My high school is located very close to the Metropolitan Museum of Art. My friends and I became privy to a little known fact about the Met very early on. Contrary to the dictums of pop culture, you are NOT, under any circumstances, allowed to sit on the Met steps and eat your lunch. And no, this is not a result of some social hierarchy; the Met pays someone to make sure you know it is too good to be true.
Unable to loiter outside, we frequently found ourselves wandering in to check out the Egyptian wing, or some wacked out huge green balloon dog on the Roof. The, thing is, no matter how many times you go to the Met, the expanse of art is so vast that you can only ever scratch the surface of the permanent collection (never mind the temporary exhibits) and the history it represents.
(Speaking of scratching the surface, anyone see the Richard Serra Exhibit that was showing back in April? 🙂 )
A New York Times art review article, from last week, emphasizes perfectly the detail of history and philosophy one easily overlooked piece can contain.
This article focuses on an oblong painting by Huang Daozhou, of two intertwined pine trees and a rock, currently featured in an exhibit of Ming loyalist art. The painting, while seemingly quite serene to the contemporary viewer who is so accustomed to violent and graphic propaganda, reflects the political turmoil in the region in 1634. Invading tribesmen from the North threatened the long-standing Ming dynasty, and eventually defeated it in 1644. The caption beneath “Pines and Rock” reads, ruefully, “Even if I turned into rock, I wouldn’t be obstinate.” Ultimately, Huang Daozhou is obstinate enough to be killed for his loyalist beliefs, despite his previous resolution to go with the flow.
Image courtesy of the NYTimes.
That’s so interesting! It is certainly a good reminder to search out the stories of pieces of artwork that are displayed in museums and such because what we observe is only part of the artwork. What we cannot observe- the history of its creation- gives pieces much more value and depth.
I’m so excited to see the painting from my culture. I admire the artist Huang Daozhou’s loyalty to Ming dynasty. He is a hero. I always respect patriot. It’s good to know the history or story behind artistic works. It will help us understand them better and reach the essence of them.
I think it would make a spectacular project to make a weekly 60-90 minute visit to the Met. The holdings are vast and you could spend that much time visiting and re-visiting. It is also really nice to return to a museum and see a favorite piece or room, like checking in on an old friend.
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