Page 192 - (DK Eyewitness) Travel Guide - New York City

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Exploring the Metropolitan

The treasures of the “Met” include a vast collection of
American art and more than 2,500 European paintings,
including masterpieces by Rembrandt and Vermeer.
There are also many Islamic exhibits, plus the greatest
collection of Egyptian art outside Cairo.
It holds not only
one of the world’s
finest collections of
American painting
and sculpture but
also of decorative
arts from Colonial
times to the
beginning of
the 20th century.
A painted gold funerary mask (10th–11th century) from the Highlights range
necropolis of Batán Grande, Peru from elegant Neo-
Classical silver Mysterious in identity and origin, the rare
vessels made by Paul Revere to copper Head of a Ruler (c. 2300–200 BC)
Art of Africa, Oceania, innovative glassware by Tiffany from the Near East
and the Americas & Co. In the furniture section
Nelson Rockefeller built the are settees, dining chairs, tables, the 9th-century BC Assyrian
Michael C. Rockefeller Wing bookcases, and desks from palace of Ashurnasirpal II, stand
in 1982 in memory of his son, major centers of American at the entrance to the Ancient
who lost his life on an art- cabinetmaking such as Boston, Near Eastern galleries. Inside is a
finding expedition in New Newport, and Philadelphia. collection spanning 8,000 years,
Guinea. The wing showcases a Period rooms, with their rich in Iranian bronzes, Anatolian
superb collection of over 1,600 original decorative woodwork ivories and Sumerian sculptures,
objects from Africa, the islands and furnishings, range from and Achaemenian and Sassanian
of the Pacific, and the Americas. the saloon hall in which silver and gold. The adjacent Arts
Among the African works, George Washington celebrated of Arab Lands section contains
the ivory and bronze sculptures his last birthday to the elegant Islamic art of the 7th to the 19th
from the royal kingdom of Benin prairie-style living room from centuries; glass and metalwork
(Nigeria) are outstanding, as is the the house that Frank Lloyd from Egypt, Syria, and Meso-
wooden sculpture by the Dogon, Wright designed for Francis potamia; royal miniatures from
Bamana, and Senufo peoples W. Little in Wayzata, Minnesota, Persia and Mughal India; 16th-
of Mali. From the Pacific come in 1912. and 17th-century rugs; and an
carvings by the Asmat people of The Charles Engelhard Court 18th-century room from Syria.
New Guinea and decorations and is an indoor sculpture garden
masks from the Melanesian and with large-scale architectural Arms and Armor
Polynesian islands. From Mexico elements, including the lovely
and Central and South America stained-glass and mosaic Mounted knights in full armor
come pre-Columbian gold, loggia from Louis Comfort charge at each other across the
ceramics, and stonework. The Tiffany’s Long Island estate and equestrian court here. These
wing also contains fine Native the facade of an 1824 United galleries are a favorite with
American artifacts by the Inuit States Branch Bank that once children and anyone moved
and other groups. stood on Wall Street. by medieval romance or thrilled
by power.
There are suits of armor,
The American Wing Ancient Near Eastern rapiers and sabers with hilts
and Islamic Art
Gilbert Stuart’s portrait of of precious stones and gold,
George Washington, George Massive stone sculptures firearms inlaid with ivory and
Caleb Bingham’s Fur Traders of winged, human-headed mother-of-pearl, plus colorful
Descending the Missouri, John animals, once
Singer Sargent’s notorious the guardians of
portrait of Madame X, and
the monumental Washington
Crossing the Delaware by
Emanuel Leutze are among the
icons in the American Wing. The pistol of Holy Roman Emperor Charles V (16th century)

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