audience. adequate fire protection and security. For loan purposes, CURRENT LOANS objects are classified into three categories with Class I "There's no question that we do more lending than loans so designated because of their value, unique charac­ om .stk-i»- ;r>.-»;tiit¿r>« in thf» rmint rv " according to M lid red ter, great importance, special size, fragility or unusual ;, arranged all outgoing installation. Foreign loans and all Class I loans must be SON LIBRARY ARCHIVES lend more because we authorized bv the Trustees. tat at anv given time as Though the Museum's loan program has never THE METROPOLITAN it on loan. In 1974-75 received major publicity of the kind accorded important MUSEUM OF ART orrowed 1.843 objects: acquisitions or special exhibitions, the attitude of its public for periods ranging up is positive. More than half of the Metropolitan's visitors. The Libran' ns: 25 others borrowed including a majority of New York Citv residents, regard i on a renewable basis.* the Museum as primarily national rather than local in W j is of exhibition quality, loans outstanding are reviewed annual!) bv the curatorial .•finite loans. Since 1966 departments and new or renewed loans are regularlv reported on a renewable basis of to the Board of Trustees. all on 30 davs' notice. All character and concur in the Museum's obligation to share glass. As soon as the exhibition ended, thev were returned its resources with other American institutions. In the 1973 to their niches in the wall built specially for them in Yankelovich survey, some 70 percent of the Metropoli­ Springfield's Gothic Gallery.* tan's visitors agreed that the Museum should lend works of Some loans of duplicate material not likely ever to art to other institutions, even though as a result, certain be recalled for study purposes or for exhibition have been favorites would not always be on view. bought bv borrowing institutions for their own collections. In 1968 Kenmore. a historic home in Fredericksburg. RESPONSES FROM RECIPIENTS Virginia, bought seven pieces of furniture which had been Loan recipients are enthusiastic about the Muse­ on loan from The American Wing since 1934. On the um's commitment to assist institutions around the country. occasion of the sale one of the Kenmore trustees wrote: At the University of Texas Institute of Texan Cultures, for "Your furniture loan to Kenmore has meant a great deal example, four pieces of sixteenth-century Spanish armor to us. and we deeph appreciate the advice and counsel have been on display since 1970. When, in 1974. the loan that the Metropolitan gave us in the early thirties when the was extended, a staff member wrote: "The three helmets restoration of Kenmore began." and shield have contributed a great deal toward the Other restoration projects with which the Metro­ success of our exhibit dealing with the arms and armor of politan has cooperated, supplying technical advice, long- the conquest and have been enjoyed bv thousands of term loans and. in some cases, an opportunity for first students. Texans, and out-of-state visitors during the past refusal on deaccessioned loan items, include: William year." Trent House (Trenton. New Jersey); Rock Hall At the Shaker Community in Hancock. Massachu­ (Lawrence. Long Island): Constable Hall (Beaver Falls. setts. 24 objects on loan from The American Wing are New York): Dey Mansion (Wavne. New Jersev ): Van displayed in period rooms throughout the village. Re­ Alen House (Kinderhook. New York): Hancock Shaker garding a nineteenth-century pine and maple trestle table Village (Pittsfield. Massachusetts): Bartow-Pell Mansion borrowed in 1973 for exhibition in the Ministry Dining and Poe Cottage (Bronx. New York): Jumel Mansion Room of their 1830 Brick Dwelling, a staff member wrote (New Yeirk): Gracie Mansion and The White House. recently: "We have no other piece of furniture that INAUGURAL LOANS expresses the mood of the room as completely as the tabic from the Metropolitan." Similarly, the 28 objects inter­ In recent years the Metropolitan has sent objects, as spersed among their own collections to enhance room well as specially-organized loan exhibitions, to help interiors at the Pennsylvania Farm Museum "have con­ launch new museums and celebrate special occasions at tributed immensely to our overall program." according to other institutions. In 1974. for example, the Metropolitan Director Carroll J. Hopf. sent eight American paintings for the inaugural exhibition of the new Lightner Museum in Saint Augustine, Florida. Often, such long-term loans as the 46 Egyptian and When the Detroit Institute of Arts opened new medieval objects lent to the Akron Art Institute in 1950 galleries devoted to ancient Mesopotamian and Iranian (thev still have 32) have enabled an institution to display art in 1970. the Metropolitan saluted the event with a tvpes of material for which they have no purchase funds. long-term loan of 24 objects from the Department of In 1963 Akron's director wrote. 'This loan has made it Ancient Near Eastern Art. In celebration of their mutual possible for us to have material difficult to acquire and to 100th birthdavs in 1970. the Metropolitan and The Muse­ use our own limited buving power to build our painting um of Fine Arts.