Philippe The Exhibition: His Acquisitions Become a Show and a Syllabus

Signature image of the Philippe retrospective:
Peter Paul Rubens, "Rubens, His Wife Helena Fourment and Their Son Peter Paul," probably late 1630s, Metropolitan Museum of Art

Not only are the Metropolitan Museum's more than 84,000 works acquired during the 31-year reign of director Philippe de Montebello going to be celebrated in an exhibition of more than 250 selected objects, but they are also the focus of a graduate art history course, named for the exhibition, offered this fall at New York University's Institute of Fine Arts.

NYU's colloquium (click on "Fall 2008 Courses in Art History and Archaeology" and scroll to the bottom), "Curatorial Studies II: The Philippe de Montebello Years," will be taught by the Met's Byzantine art curator, Helen Evans, who is also coordinating the museum's upcoming show, Oct. 24-Feb. 1.

In case you want to audit (though I doubt you can), here's the course description:

The role of acquisitions in the development of a major museum will be explored through "The Philippe de Montebello Years," an exhibition which recognizes the importance of the more than 80,000 works that have entered The Metropolitan Museum during the three decades of his tenure. Students consider the impact of purchases, donors, new/old fields of collecting on the selection of works and the resulting impact on the character of the Museum.

But wait! This is course is also very hands-on:

Students participate in the final stages of the exhibition's development.

Does this mean that they can take on Philippe's customary role, tinkering with installations after the curators have finished?

No details yet on the first course that Professor de Montebello will teach at NYU after he leaves the Met. Here's what Kathleen Heins, Director of Development & Public Affairs for NYU's IFA, told me:

Mr. de Montebello's appointment will be effective in January 2009, or upon the arrival of his successor at the Metropolitan Museum of Art. Thus, his first course will be scheduled once we know when he will take up his appointment.