On one of the coldest, snowiest, of recent days in what already seems like a very long winter, I fought the elements and our balking, antiquated Metro North trains to travel to New York for a pre-op appointment with a hip surgeon.
Despite a condition that now makes walking painful, I was determined to turn the necessity of the medical appointment into a pleasurable day and squeeze in a visit to the Metropolitan Museum. One of the outstanding exhibits is the celebration of Philippe de Montebello's 39 years as director of the Met, featuring 300 works of art from a total of 84,000, which were acquired during his tenure.
While "The Philippe de Montebello Years: Curators Celebrate Three Decades of Acquisitions" is scheduled to close Feb. 1, the Met has made the exhibit available at www.metmuseum.org. Although it is certainly an exciting exhibit, the wide range and diversity can make it confusing, at times.
From one of the last acquisitions, Duccio's "Madonna and Child" to Miro's almost bland canvas, "This is the Color of My Dreams," the variety and scope of the exhibition is challenging and entertaining.
There is a beautifully peaceful 5th-century standing Buddha from India, a 13th-century intricately carved ivory virgin made in England, exquisitely detailed musical instruments and an ornate suit of armor belonging to the Prince of Austria.
The first piece of Russian furniture to enter the museum's collection is a breathtaking table embellished with silver inlay. Two pieces of furniture, both of German origin, are so ornately over-the-top, they seem to be studies in grotesque ostentatiousness.
One, a huge oak cabinet, is carved and trimmed with tortoise shell, gilt silver and ivory over every inch of its immense, jukebox-shaped body. The other is an equally ornate ugly mirror.
I especially enjoyed an ancient six-panel Japanese screen by Sesson depicting gibbons (a small type of monkey) cavorting by a forest stream and Canaletto's "Piazza San Marco" in Venice, an amazing example of the art of perspective. One of the few photographs represented in the show is Richard Avedon's study of a sadly pensive Marilyn Monroe.
Unfortunately, my hip began to give out before I could spend much time at an equally interesting exhibit, "Beyond Babylon," 350 objects from palaces, temples and tombs as well as from a shipwreck, which were all from the 2nd millennium B.C. What I was able to see makes me hope to return (with a new hip) before the exhibit closes March 15.
Two small but worthwhile exhibits also at the Met are "The Essential Art of African Textiles" and the jewelry of Alexander Calder, the artist known for his mobiles.
I ended my visit with a light meal in the cafe that looks out onto Central Park. That day, the scene was a winter wonderland with joggers and dog walkers enjoying the fresh-fallen snow. As I sat there contemplating the treasures I had just seen, I again realized how fortunate we all are to have this world-famous museum only a few hours away. If you haven't visited the Met lately, I would encourage you to do so.
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