Merchants And Masterpieces: The Story Of The Metropolitan Museum Of Art
Condition: SECONDHAND
This is a secondhand book. The jacket image is a photograph of the exact copy we have in stock. This image shows the condition of this book. Further condition remarks are below.
Condition remarks:
Book: Good
Jacket: Chipped and worn with some minor damage
Pages: Good , price clipped
Markings: No markings
A richly detailed work of cultural history, Merchants and Masterpieces: The Story of the Metropolitan Museum of Art chronicles the dramatic rise of one of the world's greatest art institutions, tracing its origins from the ambitions of Gilded Age industrialists and civic leaders to its emergence as a global cultural landmark. Calvin Tomkins illuminates the fascinating interplay between money, power, and aesthetic vision, detailing how New York's merchant class transformed their wealth and social aspirations into a collection of staggering breadth and quality. Written with the authority of a seasoned art critic and the narrative flair of a skilled storyteller, the account presents the museum's internal politics, its legendary acquisitions, and the colorful personalities — trustees, directors, and donors — who shaped its identity over more than a century. Tomkins argues that the Met is inseparable from the story of American ambition itself, a monument built not just to art, but to a nation's desire for cultural legitimacy on the world stage. Authoritative, engaging, and thoroughly researched, this is an essential read for anyone passionate about art history, philanthropy, or the cultural life of New York City.
Author: Calvin Tomkins
Format: Hardback
Published: 1970, Longman
Genre: History of arts
Condition remarks:
Book: Good
Jacket: Chipped and worn with some minor damage
Pages: Good , price clipped
Markings: No markings
A richly detailed work of cultural history, Merchants and Masterpieces: The Story of the Metropolitan Museum of Art chronicles the dramatic rise of one of the world's greatest art institutions, tracing its origins from the ambitions of Gilded Age industrialists and civic leaders to its emergence as a global cultural landmark. Calvin Tomkins illuminates the fascinating interplay between money, power, and aesthetic vision, detailing how New York's merchant class transformed their wealth and social aspirations into a collection of staggering breadth and quality. Written with the authority of a seasoned art critic and the narrative flair of a skilled storyteller, the account presents the museum's internal politics, its legendary acquisitions, and the colorful personalities — trustees, directors, and donors — who shaped its identity over more than a century. Tomkins argues that the Met is inseparable from the story of American ambition itself, a monument built not just to art, but to a nation's desire for cultural legitimacy on the world stage. Authoritative, engaging, and thoroughly researched, this is an essential read for anyone passionate about art history, philanthropy, or the cultural life of New York City.