Johannes Vermeer (Dutch, 1632–1675)
Study of a Young Woman, probably ca. 1665–67
Oil on canvas; 17 1/2 x 15 3/4 in. (44.5 x 40 cm)
The Metropolitan Museum of Art, New York, Gift of Mr. and
Mrs. Charles Wrightsman in memory of Theodore Rousseau, Jr., 19
Then, Then & Now…
Throughout the hour I spent last night at the Met‘s preview of “The Age of Rembrandt: Dutch Paintings in The Metropolitan Museum of Art,” there was a constant small crowd buzzing around Vermeer’s luminous “Study of a Young Woman.” It came as a surprise to see several of the artists works, precious rarities that they are, in an exhibition wholly derived from the museum’s permanent collection, a testament to both the buying power and dedication of New Yorkers past and present.
Underscoring this, and adding a dimension to the appreciation of the presentation, which includes the Museums entire collection of Dutch paintings is the choice to organize the exhibition based upon the history of the acquisition of these works by the Met. The history of the art, dating from the 17th and 18th centuries, is presented in conjunction with the history of the Museum in the 19th and 20th centuries. - art and artists, collectors and philanthropists, all part of the show, which is not to be missed.
Moving onward to the history of art in the 21st Century, it’s most recent moments, we encounter the Art Production Fund’s impressively elaborate presentation of Aaron Young’s (the title alludes to a work by Pollack) “Greeting Card.” Consisting of 288 4x8 ft. plywood panels, painted in layers of brilliant color under black, the work was completed in a performance on Tuesday, September 18th, when 10 motorcycles were ridden over the assembled pieces revealing, a whirling pattern of vivid color against black. The venue, the 7th Regiment Armory on Park Avenue, remains open to the public for viewing of the piece through the 23rd.
In contrast to the immaculate opulence of the Met, with it’s staircases candlelit for the evening event, the Armory , which I was seeing for the first time without the staging installed for the many art fairs that it hosts, was revealed to be in rather rough shape and somewhat treacherous to navigate. It is to be hoped that, with the need for a space in Manhattan for more presentations like “Greeting Card,” and the efforts of the community to improve the facility, the Armory, which dates back to the late 19th Century, will be restored and re-imagined by the same surging synergy of art, prosperity and New York City that has nurtured the Met.
Art Productions Fund
Metropolitian Museum of Art
Armory Park
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