Wednesday, September 2, 2009

MET Treasure Trove

The Shaker Room

A few weeks ago I met a friend at the Met to see the new American Wing, which as it turns out is far too vast for a single visit. All the period rooms were spectacular, and a few of the furniture pieces were screaming for a modern day knockoff. I particularly loved the quiet simplicity of the Shaker room. Although I'm generally not a huge fan of Shaker style furniture, the carefully considered lines of every piece were a real testament to the craftsmanship that went into making them.

The most exciting moment of the day however was the discovery of the Met's decorative arts archive, a veritable treasure trove of inspiration. Row after row of furniture, lighting, tableware, decorative pieces, and much more, all displayed Moss-style, in huge glass display cases. Unfortunately most of the items didn't have labels explaining their provenance, but it was thrilling none the less. The scope and breadth of this collection is definitely worth braving the crowds to see, and whatever you do, don't forget your camera.






And now....the treasure trove!









No comments:

Post a Comment