A Day at the Met

On the third of three consecutive gorgeous early spring days, we had a fine day at the Met yesterday, seeing Lee Friedlander's richly textured and layered photos of Olmstead's parks across the US, capturing exactly in that medium what Olmstead sought in his own design, and then on to the huge and thoughtful landscapes of Poussin, almost four centuries old, and examining what always remains worth examining, man's place in nature and the sudden moments where light in life turns to darkness, with no warning or explanation, sometimes in Poussin's work through a venemous snake (Man Killed By a Snake and Orpheus and Eurydice). There were two grand quotes at the end of the exhibit, concerning Poussin's monumental final works, The Four Seasons, based -- for the first time in his career, I think -- on scenes from the Bible rather than myth. From Poussin himself, "It is said that the swan sings more sweetly when death approaches. I will try to imitate him and work better than ever." And from Chateaubriand, "Often men of genius announced their end through masterpieces; it is their soul that takes wing."

Attribution of works of art is a very living science -- more than a few of the canvases and drawings in the Poussin show had been attributed to him -- or removed from his catalogue -- in the last decade or two.

Venturing deep into the museum as we did in getting between the two exhibitions made me realize all over again what extraordinary work the retiring Phillippe de Montebello has achieved in his 30 years tenure. It is said that he often walks alone through the Met, visiting his favorite works. Well he should; it's a glorious place.