The Secret History of the Moguls and the Money that Made the Metropolitan Museum
by Michael Gross
The Metropolitan Museum of Art is Americas wealthiest and arguably the worlds greatest art museumand behind every great institution lies a complex, multifaceted story. Now, Michael Gross gives us the first unauthorized and definitive history of the museum and the juicy details of the lives of the powerful players who made it what it is today.
With a colorful cast of characters that includes directors Guy-Philippe Lannes de Montebello, Luigi Palma di Cesnola, and Thomas P. F. Hoving, and a glittering array of supporting players such as John D. Rockefeller, Jr., Annette de la Renta, J. P. Morgan, Brooke Astor, Robert Moses, Diana Vreeland, and Jayne Wrightsman, Gross looks at the museums rich social history and exposes the secrets behind the upper classs cultural and philanthropic ambitions. From the trustees to the donors and the curators to the collectors, the startling 138-year tale of the Met and the masterpieces that live inside its walls makes for an astonishing and satisfying read.
"Not the best-curated of exhibitions, Gross's thematically unfocused chronicle is overstuffed with the details ... " - Publishers Weekly
"A deft rendering of the down-and-dirty politics of the art world." - Kirkus Reviews
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Michael Gross is the author of the New York Times bestselling Model: The Ugly Business of Beautiful Women (1995), which was published in eight countries; My Generation (2000), a biography of the Baby Boom generation; Genuine Authentic: The Real Life of Ralph Lauren (2003); and 740 Park (2005). He currently lives in New York City.
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