Up from Vesuvius

Pompeii 79 a.d., a huge display of art and artifacts from that Roman summer resort destroyed by the eruption of Vesuvius and not rediscovered until the seventeenth century, has just opened its American tour in Boston’s Museum of Fine Arts. Preceded by a massive publicity barrage—which started back in January and included furnishing the nation’s art critics with orange campaign buttons inscribed “Pompeii Lives!”—it attracted some twenty thousand viewers in its first two weeks: which was, of course, the name of the game. Pompeii is only the most recent representative of what appears to be the new trend among American museums: the booking of large-scale exhibitions from abroad— preferably of a rarity that will permit the use of “Treasures” in the title— in order to push up the attendance figures, on which foundation officials and corporate donors (in this case, Xerox and the National Council on the Humanities) base their continued support. Crowds = money, as on Broadway; more = more.

Over the past few years, Americans coast to coast have been treated to such delectable offerings as Treasures of Chinese Art and Treasures of Irish Art, not to mention the globetrotting Treasures of Tutankhamen, all-time world champion in the exhibition stakes. Of course, the general public is the ultimate winner. Nevertheless, these displays do raise questions.

RB

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Ruth Berenson

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Pompeii 79 a.d., a huge display of art and artifacts from that Roman summer resort destroyed by the eruption of Vesuvius and not rediscovered until the seventeenth century, has just opened its American tour in Boston’s Museum of Fine Arts. Preceded by a massive publicity barrage—which started back in January and included furnishing the nation’s art critics with orange campaign buttons inscribed “Pompeii Lives!”—it attracted some twenty thousand viewers in its first two weeks: which was, of course, the name of the game. Pompeii is only the most recent representative of what appears to be the new trend among American museums: the booking of large-scale exhibitions from abroad— preferably of a rarity that will permit the use of “Treasures” in the title— in order to push up the attendance figures, on which foundation officials and corporate donors (in this case, Xerox and the National Council on the Humanities) base their continued support. Crowds = money, as on Broadway; more = more.

Over the past few years, Americans coast to coast have been treated to such delectable offerings as Treasures of Chinese Art and Treasures of Irish Art, not to mention the globetrotting Treasures of Tutankhamen, all-time world champion in the exhibition stakes. Of course, the general public is the ultimate winner. Nevertheless, these displays do raise questions.