An Acquiring Mind: Philippe de Montebello and The Metropolitan Museum of Art

The extraordinary legacy of Philippe de Montebello, who served for 31 years as Director of The Metropolitan Museum of Art. During his tenure, Mr. de Montebello guided the acquisition of more than 84,000 works of art, demanded innovation in conservation techniques, and oversaw the doubling of the physical size of this world-renowned cultural institution. For more information, visit greatmuseums.org.

[@flashflame4952]

The Met is my most favorite museum! Been there many, many times and yet....never have seen every piece there!!

[@corgeousgeorge]

the craftsmanship of the conservationists is incredible!

[@brendanbang6636]

Priceless pieces and a real treasure troves for humanity....we are all awakened and enriched by the collective experiences.

[@supremereader7614]

True genius director focused on quality first, knows a great thing when he sees it and also willing to listen to experts and not fads.

[@TheLearox]

thats what they want you to believe!!!!!

[@unbroken1010]

And not give a penny to any of us living artist

[@jethrojackson2524]

Truly breathtaking! Thank you.

[@mona2242]

« This is not the work of only one man, .... » The Met has the good fortune of receiving masterpieces as well as $$$ from generous patrons in order to bring the best art to the public . Thank you for this wonderful video . 👏👏👏

[@unbroken1010]

Too bad none of you give us living artist money to work

[@jppagetoo]

I could live in the Met. I have spent weeks and weeks inside those walls. It is a place I will always return to. To see these works in person is what the Met is all about.

[@leemurray998]

Min

[@user-is3pb4hb5h]

Thank you , excellent , food for the soul !

[@deannawoody9621]

Beautiful art

[@TheLusianPopa]

the MET is arguably NYC greatest cultural asset..

[@palm0607]

agree with you 100%.....not only for its collection nut for the people around thenworld that come to visit it....ran into people from france and germany on there vacation.....i cant wait to go back !

[@piusx8317]

Plus the Cloisters and Frick collection

[@StephenMortimer]

NYC lost their greatest asset ... TRUMP !!

[@MTMF.london]

@@StephenMortimer Good riddance - he was never an asset, let alone great.

[@StephenMortimer]

@@MTMF.london NYC BURNS .. we laugh !!

[@joycefroney6162]

Talent, technology, size and money combine to make this institution the best. I miss it.,

[@benediktmorak4409]

When i heard the mentioning of the prices for that van Gogh or the little Icon, it came to my mind that indeed - man does not live by bread alone -

[@408Magenta]

I come back to this most enjoyable video at least once every year. It's a treat each time. Everytime I return, I do so with as many and even more questions than the previous year. Either I'm failing or I am not trying hard enough.

[@chowcollection]

Me too! I'm trying to collect a range of art with this kind of diversity and I keep coming back to this video to see what I'm missing out on :)

[@venkateshaiahs5717]

@@408Magenta sillylalli

[@408Magenta]

Without fail Magenta. It's time again.

[@artieash6671]

Love the subtitle that says "Peter the Crate drove the Sweets out of Russia"... or how Brooke Astor becomes "broadcaster" .... really robots just can't cut it when it comes to subtitles.

[@stephanebelizaire3627]

Bravo !

[@rw2993]

Having seen "The Art of The Steal (2009)", it's hard to watch Montebello praise the Annenberg's 'love of art'.

[@user-zf7zu9tt6d]

유용한 정보 감사드려요.

[@gdhse3]

I would love to visit that place! It's a little far from Arizona.

[@valeria-militiamessalina5672]

Lol, people travel from Europe and Asia to visit and you’re complaining about it being far from Arizona

[@BintonSukses]

I love art, i am collector. i am from indonesia

[@hori166]

One thing that I got out of this, other than a chance to get a "drive-by" view of these works and to see the individual players, is how we all inhabit different spheres. The people who are involved with "art" at this level are a closed society--they walk, talk, dress, and live differently. An invitation to the farewell party for de Montebello would be akin to dinner with Elizabeth II. I was first filled with admiration and awe. But then I reflected, "What would it be like to a part of this world with all its intrigue, glamour, and distraction? Or should I be content to be able to go about my life unencumbered and free to live in such a way that my current resources allow?" Is it not a luxury "..to sit quietly in a room alone."? I hope to visit the MMA if the post CV-19 world allows it...

[@unbroken1010]

They could Care about us living artists

[@nms6431]

My faviorte place in ny, plus a carriages ride through central park afterwards , to this day 8s my faviorte thing to do in ny.

[@nlahunter]

Amazing collection of humanity and it's history. Would love to know the story and life of each artist but thier contribution still endures.

[@frodenorge]

Sigh...I really have to travel to New York one time; to visit the Metropolitan Museum Of Art...Unbelievable; these videos are such an eye-opener!

[@SankofaNYC]

I hope you made it... Everyone should visit here

[@Nonamearisto]

Someone needs to open a Museum dedicated to Museums.

[@MsLinda165]

If you close your eyes, the voice of Mr. de Montebello sounds precisely like Gregory Peck.

[@GreatMuseums]

Not sure - he wanted to know what his expert curators thought, part of the collaborative process of acquisition. Thanks for asking!

[@8nansky528]

I ADORE READING

[@Yvonne2214]

I don't usually care much for Rubens for whatever reason, but the one shown here just makes my heart swell. You can feel the adoration Rubens has for his wife and her maternal nature.

[@mollyrosesuth]

hi mr. philippe de montebello. i love you :)

[@Arts-Love]

Artistically and informative. Art is truly timeless 🖼

[@TheSvemirka]

Thanks:)

[@dbag96]

legend

[@user-yc6ti2uc3e]

I want to start a collection.

[@apriljoymagic]

Great

[@marioriospinot]

Nice.

[@stavokg]

Wonderful video, great, great director. But what happened to the face of the restored drawing at 28:32?? Cringeworthy!

[@opticalmixing23]

exactly!!

[@frankdalla]

If only the people of the world we live on could work together as an open minded collection of diversity...

[@ramelep]

I loved this!! What is that picture at 12:07

[@w.urlitzer1869]

Thomas Struth, San Zaccaria, Venice, 1995.

[@tofetbulayama1426]

💙

[@izzy1563]

The MET and the NYPL define world class institutions. Hope the MET is able to quickly overcome their current issues.

[@urbaradhikari1539]

💘

[@rickeycooper2201]

I think the mesopotamian figure would be a interesting thinkmatter for a concept car.R.C.

[@jacekpokrak9258]

Regards for all lovers of Compmaturism Jacek Pokrak

[@gforceeatingcorrect]

Oh ...pleeze !!!

[@cliffdariff74]

I have trouble believing that Demon a figure is 5000 years old! It can’t be, it’s too surreal... the wooden Russian looks Barisnokov

[@jamesanonymous2343]

ALL FROM THE BENEFIT OF THE MAKERS EYE, & HAND.

[@user-mv6he6gl8m]

Hmm, makes you wonder how big his acqusition budget really is...

[@ScottPothan]

Yet de Montebello epitomises the century of acquisition over custodianship, of design focussed exhibitions over palpable community engagement of venue-of-excellence ethos over poignant ordinary-ness of connoisseurship over the quotidian of the encyclopaedic over true indigeneity. He is masterful himself in his self-perceived inclusivity. But really what he represents are the values of Wall Street. What of that tentative human visitor, whose first language maybe Swahili for instance, would feel remotely comfortable, let alone ancestrally connected, walking through that gallery of art from Africa. A place of a thousand cultures in itself. Yet displayed as encyclopaedic objects “we own” (and by one upmanship inference NOT owned by the Louvre or the Prado) cos look ...... billionaires.

[@monicaregina82]

this man from this palace rouber als artistic fromm egipto!

[@unbroken1010]

They barely support us living artist unless it comes from someone special or a auction

[@xyzllii]

It's urgently needed that women get much more involved in the choices and decision making of Museums like the Met. and not be present merely as commentators!

[@pastorflaps6819]

Anti man Snowflake

[@valeria-militiamessalina5672]

16:51/16:52/16:53 Sour face/ Laughs awkwardly/ Sour face

[@ohmyblindman]

Ever since the "suggested" donation turned into an enforced admission price, the Met is dead to me. Admission should be free will offering, period. I will never darken its door again.

[@gdhse3]

The Met is no longer pay-what-you-wish for some visitors. The Metropolitan Museum of Art has changed its pay-what-you-wish ticket policy - but only for some visitors. ... New York residents can still pay what they wish, as the museum is located on state-owned land. Admission for children under age 12 remains free.Jan 4, 2018

[@gdhse3]

www.metro.us/the-met-is-no-longer-pay-what-you-wish-for-some-visitors The pay-what-you-wish policy has been in place since 1970, but the number of visitors paying the full suggested admission has fallen by 73 percent since 2004, according to the museum.

[@xxkissmeketutxx]

You wouldn't expect to see a film, musical or sporting event for free, why would anyone begrudge contributing to immersion in priceless pieces?

[@MTMF.london]

The daily running costs of the museum, it's collection, staff, security, insurance, etc. are immense and they have to come from somewhere. The donations that the Met gets from its trustees and board members are usually earmarked for new acquisitions. All major museums in the rest of the world charge admission and those that don't are heavily subsidized by their governments (as in the UK).

[@ohmyblindman]

@@MTMF.london Acquisitions? You do mean donations, as the tax breaks for donating are immense, and many collections are donated through wills and estates. The "door" is roughly 17 percent of the budget. As they are on public land, pay no real estate taxes, and were chartered to have no fixed admission, I stand by my original comment. Museums should serve the people.

[@michaelboylan5308]

You say,,an art work worthy enough to be added to the Met collection, Gosh,,how that must have preyed on the mind of Botticelli ,,,,how it must have inspired Simone Martini to paint his Annunciation, Is the Met worthy of these artists,,,no, Does art civilise,,,no,,,,Goering loved Vermeer, America collects great art,,,it cant make it, Have art collections helped America, maybe it was better that the Homestead children were well fed and educated

[@jeffr4169]

The Met also has an American Wing, filled with American art. You should check it out sometime.

[@mona2242]

Michael Boylan actually what did prey on Botticelli’s mind was the Catholic Church and the Medici. Does art civilize? It should , but art absolutely should educate its public.

[@abnormallyfunny]

American arrogance. Making claims they don't know to be true. e.g. "the only Egyptian temple in the western hemisphere" - not true. There is one in Madrid.

[@nicholasturner7931]

abnormallyfunny Madrid Spain if I’m not mistaken is in the northern hemisphere. And in fact I’m not mistaken it is so yeah America one some random guy zero.✌🏻🇺🇸✌🏻🇺🇸

[@MsLeenite]

The continent of Europe (including Madrid, Spain) is in the Eastern Hemisphere.

[@nicholasturner7931]

MsLeenite wrong answer it’s in the northern and Western Hemisphere

[@MsLeenite]

@@nicholasturner7931 Go look it up. The Western Hemisphere contains (mostly) North and South America. Its eastern boundary is the Greenwich Meridian. Madrid is east of the Greenwich Meridian. It is in the Eastern Hemisphere. You're right about the United States and Spain both being in the Northern Hemisphere, but abnormallyfunny didn't write anything about the Northern and Southern Hemispheres, just seemed to think that Spain was in the Western Hemisphere. So I made no mention of north or south, just corrected what he/she *did* write. Sheesh.

[@charlesfenwick6554]

Your ignorance. Spain is not in the Western Hemisphere.

[@parishermes9834]

Very colonial egocentric documentary.

[@mjmatteo]

He once remarked that the security guards at the Met were a “necessary evil.” That’s probably because he couldn’t fire them at will due to their collective bargaining contract. No love lost between Aristocrats and Unions.

[@MrDelvoye]

the way they talk is very fake and snobish

[@MTMF.london]

Um, no. They just have different backgrounds, education and outlook from you.

[@MrDelvoye]

@@MTMF.london why you know me?!

[@MTMF.london]

@@MrDelvoye And you know them?

[@MrDelvoye]

@@MTMF.london is not your business

[@rw2993]

Having seen "The Art of The Steal (2009)", it's hard to watch Montebello praise the Annenberg's 'love of art'.