And it totally did! Now, I know that it received mixed reviews, so I'm going to say this right now. This a story about how museum curators and art specialists become reluctant action heroes (kind of) to save the most amazing art in Western Europe. This is not your typical war movie, with big battle scenes and lots of explosives. That would be bad for the art. And despite the fact that there are many comedians in the film, this is not a comdey. It is Hollywood's version of a true event and -as in all life stories - there are highs and lows, so it is part comedy, part drama, and part action movie all rolled into one.
Anyway, I loved this move, so I decided to do some more digging into the true story of the Monuments Men. I am still deciding whether or not to read the book the movie is based on by Robert Edsel. But in the mean time, I did some searching to find out more about the true story. And those searches led me to the Archives of American Art and their current exhibit The Monuments Men: On the Frontline to Save Europe's Art, 1942-1946.
I decided to go and check it out. An important piece of information on the logistics of the exhibit. The Archives of American Art is located in an office building on 9th Street in DC. However, the exhibit is in a room that the Archives has in the National Portrait Gallery/ America Art Museum complex. Hopefully this clears up any confusion if you decide to go (I was a bit lost at first).
When I finally figured out where I was suppose to go, I entered the museum complex through the Portrait Gallery side and made my way towards the atrium.
And through the door on the left side. There are no signs directing you towards the exhibit and the people I asked were a bit confused with what exhibit I was looking for. So, I figured that I would give you directions.
Once through this door, go to the end of the short hallway and turn right into the Lawrence A. Fleischman Gallery.
There, now you've made it to the exhibit!
The exhibit is small but effective, telling the story of these remarkable men and women through photographs and documents. Although there are only six cases of objects in the exhibit, the pieces chosen by the curators seem to tell a complete story.
It begins with the George Leslie Stout's concerns about the potential loss of centuries worth of European art and his original proposal concerning the "Protection of Monuments." Stout was an art conservator at the Fogg Musuem at Harvard and one of the main advocates for the need to protect European art - and thus European history and culture - from destruction.
Draft Proposal for protection of monuments, December 1941.Archives of American Art, Smithsonian Institution.
The call for action went out from many of the country's top museums shortly after the attack on Pearl Harbor and many members of the art community heeded the call.
Monuments Men Walker Hancock (second from left) and George "Ole Pops" Stout (second from right), June 1945. Thomas Carr Howe papers, Archives of American Art, Smithsonian Institution.
The exhibit continues to tell of the search for the massive collection of art that the Nazis had stolen and hidden away.
**Spoiler: If you have not seen the movie yet and want to be surprised how it plays out, stop reading now. The next parts will give pieces of the movie away.**
Inventory list of looted art from the Göring collection found at Berchtesgaden and transported by truck to Munich Central Collecting Point for repatriation, July 26–August 4, 1945. Thomas Carr Howe papers, Archives of American Art, Smithsonian Institution.
One of the most important recoveries in the movie was the recovery of Michelangelo's Madonna and Child. It occurs almost at the end of the movie and appears to be the most important discovery for the team. We see some of the repatriation of art, but much of it is glossed over by George Clooney's character (Based on George Stout) in his debriefing with Roosevelt.
Rescuing Michelangelo’s Madonna and Child, Altaussee, 1945. Thomas Carr Howe papers, Archives of American Art, Smithsonian Institution.
But the exhibit goes further. It shows the vast amount of art that had to be catalogued and repatriated. Images of the crate stacked on top of crate and stack after stack of painting convey the shear volume of this operation.
Herr Sicher, George Stout and Thomas Carr Howe inspecting paintings, 1945 July 9. Thomas Carr Howe papers, Archives of American Art, Smithsonian Institution.
One of the most interesting characters in the movie is Claire Simone (played by Cate Blanchett). She is one of the only women in the movie but plays an extremely important role. That character is based on Rose Valland, a French art historian who worked tirelessly to save thousands of pieces of art during and after Nazi occupation. Part of the exhibit that I really enjoyed was seeing her during the cataloguing and repatriation of the recovered art.
Edith Standen and Rose Valland examine artwork, armor, and sculpture to be returned to France, May 1946. James J. Rorimer papers, Archives of American Art, Smithsonian Institution.
At the back of the exhibit was an interactive panel, which allowed visitors to call a number and hear an interview with one of the original members of the Monuments Men. In theory, this is an amazing idea, a way to draw the audience further into the story. In reality, however, it just didn't work for me. All the interviews I tried were fuzzy and hard to hear, likely because of their age and the original quality of the recording. If there was a way to clean up the recordings, I think I would have really enjoyed that part of the exhibit.
Over all, I truly enjoyed the Monuments Men exhibit. As an art fan and a member of the museum field, the importance of this story really hits home. Throughout the movie, people keep asking the Monuments Men if the art is worth the sacrrifce. I believe that it is. Because it is not just something pretty to admire, but a part of history and culture that reflect where society is at that point in time. And I am grateful to all the men and women involved in the protection and recovery of this art.
On a side note, this elderly couple was in the room the entire time I was there (I tend to take much longer than most people in exhibits because I am taking and retaking photos and making sure I jot down enough information in my notes). They seemed to have a true connection with the event, making me wonder if they had seen any of this up close.
The exhibit opened the same day as the movie, February 7th, and will be on display until April 20, 2014. The museum is part of the Smithsonian, so admission is free. The museum complex is open from 11:30am to 7:00pm.
And if you have time, enjoy a cuppa in the atrium, it really is beautiful!
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