By EDITORIAL WEB EXCLUSIVES February 28, 2020
An unveiling with a decidedly British accent
A ceremonial ribbon cutting was held Feb. 24 for The New British Galleries at The Metropolitan Museum of Art in Manhattan. Pictured, from left, are The Met's Daniel H. Weiss, president and CEO; Wolf Burchard, associate curator, Department of European Sculpture and Decorative Arts; Sarah E. Lawrence, Iris and B. Gerald Cantor Curator in Charge, Department of European Sculpture and Decorative Arts; and Max Hollein, director, joined by Antony Phillipson, Her Majesty's Trade Commissioner for North America and Consul General in New York. Photograph by Mary Shustack.
A dazzling display of 18th-century teapots highlights The New British Galleries at The Metropolitan Museum of Art in Manhattan. Photograph by Mary Shustack.
Detail of a 19th-century Asprey & Company desk set featuring gilded bronze and malachite. The complete set was exhibited by Asprey & Company at the 1851 Great Exhibition of the Works of Industry of All Nations in London. Photograph by Mary Shustack.
Detail of the Staircase from Cassiobury House, Hertfordshire, featuring intricate carving in pine and elm by Edward Pearce (English, ca. 1630-1695). The staircase came to The Met in 1932. Photograph by Mary Shustack.
Detail of the Tapestry room from Croome Court, Worcestershire, designed by Robert Adam (British, 1728-1792). Photograph by Mary Shustack.
WAG was among those invited to a preview of The New British Galleries at The Metropolitan Museum of Art in Manhattan earlier this week.
And what a sneak peek it was, with a formal program of comments capped by a ceremonial ribbon cutting and then the invitation to explore some 11,000 square feet devoted to four centuries of British decorative arts, design and sculpture. Yes, please.
The re-imagined space, at times sweeping in scope and at others intimate, showcases work created from 1500 to 1900 and officially opens to the public March 2. A highlight of The Met's 150th anniversary, the re-opening of the galleries – a suite of 10 featuring almost 700 works of art – was completed to "provide a fresh perspective on the period, focusing on its bold, entrepreneurial spirit and complex history," museum materials share.
The highlights are numerous, from the elaborately carved 17th-century staircase that came to The Met in 1932 from the now-lost Cassiobury House to a trio of historic interiors including the period-perfect Tapestry room from Croome Court, an immersive step right back into the 18th century.
Tea lovers that we at WAG are, we were charmed by the pair of soaring, semi-circular cases displaying some 100 18th-century English teapots.
Throughout the galleries, further delights include textiles and silver, paintings and sculpture, porcelain, furniture and lighting, plus cameos, clocks and candlesticks.
If the preview was any indication, these galleries, a collaboration with the New York-based design firm Roman and Williams Buildings and Interiors, will no doubt find many a fan.
And for those wanting to know more, stay tuned, as we'll offer a full feature on The New British Galleries in our April issue.
For more, visit metmuseum.org.
– Mary Shustack
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